About Fusion
Our mission
Through collaborative action, including fiscal sponsorship, Fusion Partnerships works to be a catalyst for social justice and peace.
Our vision for baltimore
Fusion’s vision is a Baltimore region where all its citizens have equitable access to resources and opportunities.
Because of Fusion, a larger and more diverse pool of grassroots community leaders can now contribute and participate in solutions for social change. Through greater access to nonprofit and supportive organizational resources, Fusion is an inclusive solution that protects and nurtures small innovative organizations and initiatives.
Fusion provides a space for interaction, collaboration and a diversity of expressions. We provide a platform for grassroots leaders to amplify their voice, recognize and claim their value, and refine their vision.
Our Story
Fusion was formed by a group of individuals with a common mission to bring people together across diverse perspectives and social divides to build unity and collaboration for social change. Early on after its inception in 1998, Fusion facilitated numerous educational and community workshops and events to help create bridges of understanding to develop individual and organizational capacity in addressing racial disparities and other social justice issues.
Through our facilitation and work in the community, we saw that many individual leaders and groups had great ideas and wanted to build effective programs but lacked access to the nonprofit and capacity building resources as did larger agencies and organizations. Starting in 2003, we began to offer fiscal sponsorship and capacity building support to grassroots community leaders working for social justice in Baltimore. As our fiscal sponsorship program continues to grow, we are able to provide support and opportunity for our programs to share ideas, resources, collaborate and build their capacity.
Fusion believes in social change that's driven by passion and not pedigree.
Leadership Team
Lisa Bleich, Executive Director
Lisa Bleich has built her 20-year career based upon one of her core beliefs: authentic communication—centered on empathy and equity—creates strong and sustainable families, communities, and institutions that better serve our world. A proud and native Baltimorean, her work has spanned mediation, communication, and leadership roles across organizations within the education, community health, and public sectors. As a consultant, Lisa engaged with companies, government agencies, and other non-profit organizations to assess their current barriers to effective communication with internal and external audiences, define the root causes of those problems, and build sustainable solutions for the clear, authentic communication needed to propel growth. Lisa enjoys camping, hiking and gardening with her husband, daughter and 2 dogs and is always eager to spend time in community with friends both new and old.
Chelsea Steiner, Director of Administration and Finance
Chelsea Steiner has a bachelor's degree in mathematics with a minor in philosophy from University of Maryland at Baltimore County. Chelsea earned a J.D. degree from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. Prior to attending law school, Chelsea worked ten years with Struever, Eccles and Rouse as a commercial development project manager. Her most notable real estate project was the redevelopment of the National Brewery in Brewers Hill, which was the site of Maryland's first LEED Silver certified, Green Tax Credit project, and home to the blinking neon Mr. Boh that can be seen from miles around Baltimore. Chelsea is an avid cook and enjoys creating five star meals and delicious comfort foods for her family and, especially, her two young grandchildren, whenever she can. Chelsea is the daughter of Fusion's longtime co-director, StrongHeart Stone, who is now retired, and sister of current partner engagement coordinator, Alana Haughton, both of whom can attest to her prowess in the kitchen (haha.) Chelsea has been familiar with Fusion since it's founding and joined the staff as Director of Administration and Finance in 2019.
Sarah McCann, Director of Operations
Sarah McCann is a curator, community artist, and nonprofit professional. She has over a decade of experience in nonprofit management, fundraising, programming, and more. Her objective in this work is to improve visibility, financial security, equity, and meaningful outcomes for artists, organizations, and communities. McCann’s text-based mosaics, prints and multimedia artwork has been exhibited nationally and she had her first solo exhibition in 2018 at Jubilee Arts in Baltimore. Sarah brings a wealth of creative problem solving, community work, and operations experience to the Fusion staff in her role as Director of Operations.
InFusion
Allison Duggan, Community Grants Organizer
allison.duggan@fusiongroup.org
Allison Duggan has collaborative experience with Baltimore United Viewfinders, the Walters Art Museum, East Baltimore artists, and the Bea Gaddy Family Center. She completed her graduate work in MICAs MFA in Community Arts Program. Allison's strong community arts background informs her visual art work and her approach as a community organizer with Fusion Partnerships. She serves as the Community Grants Program Organizer of the inFusion Community Grants Program. Allison has worked closely with East Baltimore residents and community stakeholders to launch this program that funds resident led, resident driven, and resident approved projects.
Tamika Bryant, Community Grants Program Coordinator
Tamika came to Fusion as a member of the Public Allies Program at The University of Maryland School of Social Work's Community Outreach Service (SWCOS) working closely with the East Baltimore residents in her childhood community. inFusion Community Grants Program is resident led, resident driven, and resident approved projects.Because of her excellent administrative and technology skills, and additional support she has offered Fusion, she is now working full-time at Fusion as our inFusion Community Grants Program Coordinator.
Partner Engagement
Anna Gibeau, Partner Engagement Coordinator
Anna Gibeau has continuously considered Baltimore home. She helped establish the Bell Foundry and has commitment to creating safe creative spaces for art and music as a comprehensive portion of her life. Having an extensive background working in coffee project management, Anna has fostered a passion for creating sustainable supply chains, both nationally and internationally. In moving back to Baltimore, she comes to Fusion Partnerships dedicated to helping to build sustainable communities. After graduating from Appalachian State University in Sustainable Development and Economics, where she focused on Global and Community projects by analyzing how social and economic systems affect human equity and the environment. She aspires to help expand partner relationships and use her experience to be a change agent within Baltimore city.
Tiffany Ginyard, Partner Engagement Coordinator
Tiffany Ginyard is a proud West Baltimore nativie and City College graduate (2002). She is a former Editor at the Afro American Newspaper and Founder of the F.L.Y. Girl Network, Inc. Tiffany has been a City High School English Teacher. She specializes in youth development, communications, and strategic planning. She is a Mother, Light worker, and Storyteller.
Alana Stone Haughton, Partner Engagement Coordinator
Alana Stone Haughton has a connection to Fusion Partnerships that goes back to her childhood. Her mother, StrongHeart, was Managing Partner for 20 years. Fusion has always been a place that felt like home for Alana; a representation of communal support and acceptance. Her empathy for people, and love for art, make her role as a Partner Engagement Coordinator a seamless fit. Outside of Fusion she is an art teacher at a workshop for kids and adults. Connecting with those in need and helping to bring about changes in various communities, through creative means, has always been close to her heart.
Virginia Wake, Partner Engagement Administrator
Virginia Wake has over 15 years’ experience providing administrative support to professionals in the legal field in the Baltimore-Washington area. She has also provided administrative support in the insurance industry. Joining Fusion brought Ms. Wake’s extensive experience to the nonprofit sector. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Hiram College in French. She continued her pursuit of languages during her assignment as a Russian crypto-linguist in the U.S. Air Force. As the Administrative Coordinator for Fusion’s Project Engagement Coordinators (PECs), she works closely with the PEC team to ensure that workflow processes run smoothly. In addition she assists in drafting and implementing procedures to establish effective communication and support with our Partners. She is proud to be a part of the successful completion of financial transactions that are a mainstay of fiscal sponsorship. She is grateful for the opportunity to learn about the dynamic impact of fiscal sponsorship as we support those that serve our communities.
Administrative and Finance
Jeremy Davis, Bookkeeper
Jeremy Davis is the Bookkeeper and Accounts Payable processor in the Fusion Finance Department. Dealing in Accounts Payable, he helps provide the expense data that Partners see on their reports. Jeremy cuts checks for partners and records credit card entries. Jeremy strives to provide all necessary in the day-to-day support for Fusions Partner Engagement Team and Partners alike.
Katrina Bush, Bookkeeper
Anelda Peters, Office Administrator
Anelda Peters has a background in sales, account management, and customer service. Her first experience in nonprofits was in school where she worked as the assistant to an Executive Director and experienced the extensive work of founding a charter school. Anelda began at Fusion as interim Administrative Coordinator, it was originally a temporary position, but Anelda is still here! Her new role at Fusion is Office Administrator, she does all the ordering, processes mail, and has the incredibly important job of keeping the office running. Anelda has lived in Baltimore’s Station North Arts District for 20 years, she moved to the neighborhood because her hubby was an artist. Anelda is also a certified yogi.
Expert Consultants
Lenette Abad, Abad & Company
Kate Shamis, Peak
Tameaka Shelton, HR Consultant
FuSion's Board of directors
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Ako Changa Onyango, Director, AO Services, Chair of Fusion Partnerships, Inc
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Daniel Atzmon, Law Enforcement Diversion Coordinator, Governor's Office of Crime Control & Prevention
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Dr. Fernando A. Wagner, Professor, School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Treasurer of Fusion Partnerships, Inc
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Paula Young, Associate Director, City Partnerships, Kaboom, Secretary of Fusion Partnerships, Inc
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Damien Hausling, Founder, Baltimore Furniture Bank, Partner Advisory Council Representative
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Litsa Williams, Founder, What’s Your Grief, Partner Advisory Council Representative
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Lisa Bleich, Executive Director, Fusion Partnerships, Inc
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Nicole Foster, MPH, Esq. Assistant Commissioner, Policy & Strategic Partnerships, Baltimore City Health Department
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Denise Gantt, Director of Programming, Modell-Lyric Performing Arts Center
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Mara James, Legislative & Engagement Lead at City of Baltimore Bureau of the Budget and Management Research
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Tammie Szafran, Paralegal Specialist at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia