Oramenta F. Newsome is Executive Director of the Washington, DC, office of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). Ms. Newsome has been working in the field of neighborhood revitalization and community development for over 20 years. Prior to joining LISC, Ms. Newsome worked as a Program Director for the Enterprise Foundation, City Planner and Homeless Services Coordinator for the City of Fort Worth, TX, and planner for Cobb County, GA. She has traveled extensively across the United States, writing funding proposals and providing technical assistance to small and mid-sized towns. She was a Fannie Mae Fellow at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government Program for Senior Executives. The Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation recognized Ms. Newsome as an Emerging Leader. She is a graduate of Leadership Washington, a member of the Class of 1999. Mayor Williams selected Ms. Newsome to receive the Mayor's Quality Partner Award as one of the City's Caring for Children Champions. She also served as member of the District of Columbia's Comprehensive Housing Strategy Task Force. Ms. Newsome serves on the board of directors of the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington, Washington Grantmakers, Open Door Housing Fund, DCTV, and the Advisory Board for the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. Ms. Newsome lectures to undergraduate and graduate classes as well as conducts training in the field of community development and neighborhood revitalization. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from Auburn University and a Master of Science in Community Development and Planning from Georgia State University.