GET TO KNOW US
About UsRevitalize Wilkinsburg, formerly Impact Neighborhood Redevelopment Company, was created in 2015 to focus on revitalizing vacant real estate clustered around the busway and central business district in Wilkinsburg. Since then, more than 25 properties have been repositioned from liabilities into assets that are now home to diverse people that enjoy living in the borough. The team at Revitalize Wilkinsburg looks forward to continuing to better Wilkinsburg by revitalizing single family properties for homeownership; residential rentals that provide safe, comfortable, and affordable housing; commercial spaces that activate the business district; and green lots to bring nature and community together. Thank you to our partners and collaborators that share the same vision and are helping us to revitalize Wilkinsburg.
~ Jerry Gaudi, Jr., Executive Director, Revitalize Wilkinsburg |
MediaJerry Gaudi’s vision for Wilkinsburg now includes a co-working space on Wood Street.
Local Pittsburgh, Jeremy Hopper. July 2023. Wilkinsburg Points of Pride
Come for the Brownies. Stay for the Opportunity. Public Source, Rich Lord. May 2023. |
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Staff
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JERRY GAUDI
Executive Director & Founder |
Jerry is a real estate developer focused entirely in Wilkinsburg. In 2015, he volunteered to be the program coordinator for the Wilkinsburg Chamber of Commerce which later led to positions on its board and its sister org, Wilkinsburg Community Advancement Association's board. He currently serves on the boards of Center for Civic Arts, Wilkinsburg Community Ministry, Wilkinsburg Pollinator Garden Group, and Wilkinsburg Affordable Housing Advocates.
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Board of Directors
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JOAB NAYLOR
Board President Joab Naylor has lived and worked in Wilkinsburg, where he has fallen in love with the untapped potential of the area, since 2009. His background includes: 11 years as a food safety inspector at Allegheny County Health department, 3 ½ years active duty in the US Navy Seabees where he did three deployments including Iraq, 1 ½ years in construction management as a project manager, estimator and quality control manager within a team that turned around and completed 120 single family residential foreclosures; he also holds 2 Masters degrees from the University of Pittsburgh In Construction Management and Business. His interests include: art, industrial and mid-century fixtures and furniture, and revitalization of Wilkinsburg. He currently has ten pieces of his artwork displayed at 900 Wood Street.
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DENISE BUNGER
Vice President It’s been a dream of Denise's to participate in Wilkinsburg’s revitalization. In 2021, she decided it was time to do more than just dream. Having worked in real estate both in Pittsburgh and other parts of the country, she has seen what can happen when a community comes together to move on from surviving to thriving. Denise currently lives in Wilkinsburg. As a local real estate professional, she has the pleasure of working with everyone from first time buyers to seasoned investors. Guiding her clients through the home buying process is not only fulfilling, but often inspirational. In addition to her real estate business, She has goals to create a space in Wilkinsburg for various types of artists and creative professionals.
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ERIK SLOBE
Board Treasurer Erik Slobe moved to the Pittsburgh area in 2009, first living in Wilkinsburg. Although he no longer lives there, he has maintained a desire to help Wilkinsburg redevelop businesses and to renew vacant properties into affordable housing. He believes affordable housing is better achieved through renovating vacant property instead of the current Pittsburgh trend of tearing down existing occupied housing to build new housing, as was done in at least Rankin and East Liberty. Erik has taken an unusual career path, starting as a nuclear engineer and then transitioning to become a patent attorney. Erik has been working as a patent attorney at Leech Tishman Fuscaldo and Lampl since 2021 where he works as an associate attorney in the Intellectual Property group. In his spare time, Erik enjoys hiking, obstacle races, board games, and spending time with his two children. He has seen Wilkinsburg already make great progress over the past decade, and is looking forward to helping continue the trend through his role serving on Revitalize Wilkinsburg’s Board.
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DEAN BRANDT
Board Secretary Dean Brandt has lived in Wilkinsburg for 33 years, the rest of his life in neighboring Edgewood. He has had a colorful career: selling cell phones when they looked like bricks; managing local rock bands in the mid-90s; and establishing an award-winning, indie DVD rental store in the 00s. Since 2013, he has been with HCL America where he is currently Deputy Manager - Operations for a project dedicated to improving the Google Shopping experience. In his spare time, Dean enjoys playing board games, brewing single origin coffee, reading, meditating, running, cycling, cooking, and playing with his adopted family members, his dogs Luna and Costello. He donates his time to the Wilkinsburg Affordable Housing Advocates committee, Wilkinsburg Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, Age Friendly Greater Pittsburgh Community Panel, his neighborhood Block Club, and his recently elected position, Judge of Elections for 2-5. He is very excited about the future of Wilkinsburg and even more so, his role in that future serving on Revitalize Wilkinsburg's Board.
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VIOLET SCOTT
Board Member Violet Scott, Founder of Jade Earth Events, is a Pittsburgh native with a passion for creating events and culture that use art and food to cultivate community. Violet started Jade Earth, an event planning business, in 2012, and has planned and managed fundraisers, weddings, baby showers, birthday parties and many other gatherings. In addition, Jade Earth hosts Open Mic Poetry events that have developed a following around spoken word poetry in Pittsburgh. Her entrepreneurial spirit has allowed her to flourish in owning an event business and also has given her in depth experience working with chefs, food and all the details of planning a successful happening. Violet developed her passion for event planning during her early teenage years. As time progressed she became known for her creative style and a niche for unique and innovative themes. Violet has devoted herself to the Pittsburgh community through planning community building events with a focus on art and food.
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WILSON MUI
Board Member Wilson is a resident of Wilkinsburg, having bought a property in 2019 which he has been renovating since. Prior to moving to Wilkinsburg, he attended Carnegie Mellon University where he received his Masters in Public Policy and Management. In addition, Wilson has a B.S. in Physics, and has a professional background in engineering, IT, and finance. Currently, Wilson is serving as Data Analytics Lead in Criminal Justice at Allegheny County Department of Human Services - providing policy insights, and program support for stakeholders within and external to the Department of Human Services. Wilson is interested in the revitalization of Wilkinsburg - and hopes to provide insight and support in doing so in a respectful and intelligent way. He has been apart of the Wilkinsburg Pollinator Garden Group, and is interested in preserving the green space located in this borough.
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