FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LINK HOUSTON ANNOUNCES CHERRELLE J. DUNCAN AS NEW DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

 

HOUSTON, Thursday April 27, 2023 – LINK Houston is excited to welcome Cherrelle J. Duncan as our new Director of Community Engagement effective May 1, 2023. Cherrelle previously served as Chief of Staff for Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas on the Houston City Council. There she led strategic planning and project management efforts in service to the over 200,000 residents of District F. In this role she learned firsthand the challenges Houstonians face related to transportation, housing, and employment. Her experience will elevate LINK Houston’s community engagement program to the next level.

“In my previous role I had the privilege to champion community voice through numerous projects in youth engagement, city beautification, public safety, and economic development,” said Cherrelle J. Duncan. “It is my hope that I can continue to collaborate with community in my new role as we work to ensure the dignity of all Houstonians.”

Cherrelle’s commitment to public service extends beyond her work in government and transportation advocacy. She is also an entrepreneur and development professional, owning and operating SOA Co. Books; her pop-up bookstore where she promotes literacy and cultural awareness in Houston’s underserved communities, while also supporting local Black-owned businesses through her Liberation Market.

In addition to her professional pursuits, Cherrelle serves on the board of directors for the National Urban League Young Professionals, the National Forum of Black Public Administrators Greater Houston Chapter, Birthday Bash Box, Ashmay’s Seeds of Abraham, a member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Black Heritage Committee and serves as Volunteer Deputy Voter Registrar and precinct chair. A Lafayette, Louisiana native, Cherrelle holds a Bachelors in Public Relations from the University of Louisiana and a Masters of Public Service & Administration from The George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.

“Cherrelle’s diverse experiences and unwavering commitment to justice, equity, and co-powering with community made her a natural fit for LINK Houston and I look forward to her joining our team,” said Gabe Cazares, Executive Director of LINK Houston. “Cherrelle is a welcome addition to the organization, and I look forward to what we will accomplish with her at the helm of our community engagement program.”

LINK Houston advocates for a robust and equitable transportation network so that all people can reach opportunity. The organization envisions a community fabric where all people have the freedom of mobility to access the opportunities their vibrant communities offer. To make that vision a reality, LINK Houston supports transformative and inclusive policies, systems, initiatives, and infrastructure development that connect people to opportunity by transit, walking, rolling, and biking. LINK Houston moves ideas into action through community engagement, research, and shaping public policy.

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Media contact: Nick Arcos, nick@linkhouston.org, (713)906-8345