Leadership at Project HOME

EXECUTIVE TEAM

Donna Bullock
President and CEO

Donna accepted the role as Project HOME’s President and CEO in the summer of 2024, succeeding founders Sister Mary Scullion and Joan Dawson McConnon. Donna’s rich professional background includes coalition building, policymaking, advocacy, nonprofit leadership, project management, law, and city and state government. 

Prior to her arrival, Donna spent nearly a decade representing the 195th Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, which spans diverse neighborhoods in North Philadelphia and the Art Museum area, including the 19121 ZIP code where Project HOME focuses many of its resources. Throughout her time in office, Donna’s legislative and policy priorities closely aligned with the mission and work of Project HOME, including supporting children and youth experiencing homelessness, increasing opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses, expanding access to school meals and more. She served as Majority Chair for the Children and Youth Committee and Ethics Committee and is an experienced fundraiser who is adept in cultivating and maintaining relationships with key donors.

Before joining the House of Representatives, Donna served as a special assistant to Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke and as the City Council research fellowship director. Early in her career, she spent time in private law and worked for Philadelphia Community Legal Services, where she formed and advised nonprofit organizations, small businesses and community groups. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and a juris doctor from Temple University’s James E. Beasley School of Law. 

Yevette R. Carmichael
Senior Vice President of People and Culture

Carmichael has served as a leader and change agent strategist for over 15 years. Prior to joining the Project HOME community, Carmichael worked with a Head Start agency to close the opportunity gap for children and support families in interrupting the cycle of intergenerational poverty. As the SVP of People and Culture, Carmichael supports the execution of the organizational strategic plan to function as an anti-racist organization. Carmichael’s strong belief in equitable policies, practices and systems, that create a sense of authentic belonging, drives her to move the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion forward at Project HOME.

Carmichael is a graduate of Stonybrook University where she received a B.A. in Sociology, and holds a master’s degree in Human Resources Management from Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations. Additionally, Carmichael holds a certification in DEI from Cornell University, as well as certifications in Change Management and Organizational/Developmental Coaching.
 

Lekeisha Evans
Vice President of Education, Employment and Neighborhood Services

As the Vice President of the Education, Employment and Neighborhood Services, Evans leads a dynamic team of individuals responsible for managing day-to-day operations in the K-8 After School, College Access, Adult Education and Employment Programs at the Honickman Learning Center Comcast Technology Labs and Community Development Program at Helen Brown Community Center. Programs that work with students, families, residents and other community members to provide K-12 students access to high-quality academic, arts and technology programming as a pathway to college and career success, increase the employability and earning potential of adult learners, engages community and serves as a resource center to the North Philadelphia community.

Prior to joining Project HOME, Evans worked at the Harlem Children’s Zone for 14 years. She managed Education and Youth Development programs aimed at breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty and creating opportunities that afforded children in central Harlem access to quality educational support, continuous growth, and development. She has a B.S. in Business from Penn State University and is an alumnus of Baruch College’s School of Public Affairs Emerging Leaders in Nonprofit Management program.

Annette Jeffrey
Senior Vice President of Development and Communications

As Senior Vice President of Development and Communications, Annette Jeffrey leads a talented team of fundraising and communications professionals seeking to grow financial resources for Project HOME. In this role, Jeffrey works closely with Project HOME’s philanthropic partners and oversees annual and capital giving, individual and institutional giving programs, donor events, volunteer and in-kind gifts, and Project HOME communications.

Jeffrey has over 20 years of development experience providing leadership at United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music, and the Philadelphia Orchestra and Academy of Music.

Jeffrey has B. M. and M. M. degrees from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music.
 

Kevin P. Noel 
Senior Vice President of Finance & Administration/Chief Financial Officer 

As the Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration/Chief Financial Officer, Kevin supplies leadership and strategic direction for the financial and administrative functions at Project HOME.  He directly oversees the finance, accounting, information technology and risk management activities of the organization. 

Kevin has over 25 years’ experience in the non-profit social services sector and has served in senior roles at the Delaware HIV Consortium, Family & Workplace Connections and Children & Families First in Delaware and, most recently, NorthEast Treatment Centers.  He holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Delaware and completed his undergraduate work at Widener University.
 

Ron Patterson
Vice President of Information Technology

As the Vice President of Information Technology, Ron leads a team focused on infrastructure, innovation, and user experience. He believes that you start with the end in mind when building scalable and sustainable solutions focused on driving an organization. Ron has 20 years of experience in management consultation, team building, professional development, strategic implementation, and company collaboration.

Prior to joining Project HOME, he worked for another mission-driven organization that supported seniors by providing Home Care services. There he led several initiatives to help seniors maintain their quality of life. Ron has a B. A from the University of Richmond, an MS, and an MBA from Grand Canyon University.

Candice Player
Vice President of Advocacy, Public Policy and Street Outreach

Candice Player joined Project HOME in July 2019.  In her role as the Vice President of Advocacy, Public Policy and Street Outreach, Player provides mission-focused leadership for our street outreach programs. Through the Outreach Coordination Center, the Hub of Hope and the Ambassadors of Hope, Outreach engages individuals who are living on the streets of Philadelphia and provides vital linkages to housing, health care, food, clothing, meals, and other necessities.  In this role, Player also leads the Advocacy Department with a focus on removing systemic barriers to exiting homelessness.  

Prior to joining Project HOME, Player was an Associate Professor of Law at Northwestern Law School, where she taught classes on health law, health policy, mental health law, torts, and bioethics. Player holds an A.B. from Harvard College, a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and a Ph.D. in Ethics and Health Policy from Harvard University. In 2003, Player received an M.Phil. in Criminology from the University of Cambridge.  In addition to her role at Project HOME, Player is a senior fellow in the School of Policy and Practice (SP2) at UPenn. Her thought-provoking articles on the law and ethics of civil commitment have appeared in publications including The Sanford Law & Policy Review, The International Journal of Law & Psychiatry, and The Rutgers Law Review.  Player is a licensed attorney and a member of the New York Bar.   
 

Janet Stearns
Senior Vice President, Real Estate & Asset Management

Janet Stearns has more than 30 years of experience in affordable housing and real estate and asset management. In addition to her JD, Janet has a master’s degree in Public Policy and Public Administration. Janet has been a senior leader at Project HOME since 2011, as a member of the executive team and leader of the Project HOME real estate team. Real estate and asset management at Project HOME are mission driven and focus on creating new supportive housing and space for mission related uses, as well as preserving our existing properties. Since 2011, Project HOME has completed more than ten major projects and now has more than 20 buildings used for housing, outreach, healthcare, education and employment.