Dana Dorsey
Program Manager
PACT -Partners Achieving Community Transformation
Dana is a Program Manager with Partners Achieving Community Transformation (PACT), where she manages projects and initiatives focused on community transformation on the historic Near East Side. Her work supports place-based efforts that strengthen neighborhoods and improve long-term outcomes for residents.
Prior to joining PACT, Dana served with the City of Columbus Department of Neighborhoods as a Neighborhood Planning Project Manager, leading the implementation of revitalization plans in Linden and Hilltop. She also spent over five years with Columbus Public Health as a Public Health Program Manager, where she led the Creating Healthy Communities program and supported initiatives related to wellness, safe routes to schools, and community outreach.
Dana holds a Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Planning and Geography from Ohio University and a certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from Columbus State Community College. She brings a strong foundation in public health, neighborhood planning, and cross-sector collaboration, with a deep commitment to community-centered development and creating healthier, more connected communities.
10:15 am - 11:30 am ET
Community of Practice Workshops I-VI: Small Group Breakouts @ 2nd Floor
Residents Shaping Neighborhood Change: Who Gets to Decide? (Network Members Only)
Room: Grand 1
The Purpose Built model has many interlocking components – mixed-income housing, education, community wellness, and economic vitality – with Community Quarterback Organizations and residents holding it all together. For a neighborhood transformation effort to be truly successful, resident vision and voice must be central. Community Quarterback Organizations play a significant role in making sure that happens.
Drawing on the experiences of Purpose Built Network Members, this workshop explores practical strategies for building resident power and collective influence in the community. Participants will learn from a panel of Network Member peers how they have made the process of revitalization more accessible, used feedback effectively to build trust, and cultivated residents’ leadership potential.
Through discussion and real-world examples, the session will highlight approaches that build trust, develop local leadership, and support residents in shaping the decisions that affect their neighborhoods. Participants will also have an opportunity to share their own wins in building resident power and garner feedback and support from others about the challenges they may be facing. Attendees will leave with tools and ideas for fostering resident-led initiatives in their own communities.
