Photo: Muhammad Farhad / iStock / Getty Images
The NECIC Board of Directors is announcing an important leadership transition at the North End Community Improvement Collaborative (NECIC). After eighteen years of dedicated service, Deanna West-Torrence will step down from her role as CEO and assume the title of Founder. Deanna has been a driving force behind NECIC since its inception in 2006 and her legacy in the North End community is profound. A longtime resident and community leader, she has dedicated her life to improving the quality of life and economic landscape of the North End.
Her journey with NECIC began with a vision of a resident driven plan to address the numerous challenges faced by the neighborhood. Having served on Mansfield City Council as the Fifth Ward council representative, she recognized that there was no comprehensive plan that addressed the issues residents wanted solved. As early as 2005, following her council service, Deanna was hired under former Mayor Lydia Reid, to be the Director of the city’s Department of Regional Community Advancement (formerly the Neighborhood Youth Corps). It was then that she began conversations with the then Fran and Warren Rupp Foundation and they suggested convening a group of residents and community leaders to address the challenges faced by the neighborhood. Under her leadership, NECIC has become a cornerstone of community development, empowering residents and fostering sustainable growth. The Community Economic Development plan was the first of its kind, laying the groundwork for future community planning efforts such as Mansfield Rising that also encompassed parts of the North End. Under Deanna’s leadership, the organization has delivered three iterations of the Community Economic Development Plan and has accomplished many of the goals of the program through its programming that has grown to include the African American Leadership Initiative, neighborhood small grants, blight elimination projects, elder and youth programming, civic engagement programs, housing related services, small and minority business development, an alternative staffing agency, community garden grants program, a teaching garden, and urban farming. All of these efforts were part of fulfilling the residents’ wishes and building on the assets available. Most recently, the organization launched an effort to build a Community Impact Center which is a long-term goal that will provide healthcare, mental health arts, education, recreation, and office space to several partner agencies who have come together to impact the community, even beyond the neighborhood.
Deanna recently relocated to San Diego to be with her family, including her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. Although she is stepping back from her role as CEO, she will continue to provide her invaluable wisdom and guidance to NECIC as its Founder. In this role Deanna will focus on strategic mentorship of the incoming CEO, program development and innovation, managing special projects, and supporting grant writing and fund development efforts. This role allows Deanna to leverage her deep institutional knowledge and community connections to ensure NECIC's ongoing growth and success while empowering the new CEO to lead independently.
We are also pleased to announce that Tony Chinni, our current Research and Development Manager and the longest-serving staff member at NECIC, will be stepping into the role of Interim CEO. Tony joined NECIC in 2007 as its first intern, even before the doors were officially open. He has played a critical role in helping Deanna establish the organization and has been at the forefront of our community development planning efforts ever since. Tony has served as the Community
Development Manager, Housing Coordinator, and most recently its Research and Development Manager.
Born and raised in Mansfield, Tony graduated from Mansfield Senior High in 1994 and later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in European History from The Ohio State University in 2007. Throughout his time at NECIC, Tony has been the primary author of the North End’s Community Economic Development Plans, the key documents that have guided our work in the community. He is currently leading the latest update to this plan, ensuring that our efforts continue to reflect the needs and aspirations of North End residents.
“As I step into this role, I am deeply honored and humbled to continue the incredible work that Deanna and I dedicated ourselves to over the past seventeen years,” Tony Chinni stated. “Deanna has not only been a mentor but also a dear friend, whose leadership and vision have profoundly shaped this organization, this community, and me personally. Together with our incredible team, we’ve worked tirelessly to strengthen our community, and I am committed to upholding the values and progress we’ve achieved. I look forward to leading this agency with the same passion and dedication that Deanna has instilled in me, as we continue to foster economic growth and opportunity for the North End and beyond.”
Reflecting on the transition, Deanna stated, "Founding and leading NECIC has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. I am deeply grateful for all we've achieved and excited for the future. From our committed investors and donors, strategic partners, amazing staff and boards since 2007, we have been able be incredibly impactful in our work. Tony has always been a critical part of our success since his days as NECIC’s first intern. Supporting him during his tenure as Interim CEO will be an honor, and I am grateful to remain on board to continue working for him with the same level of dedication and commitment that he has demonstrated for me since the first day he walked through the door. I am thrilled to see him share his incredible institutional knowledge and talent in this new way, and I am confident in his leadership to keep advancing our mission. I also appreciate our board's leadership during this process and applaud their foresight in selecting Tony and ensuring a strong transition plan to support our amazing team."
The transition process for hiring a permanent CEO officially ends with the goal of having a new CEO in place by July 1, 2025. NECIC’s Board of Directors are forming a Transition Committee, have engaged a consultant specializing in nonprofit executive searches and capacity building that will also support our staff development during this time. This plan emphasizes a smooth leadership transition while ensuring that NECIC’s mission and vision continue to thrive under new leadership.
Phil Mazzocco, NECIC's Board President, shared his thoughts on the transition: “As NECIC embarks on this new chapter, we remain committed to our mission and the community we serve. We are confident that with Tony’s leadership as Interim CEO and Deanna’s continued involvement as Founder, NECIC will continue to be a beacon of hope and progress for the North End. Deanna’s vision laid the foundation for NECIC's transformative work, and we are incredibly grateful for her leadership. We look forward to continuing her legacy with Tony at the helm as Interim CEO. Please join us in thanking Deanna for her eighteen years of service and in welcoming Tony to his new role as Interim CEO. We look forward to the continued growth and impact of NECIC under Tony’s leadership.”