Ja’Net Defell

Fulcrum Fellows

2017 - 2018

Field Catalysts

2022 - 2023

Focus Area:
Community and Economic DevelopmentFinancePhilanthropyRacial EquityShared Ownership
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Chicago Community Trust
Director, Community Desk Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Ja’Net Defell currently leads Community Desk Chicago (the Desk), an affiliate of the Chicago Community Trust. In her current role, Ja’Net coordinates capital access for community-based real estate development projects. Through her ecosystem work, Ja’Net manages community-based capacity building programs and supports city-wide innovative capital solutions including community investment vehicles to advance equitable wealth-building opportunities.

Ja’Net has more than 20 years of management consulting, urban planning and real estate development experience. She holds a Master of Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from the University of Michigan.

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