JACKSONVILLE, FLA., Feb. 4, 2025 – Groundwork Jacksonville, Inc., the City’s nonprofit partner in building the Emerald Trail and restoring Hogans and McCoys creeks, has added key staff to increase capacity for the growing organization.
Leana Cianfoni is Groundwork Jacksonville’s new Chief Development Officer, responsible for donor cultivation, and securing private support for programs and operations that advance Groundwork’s mission including on-going enhancements, activation and maintenance of the Emerald Trail.
Leana is a senior fundraising executive with 15 years of experience building revenue sources for nonprofit organizations in support of projects that are transforming communities. Most recently, Leana served as Chief Development Officer for The Underline, a 10-mile, 120-acre linear park and urban ecological corridor in the heart of Miami.
“Groundwork Jacksonville is an organization of action and purpose, and I am inspired by the Emerald Trail’s progress to date,” said Leana Cianfoni. “I look forward to working with donors to support this vital project which will transform the way we live, work, and play in this community.” Leana’s previous experience includes Director of Development for HistoryMiami Museum, Southeast Florida Donor Relations Manager for The Nature Conservancy and Director of Leadership Giving at the Everglades Foundation.
Groundwork Jacksonville also has hired Arlington, TX native Desiree’ “Dee” Powell, for the newly created position of Urban Planner. Dee will work with residents and other stakeholders of several urban core neighborhoods along the planned Emerald Trail to break down the complexities of urban planning. Dee will lead the neighborhood planning process to collaboratively develop strategies that minimize displacement and amplify the trail’s economic, health and recreation benefits for those under-resourced communities.
Dee founded, Do Right By The Streets (DRBTS), which focuses on place keeping as a tool to implement temporary-to-permanent space activation projects in communities of color to drive economic mobility and community sustainability.
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“We are thrilled to have Leana and Dee join our Groundwork team,” said Kay Ehas, Groundwork Jacksonville CEO. “The Emerald Trail is a huge infrastructure and community revitalization initiative, and we need to ramp up our capacity quickly with experienced professionals who can hit the ground running. Dee and Leana bring tremendous skills and energy to their respective roles.”
About Groundwork Jacksonville Groundwork Jacksonville, Inc., was formed in 2014 by the City of Jacksonville in partnership with
Groundwork USA, along with support from the US National Park Service and US Environmental Protection Agency. Jacksonville is one of 21 Groundwork Trusts across the country focused on environmental equity, resilience and stewardship, and transforming the natural and built environment in low-resource and climate-vulnerable communities. Visit www.groundworkjacksonville.org or follow @GroundworkJax on social for more information.
About the Emerald Trail
The 30-mile Emerald Trail will connect 14 historic urban neighborhoods to downtown, the St. Johns River, McCoys Creek and Hogans Creek. The Emerald Trail will link 16 schools, two colleges and 21 parks among other destinations like hospitals, restaurants, businesses and the Regional Transportation Center. An additional 13 schools and 17 parks are located within three blocks of the trail. Groundwork Jacksonville’s Emerald Trail Master Plan was adopted by the Jacksonville City Council on March 26, 2019. To date, 40% of the trail is in design, under construction or complete.
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