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MISSION

Building community to end poverty through intentional friendships, personal transformation, and systemic change led by the people closest to the challenge.

VISION

All individuals live in equitable, thriving communities where poverty no longer exists.

“Circles is one of the best models for long-term poverty reduction I have ever encountered. It sets up a new dynamic that puts the families who want to become economically stable in the driver’s seat rather than being viewed as clients choosing predetermined options. All involved create a community conversation to reduce poverty regionally.”

— Lynette Fields (Executive Director of Poverty Solutions Group)

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Circles USA Leadership Team

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Kamatara Johnson

Executive Director

(Albuquerque, NM)

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Addie Hartnett

National Coach

& Southeast Regional Support

(Orlando, FL)

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Gena Atcher

Administrative Coordinator

(Rapid City, SD)

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Kris Alexander

Curriculum Development Specialist (Asheville, NC)

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Courtney Cowan

Information Systems
& Design Manager
(Lowell, AR)

Board of Directors

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Joan Kuriansky

Board Chair and former

Executive Director of Wider Opportunities for Women

(Washington, DC)

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Jim Masters

Board Treasurer and President of Center for Community Futures (Berkeley, CA)

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Jennifer Pelling

Board Member & Director of Tsuha Foundation

(San Diego, CA)

Board Advisory Council

Circles USA proudly launched a new Advisory Council in July 2022. This group, tasked with amplifying diverse participants’ voices to guide the national board’s decisions, has met eight times to date, addressing topics ranging from “What does success look like at Circles?” to mental health; building community across chapters; and long-term chapter sustainability. The inaugural Advisory Council consists of 10 people from 10 different chapters—rural, urban, and suburban; new chapters and veteran ones. As this Council cohort winds down, we are considering the best timing for the next cohort. We look forward to bringing together more fresh perspectives to serve this important role in the Circles family.

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Founder

Scott Miller, Founder (Albuquerque, NM)

Since the late 1970s, Scott has initiated numerous projects in North America to help families and communities more effectively address poverty. He has spent decades developing tools and best practices for helping low income people navigate their way out of poverty for good. Scott is the author of several books about poverty reduction. Scott retired from Circles USA in 2021 and still serves as a consultant for select pilot sites working towards building a Poverty Alleviation System in their community.

Regional Coaches

Michelle Crawford, West Region (Salt Lake City, UT)

Shavonne Vasquez, SC and FL Southern Region (Hilton Head, SC)
Cheryl Williams, GA and AL Southern Region (Columbus, GA)
TJ Williams, Central Region (Fayetteville, AR)
Helen Rai, Mid-Atlantic Regional Coach (Richmond, VA)
Andrew Sprock, Midwest Regional Support (Marion, IN)

Consulting and Support Team

Amy Brooks, Content Writer & Editor (Minneapolis, MN)
Jeannie Chaffin, Poverty Alleviation Systems Consultant (Washington, DC)
Lynette Fields, Expansion Advisor, Director of Poverty Solutions Group (Orlando, FL)
Alexis Jorgensen, Assistant (Lowell, AR)
Jenny Lipfert, Graphic Designer (Cornish, NH)
Natalie Oh, Social Media Consultant (San Diego, CA)
Lise Porter, Mental Health Specialist (Glendale, CA)
Sarah Thornburg, Poverty Alleviation Systems Liaison (Ypsilanti, MI)
Chris Tinney, Sales Ambassador (Las Vegas, NV)
Dr. Evie Trevino, Quantitative Psychologist and Consultant (Bixby, OK)

Our Partners

The Circles model is unique because it easily integrates into existing support agencies. A Circles chapter can be launched by a range of organizations, including social service agencies, food banks, chambers of commerce, or houses of worship. The diverse nonprofit organizations, foundations, and corporations listed below have all been instrumental in launching and/or supporting Circles chapters across the country!

“Our group spoke to Circles USA personnel, leaders of Circles affiliates, and representatives of other kinds of self-sufficiency and community-building programs. The decision to choose the Circles model came down to this: Circles is an established program with a proven track record of success.”

Sarah Thornburg, former executive director
of Friends In Deed (Ypsilanti, MI)

casestudies
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