Rooted in a family legacy of service and hard work, Gloria is the daughter of a decorated African American U.S. Army veteran and a Korean mother who together built nearly a dozen small businesses and employed hundreds of workers in DC and Virginia. As an only child of enterprising parents she grew up pitching in wherever she was needed. In the restaurants she helped the bands set up, flipped burgers, waited tables, and washed dishes. At the car wash, she scrubbed tires, vacuumed cars, cleaned windows, and greeted customers at the register with pride. With both parents laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, she carries their legacy forward. Their example drives her belief that strong families, strong work ethics, and strong small businesses are the foundation of a more prosperous culture.
Gloria’s dynamic career is grounded in common-sense, pragmatic solutions shaped by the lived experiences of DC residents and small businesses. She moves with urgency and a can-do, get-things-done mindset, known for translating big ideas into tactical execution that delivers results. With a rare balance of big picture institutional experience and trusted grass roots community relationships, she has built collaborations that address complex community and economic challenges, elevating voices often ignored. She unites partners to expand opportunity, strengthen communities, and achieve outcomes.
As a public servant, community economic development strategist, and creative executive who loves DC, Gloria brings people together and moves with passion, focus and expertise. With a proven record of innovative leadership and hands-on execution, she brings a level of capability and practical know-how that Ward 6 stakeholders, and the DC Council urgently need.
Gloria has always led by listening before legislating, collaborating with multiple stakeholders, and delivering results.
Government, Public Safety & Community Stability
Community Development & Small Business Growth
Arts, Culture & Creative Economy
Philanthropy & Public-Private Partnerships
Internship programs & youth career pathways
Philanthropy & grantmaking $50M stewardship
Activation of dormant commercial real estate
Financial first responder through recession / triple pandemic / uncertainty
Bridging resources + capital + back-office support to 100 small businesses
Community infrastructure capacity building with nonprofit organizations
COMMUNITIES
Youth Opportunity, Community Infrastructure & Neighborhood Strengthening
- Created youth internship programs at every organization she has served, developing career pathways for hundreds of DC youth and local college students, positioning them for long-term economic mobility. - Strengthened community infrastructure by partnering with dozens of nonprofit, community-based organizations to expand services, build capacity, and increase stability for residents. - Advanced community safety and vitality through creative activation and support for neighborhood-serving programs that brought people together and increased foot traffic.
COMMERCE
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- Served as Vice President at City First Bank, a leading national CDFI, driving $100M+ in asset growth, $10M in new revenue generation, and expanding capital access for local businesses and community organizations e.g. - Recognized as a financial first responder, helping small businesses navigate recession, the pandemic, and ongoing economic uncertainty through emergency capital, technical assistance, and stabilization strategies. - Helped nearly 100 Washington, DC small businesses secure traditional capital, grant funding, and back-office capacity support to strengthen their long-term infrastructure. - Led the transformation of City First Bank into the first certified B Corporation bank in the United States, cementing its commitment to social responsibility and community-centered finance. - Built and scaled public-private financing models that anchored commercial corridors, preserved jobs, and supported local hiring across DC.
Culture
To add a video to your site, click the “Insert” button and navigate to the “Media” section. Then, drag and drop a video component onto the Canvas.
- Served as Vice President at City First Bank, a leading national CDFI, driving $100M+ in asset growth, $10M in new revenue generation, and expanding capital access for local businesses and community organizations e.g. - Recognized as a financial first responder, helping small businesses navigate recession, the pandemic, and ongoing economic uncertainty through emergency capital, technical assistance, and stabilization strategies. - Helped nearly 100 Washington, DC small businesses secure traditional capital, grant funding, and back-office capacity support to strengthen their long-term infrastructure. - Led the transformation of City First Bank into the first certified B Corporation bank in the United States, cementing its commitment to social responsibility and community-centered finance. - Built and scaled public-private financing models that anchored commercial corridors, preserved jobs, and supported local hiring across DC.
