Zulma Zabala will join The Center for Community Solutions as Senior Fellow, Community and Racial Equity.

For 11 years, Zulma has served as chief executive officer for East End Neighborhood House, a multi-service family and community resources center serving the Cleveland community in the Woodhill-Buckeye Neighborhood since 1907. She began her social services journey under diverse titles including service in youth development, women leadership/support services, HIV/AIDS awareness, Hispanic/Latino engagement, prisoner’s advocacy with an emphasis on community corrections and organizing. As a speaker, advocate and educator, she is known for her fervent commitment to raising awareness about cultural humility, program implementation, authentic engagement of all voices and the historical and present impact of neighborhood centers work. She is a graduate from the Cleveland Marshall College of Law’s dual degree program of Juris Doctor of Law and Master of Public Administration. Zulma previously served on the Community Solutions Board of Directors for 9 years, including two years as Chair. 

Zulma will assess internal and external activities, concerns, collaborations and community organizing that advances racial equity and that connects with CCS’s research and policy work.

She will be directing the Community and Racial Equity Project funded by the Saint Luke’s Foundation, and developing and implementing a strategy for utilizing CCS Racial Equity Endowment funds. She will develop and maintain strategic external partnerships with community organizations, foundations, businesses, governmental agencies and other key decision-makers as a way to bring sustainable improvement to communities and the health/human services safety net.