Zahirah Mann

Zahirah Mann is the President of Sustainable Vision Partners LLC (SVP), a consulting practice that supports transformational growth.  She advises philanthropic, public-sector, and nonprofit entities on organizational capacity building, strategic alignment, leadership development, and cross-sector collaboration.

 

Before launching SVP, Zahirah served as President and CEO of the South Los Angeles Transit Empowerment Zone (SLATE-Z), the backbone organization for the federally designated South LA Promise Zone.  She led a collaborative of roughly 100 organizations working to improve transit access, connect residents to jobs and education, support small businesses, and strengthen South Los Angeles neighborhoods.  During her tenure, SLATE-Z supported efforts to secure over $400 million for the region.  Zahirah also led the South LA Eco Lab, a collaborative of 18 organizations, in securing a $35 million state climate investment for community-driven climate measures supporting economic development, clean energy, and related initiatives.

 

Earlier in her career, Zahirah managed nonprofit investments and initiatives at the Annenberg Foundation, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, and United Way of Greater Los Angeles.  As a public interest attorney, she advised organizations and public agencies on transportation, land use, the built environment, and community revitalization, holding legal roles at the Natural Resources Defense Council and Strumwasser and Woocher LLP, among others.

 

In addition to serving on the California Transportation Commission, Zahirah serves on the board of the Center for Nonprofit Management.  She previously served as an alternate commissioner on the California Coastal Commission, a commissioner on the Legal Services Trust Fund Commission, and on various nonprofit boards.

 

Zahirah holds a B.A. in Political Science from Vassar College and a J.D., cum laude, from Tulane University Law School, with a specialization in environmental law.