Our Staff & Board

Ja’Net Defell

President & CEO

Ja’Net Defell (Ja-Nay De-Fell) is the President and CEO of Community Desk Chicago (The Desk). Ja’Net launched The Desk in March 2023 to help shift power dynamics and improve the quality of life in under-resourced communities through capacity building, technical coaching and coordinated resources.

Under Ja’Net’s leadership, The Desk launched a $3 Million Neighborhood Developers Initiative program focused on comprehensive capacity-building for neighborhood-based real estate development in Englewood, South Shore and Humboldt Park. This initial investment is projected to garner an additional $20M in direct investments to these communities. Ja’Net was also instrumental in helping to formalize a city-wide effort around Community Investment Vehicles (CIVs), shared ownership models for commercial developments in communities. Through her collaborative research, a CIV Playbook was produced to provide a roadmap for communities to acquire and control neighborhood assets. There are now more than 10 emerging CIV models in Chicago.

Ja’Net’s work has been featured in several articles and media including the Crain’s Chicago Business, Block Club Chicago, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Suntimes, The U, and WBEZ.

Ja’Net has more than 20 years of management consulting, urban planning and real estate development experience. Prior to leading The Desk, Ja’Net served as a real estate subject matter expert for a federal agency, a real estate consultant and developer for a community lender and a management consultant.

Ja’Net holds a Master of Urban Planning and Policy degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from the University of Michigan. She is a Fulcrum Fellow and a Field Catalyst with the Center for Community Investment, a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a LEED Green Associate.  Ja’Net also serves as the chairwoman of E.G. Woode, a turn-key real estate cooperative for entrepreneurs.