Our Team

When she’s not giving her heart and soul to Youth Construct, Alexis serves as the Founding CEO of Bottom Line Construction & Development, LLC (BLDC). Alexis’s Harlem-based, 100% minority woman-owned construction and development firm recently completed Harlem’s Victoria Theater and the newly-developed, Harlem Boutique Condominium, Baldwin Park. Since 2008, BLCD has thrived on multi-faceted projects, involving a myriad of stakeholders. BLCD has maintained the compliance, relationships, and technical skills necessary to see a project from inception, design phase to end-user transfer. BLCD has made a commitment to hire and develop talent locally. Growing up with limited resources, Alexis’s path to building a construction firm was unusual.  She was a Registered Nurse and an EMT for the NYC Fire Department before entering  real estate development and later the construction industry.  

 MaeOla Bolton is the Director of Leadership and Development at Bottomline Construction, the company through which Youth Construct has come to be. She played an integral role working alongside Founder Alexis McSween and the Board to uplift the organization, lead marketing efforts and facilitate increased donor support. MaeOla is a former WNBA professional athlete and seasoned physical trainer, teacher, coach and mentor, with a heart for helping people embark on lifestyle

changes through education and example. The nonprofit she founded, Heal Forward Now, helps people heal from sexual abuse trauma through dance, sports and the arts. Outside of work, MaeOla is a singer. Her band MaeOla and the MisFits performs around NYC.

MaeOla has been on the Board of Directors since May 2022. She serves in the Finance Committee, Event Committee, and the Education Committee.

Nancy Carin is the Executive Director  of Business Outreach Center (BOC) which she founded in 1990. BOC provides a new model for community-based support for entrepreneurs in New York City and Newark, New Jersey.  In 2001, Nancy successfully launched BOC Capital Corp., a small business loan fund certified as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides financial assistance to low income and underrepresented communities. BOC Capital has substantially expanded in capital base through grants and loans from the U.S. Department of the Treasury CDFI Fund, U.S. Economic Development Administration, and is a renowned contract financing lender, supporting minority- and woman-owned businesses with cash flow and hands-on technical assistance. Ms Carin continues in the role of Executive Director today, supervising a staff of over fifty.  Prior to founding BOC, Nancy worked in the not-for-profit sector, providing leadership strategies in program development, housing development and community needs assessment.  Ms. Carin is a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional, a licensed Real Estate Broker, and graduate of Barnard College of Columbia University. 

Construction & Architecture Principles- 35 Years of construction experience and serving as lecturer of construction principles. 

Alan Senzer is an accomplished leader and educator with a breadth of construction expertise. Over his 40 year career, Alan has contributed to major projects with New York City, such as New York City schools, Newark Airport, Bank of America, New York City Transit Authority, and New York City housing, to name a few. Alan began his career as an architectural designer and eventually transitioned into construction management. Prior to his retirement, for 20 years, he worked at the NYC School Construction Authority (SCA) and his last position was a Chief Project Officer. In parallel to his work in construction, Alan is a dedicated educator. He served as an adjunct professor at Baruch College for 13 years and an instructor at the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen for 39 years. 

Active Board Member since 2022 and serves on the Education Committee. 

Wilhelmena Norman-Hernandez (Mena) has dedicated her career to community-based 

with a passion for uplifting communities through a holistic approach. Before entering affordable

housing and community development lending, she worked in fiscal roles supporting city- and  

youth psychiatric programs. In 2012, she joined The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC) as a Special Assets Associate, where personal experience with housing instability deepened her commitment to CPC’s mission of providing safe, affordable housing. Over the years, she served as a Mortgage Administrator and was promoted in 2020 to AVP, Manager of Community Impact for CPC’s $40M ACCESS Initiative, which supports BIPOC developers with capital, technical assistance, and capacity-building. Mena’s role on the Youth Construct Board aligns with her goal of expanding opportunities for BIPOC talent in real estate. She studied Organizational Development

and Business Leadership at NYU’s School of Professional Studies.

She has been on the Board of Directors since late 2022.

Ehi Uwa is a New York-born alumnus of New York University and Brooklyn Law School. Ehi is currently working for The Community Preservation Corporation as a Mortgage Officer. Through this work, Ehi works with the mission of financing the development of affordable housing opportunities for residents of the New

York City area. Previously, Ehi worked with the City of New York Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) as a Deputy Director for the Affordable Neighborhood Cooperative Program (ANCP). Ehi also worked for the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) as a Senior

Compliance Officer. During his time with SBS, Ehi worked with victims of Hurricane Sandy to ensure the recovery of small businesses that were affected by the storm. Ehi has a history of dedicated work with immigrant populations and small business start-ups. This work aims to improve opportunities for economic

development for historically marginalized communities. Ehi holds a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School, M.P.A.

from Georgia State University, and a B.A. in Metropolitan Studies from New York University.

Ehi has been on the Board of Directors since late 2022. He serves on the Fundraising Committee.

DeVon Prioleau, native New Yorker (and proud Bronxite) with a proven track record of successful Project Management & Construction Management capacity, seeks to leave an imprint on the nation’s urban landscape and beyond! After over a decade as a Corporate Executive, DeVon is currently the Managing Principal of PRI-O-LEAU Development Group (PDG) and President of The Council of Urban Real Estate (C.U.R.E.). PDG is a full-service real estate MBE firm delivering high-quality leadership services within the Project & Construction Management space. C.U.R.E. is a 33-year non-profit organization dedicated to promoting opportunities for minorities within Commercial Real Estate. DeVon uniquely combines his two areas of formal study (Architecture and Real Estate Development) to provide best-in class strategic planning, design, construction and management services within the public & private sectors. Projects range in size from 1K SF to over 1.5M SF and include due diligence, feasibility & market studies, community master planning, core & shell development, corporate interiors, workplace strategy, hotel repositioning, construction loan monitoring as well as high-rise modular construction (both domestically and internationally). 

Active Board Member since 2024. 

Gregory Davson is a Bronx native and accomplished education leader currently serving as an Educational Consultant at Agiri Learning, where he specializes in coaching, leadership development, and DEI-focused training for educators and organizations. His career spans classroom teaching, instructional coaching, school administration, and entrepreneurship, including serving as Co-Founder and CEO of Mathnificent LLC. Gregory has held leadership roles within the NYC Department of Education and Capital Prep Charter Schools, supporting data-driven instruction and math achievement. He holds master’s degrees from the New York Institute of Technology and Touro College, and a bachelor’s degree from Morehouse 

Active Board Member since 2026 and serves on the Education Committee. 

Carrie Torres is a senior public-sector leader dedicated to building equitable pathways for businesses and communities across New York State. As Director of Opportunity Programs at NYS Dormitory Authority —and the first Latina to serve in this role in 30 years—she leads statewide strategies that expand minority and women owned business enterprise participation, strengthen emerging small businesses, and embed equity into complex capital programs. She specializes in institutional transformation, previously holding senior management and leadership roles at the NYC Housing Authority, the Fund for Public Housing Residents, and NYS Homes and Community Renewal. From the Bronx to statewide leadership, Carrie Torres has spent her career building bridges between communities and the institutions meant to serve them. Known for her clarity, candor, and collaborative spirit, Carrie is a sought-after speaker and advocate committed to transforming systems with purpose and accountability. She holds a Master of Science in Urban Policy and Leadership from Hunter College and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from SUNY New Paltz. 

Active Board Member since 2026. 

Yenisei Bell is a seasoned AEC industry leader with over 20 years of experience across public and private sectors, including luxury residential, educational, housing, and nonprofit projects. She began her career as an architect, holding a Bachelor of Architecture from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo and a background in Fine Arts (Painting), before advancing into construction project management and technology. She further specialized in Construction Project Management at NYU School of Professional Studies and completed a Construction Management specialization at Columbia University. After leadership roles with firms such as AECOM Tishman and Bravo Inc., and serving as President of NAWIC Greater New York Chapter #240, she founded her own New York City–based construction management and consulting firm. A passionate advocate for women in construction, Yenisei is recognized for

mentoring, training, and simplifying complex technical concepts to drive impactful, scalable solutions across the industry.

Active Board Member since 2026.