Jamiah Tappin is a Director on both the Grantmaking and Health & Racial Equity teams at HRiA. She spearheads transformative processes that cultivate stronger community—institutional partnerships, shared values rooted in equity, and movement building for collective impact. Her expertise spans many disciplines, including community organizing, coalition building, advocacy, participatory grantmaking, and facilitation, all viewed through a prism of anti-oppression and anti-racism. In her dual roles, she collaborates with the Community Health Grantmaking team, steering equitable and participatory grantmaking processes like the Innovative Stable Housing Initiative and the MA Community Health and Healthy Aging Funds, as well as partners with the Health Equity in Action team to lead organizational initiatives aimed at disrupting structures of white supremacy culture, fostering an inclusive workplace, and propelling HRiA’s work of advancing health and racial equity. Before her tenure at HRiA, Jamiah worked in her hometown, Hartford, CT, with youth and residents on issues ranging from public safety, housing issues, and clean neighborhood initiatives. Her advocacy journey also extended to championing equity in education and supporting the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Jamiah holds a Master in Social Work from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, and a Bachelors in Communication from Boston University.
