Board of Directors
Phil Hounshell, Board Chair
Phillip (Phil) Hounshell serves as the Board Chair of Project URGE, Inc., where he bridges the gap between strategic leadership and grassroots ministry. Professionally, Phil is a Programmer Analyst for the Rochester City School District, a technical background that informs his structured approach to community scaling and organizational growth.
Deeply rooted in the Beechwood Neighborhood, Phil serves as an Associate Pastor at Rochester Bible Baptist Church and has been a vital "connector" through his work with the Baptist Ministers Alliance and the Monroe County Alliance for Transformation of Community and Police (MCATCP). From facilitating racial justice dialogues at the Diversity Café to supporting youth through Komposition Kidz, Phil remains a dedicated advocate for equity, shown through his love of people and community.
"My philosophy is simple: availability over ability—being willing to show up when the community needs a voice."
Sheree McKoy, Treasurer
Sheree McKoy brings over 25 years of specialized healthcare experience and 14 years of dedicated community service to her role as Treasurer for Project URGE, Inc. A seasoned medical assistant and phlebotomist, Sheree’s professional background is defined by precision, care, and a deep understanding of the health disparities facing the Rochester community. Beyond her clinical expertise, Sheree has been a foundational pillar of Project URGE’s mission for over a decade.
As Treasurer, Sheree applies her meticulous professional eye to the organization’s fiscal health, ensuring that every resource is managed with transparency and integrity. However, it is her heroic spirit of service that truly sets her apart. Sheree is a fierce advocate for the underserved, approaching every interaction with a core philosophy: ensuring that every individual she serves maintains their dignity and respect, regardless of their circumstances. Her presence on the board ensures that Project URGE remains both fiscally sound and human-centered.
Jordynn Barnhart Sullivan, Communications
Jordynn Barnhart Sullivan is a mission-driven executive with experience advancing initiatives in housing, healthcare, education and social impact. Over the course of her career, she has raised millions of dollars annually for charitable organizations addressing homelessness, poverty, incarceration, education, childhood cancer, rehabilitation and long-term care across New York State. Jordynn currently serves as the Vice President of Marketing at LMRNC, a local rehab and nursing center, partnering closely with hospitals across UR Medicine and Rochester Regional Health to support patient transitions and post-acute care
Lauri McKnight, Board Member
Currently the Executive Director of Children Awaiting Parents/Families Thrive, Lauri joined the Project URGE, Inc., board in 2020.
She brings with her the rich experience afforded by a long career in child welfare, and through serving at risk families and youth and in jail programs. With a solid track record of volunteerism in local churches, she also serves on the board of the Perinton-Penfield Kiwanis Club.
Lauri has raised a diverse family of five adult children. Three are biological, two are adopted and she has also added a former foster young adult to her family. She is Mimi to six grandchildren who she says are “the joys of my life!”
Lauri’s strengths include an expert knowledge of government, private, profit and non-profit systems and an understanding of diversity on multiple levels. Her core value is integrity, and her words to live by are: “Whatever your life’s work is — do it well.”
Talitha-Koumi Oluwafemi, Board Member
Talitha-Koumi Oluwafemi (she/her) joined the Board of Project URGE in 2025. A faith-rooted advocate, theologian, and community organizer, Talitha-Koumi brings more than a decade of experience advancing racial equity, restorative justice, and community healing. Grounded in her theological training, lived expertise and a divine calling to transformative leadership, she works to cultivate spaces where communities can heal, organize, and thrive.
She is the founder of The KinFOC Objective (TKO), community-centered initiative focused on trauma-informed leadership, restorative justice practices, and creatively equitable approaches to resource mobilization.
Talitha-Koumi believes that community outreach and engagement must move beyond building community centers to building community-centered systems of change.
Through community-centered service, person-centered advocacy, and anti-racist pedagogies, she seeks to help lead the cultivation of a ‘Beloved Community’ where communal love, learning, and liberation are not distant ideals, but lived realities for generations of advocates, activists and accomplices to come.
Garry Manuel, Community Development Leader, Project URGE, Inc. Founder
Garry Manuel is the founder and executive director of Project URGE, Inc. the founder of Manuel's Music Studio in Fairport, NY, and a lifelong songwriter, worship leader and music performer.
For more than seven years, Garry volunteered at the Kidz Kafé program at Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church, helping to build support and relationships across the cultural divides existing within churches in the area. That experience inspired him to launch Project URGE, Inc.
Through Project URGE, Inc., Garry has organized networking/collaborative meetings; helped with administering the Compassion Capital Federal grant that was headed by Foodlink; organized workshops, conferences and Concert of Praise events; created the Saturday Sonshine program for children; coordinated volunteers and worked tirelessly to promote collaboration between churches, ministries and other organizations that work with the under-resourced. In addition, he has worked on a team in planning the 2015 Urban Camp Out and the interfaith coalition of The Children’s Agenda.
In 2015 Garry received an honorable mention from the Federation of Social Workers for corporate contributions to social services in Rochester through his donations and volunteer work through Project URGE, Inc. and in 2013 was nominated for the Center City Champion award for inspiring the community to work collaboratively and improving the quality of life in Rochester.
Candyce Cathey - Executive Director