Our organization is built on a growing network of committed and inspired individuals and institutions working to advance education and youth development in communities around the United States.

C. Frank Igwe, Ph.D., Executive Director

C. Frank Igwe prides himself on being a citizen of the world, raised and absorbing culture across three continents: Europe, Africa, and of course the United States in North America. His triple cultural identities fueled his love for different types of people, as well as individual and community achievement. As the product of strong educational role models, and strong educational social networks, he is determined to provide young children with a powerful revelation on the boundless opportunities that can be unlocked through education.

C. Frank Igwe received his Ph.D. in Information Sciences and Technology, and his Masters in Business Administration, both from Penn State. He also received his Masters in Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, and B.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Oklahoma. C. Frank Igwe is a 2008 Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government, at Harvard University.

Email: frankigwe@cityaces.org

Tim Tran, Director of Development

Tim Tran is a consultant for a Fortune 200 Company. His main areas of expertise are in Logistics, Business Process Improvements, and Organizational Change Management. Growing up in a humble Vietnamese household and immigrating to the United States at the age of five, his parents always stress the importance of education. They emphasize the value of hard work and dedication in school to lay a foundation for the future. Tim is a strong believer that by empowering the next generation of students through education, our society can preserve and sustain the quality of life.

Tim Tran received his B.S. Degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering with a minor in Business at Virginia Tech. As an industry standard for process improvement, he is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Like his CityACES colleagues, he plans to continue his education by attending a top 10 MBA program. Currently, Tim is pursuing a PMP certification and APICS CPIM certification.

Email: timtran@cityaces.org

Joy Marshall, Director of Marketing

Ms. Joy Marshall is a firm believer that her life’s purpose is making a positive impact in the lives of others. As a Federal contractor serving in Disaster Management, Ms. Marshall has not only written federal grants that have awarded over 3 million dollars to communities devastated by natural disasters, but has helped in various ways to rebuild the personal lives affected by these disasters. Her work in emergency management has taken her to numerous communities across the country. While on the clock Ms. Marshall provided monetary disaster assistance to communities, off the clock she partnered with community churches, volunteering her personal time and services to help heal and restore individual lives.

Joy has successfully earned a Masters Degree in Public Administration as well as a Bachelor of Arts in English from Kentucky State University. She has a diverse background that includes serving as a Federal Consultant, Career Counselor, and a Research Associate for a non-profit educational research entity. She brings to City Aces a magnetic personality, strong interpersonal skills, and a commitment to advocating education in the lives of our youth, while serving as the Director of Marketing.

Ms. Marshall also enjoys traveling abroad performing missionary work. On her last trip to the Philippines, Ms. Marshall spent several weeks working in impoverished communities aiding in the holistic development of lives including spiritual and educational growth. Ms. Marshall believes that there’s no greater act of love than the willingness to sacrifice oneself for the benefit of others in need.

Email: joymarshall@cityaces.org

Devin Blake, Director of Event Management & Program Coordination

Devin Blake was born and raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in which he graduated from high school with honors and as a member of the National Honor Society. Growing up in a family oriented household, Devin carried on the values in which his family instilled upon him as he learned to appreciate the value of hard work, being the first from his parent’s household to graduate from college. In addition, he also enjoys helping out and serving his community. Devin is an active member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated, and serves as an advisor to his Fraternity’s youth auxiliary group, the Sigma Beta Club, which focuses on mentoring young men to help them grow as individuals and prepare them for college.

Devin received his B.S. Degree in Information Technology with a minor in Cyber Security from Central Pennsylvania College. Devin plans on enrolling in an MBA program to further his education and obtain his Master’s Degree.

Email: devinblake@cityaces.org

Leonce Crump, Director of Mentorship Operations

Leonce, though he has had many accomplishments in various outlets (education, community activism, and sports), finds his greatest satisfaction and joy in serving others, especially young people. He has always believed that they can accomplish great things with the right guidance and care from strong leadership, and as such has given his time to the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization as well as Boys and Girls Clubs. As a player in the NFL, Leonce has greatly enjoyed being an itinerate speaker all over the U.S. and even in Southeast Asia. In 2006-2007 he spoke to nearly 20,000 students. Leonce holds a B.S. in Political Science from Oklahoma University, and an M.S. in Pre-Law/Criminal Justice for The University of Tennessee. He also has had formal Theological training, and is currently in the process of getting his Masters of Divinity at Reformed Theological Seminary. He enjoys all of life with his beautiful wife Breanna, who is an educator by profession, and their wonderful little girl Eden, who is 15 months old. “I feel I can speak for this organization when I say that it is our responsibility to invest in the greatest resource we have for America’s future, and that is our young people. Through strong leadership ad mentoring, with an educational focus, we can truly encourage them in the fact that they can be anything…they can be great!”

“The objective of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives.”
-Robert Maynard Hutchins