BUILDING FUTURES TEAM

Jay Reeves is an architect and builder who loves to teach and share his joy of making with young people. Prior to his role as Executive Director, Jay has been a long time Building Futures Board Member and Volunteer Instructor in our workshop. He is sometimes known as “The Wood Boat Guy” for leading our popular boatbuilding summer camps.

When away from our workshop, Jay is a principal at REVEL Architects serving commercial and residential clients and is active in shaping his neighborhood as the Chair of the Fox Park Development Committee.

Jay was first introduced to Building Futures when his two bright daughters began taking our Saturday Design Build Classes in North City and he has been committed to the organization ever since.

Felicia Kennedy is Founder/Chief Executive Officer of the FL Kennedy Group. Also, she is the contracted senior fundraiser/grants operations leader for Building Futures. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and a Master of Public Service for the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. Felicia is an accomplished professional with more than 30 years of leadership experience. She has expertise in program and project management, program evaluation, facilitating community dialogues, grant writing/management, and youth leadership development.  Also, she served in the Peace Corps from 2018-2020 in the Republic of Georgia as an English teacher.

Since 1992, Felicia has served in many capacities for Youth Motivational Task Force at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. From 2009-2011, she was a founding board member and Vice President of the Board for Visions Academy Charter School in Newark, New Jersey. In the past, she has supported several youth focused leadership and development programs as either fundraising director, board member or strong advocate. Her life’s goal is to support youth development and success all over the globe.

Raemese returned to St. Louis from San Diego where she attended SDCC and recieved her Assoiates degree for Business and Administration. Raemese also attended trade school at PIMA Medical Institute and received licences for Pharmacy Technician as well as Computer Technician. She raised a family where she honed her skills in domestic engineering. Managing a full family of 8 was no small task. She eagerly accepted the challenge and was successful in her endeavors.

Before moving to St. Louis to care for her parents alongside her husband they started and grew a successful residential and commercial plumbing and maintenance business with 150+ accounts for 15+ years.

Raemese believes every child has limitless potential if given the oppunitunity.  She wants to help make Building Futures a pathway for as many kids as possible. 

Leo is a Master Carpenter.  He was educated through the Carpenter District Council Union School.  Leo brings over 35 years of experience in carpentry.  He has operated his own construction company and has subcontracted with several local construction companies where he participated in the construction of many houses and commercial buildings.

 Leo is excited to bring his wealth of knowledge and work experience to Building Futures in hopes to inspire young builders.  He serves as Building Futures’ Workshop Director and Classroom Instructor.

Huilin graduated from Kansas City Art Institute in Kansas City, Missouri where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Animation. Specializing in 2D animation, she brings a unique blend of skills and artistic flair to the table. 

At Building Futures, Huilin is more than just a team member – she’s a dedicated instructor committed to creating a positive and enjoyable learning environment. Her passion for animation extends beyond the screen, as she actively contributes her creative imagination to enhance the student learning experience at Building Futures.

Jonah received his Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) from The University of Findlay (UF) where he majored in Marketing and Economics. While at UF, he was the Station Head for the campus radio station and was actively involved in the Children’s Literature Museum.

Jonah has devoted much of his life to youth development as a teacher, instructor, mentor, and Summer Camp Director. He focuses on empowering youth with the skills and knowledge to prepare them for an ever-changing and evolving world.

Jonah continues to live this mission through Building Futures, connecting with the students and young people of our community, equipping them with the tools and skills to build a better future.

Nicholas is from Farmington, MO. Nicholas led the Scholar Bowl team and participated heavily in the Robotics/Engineering clubs while in high school. Nicholas studied Physics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, until he moved to St. Louis in 2019. 

He worked in the Industrial/Manufacturing field as a Machinist. Through all this time, Nick has been very active in his community, spending time umpiring for various sports in the summer, cleaning rivers with Missouri’s Stream team, and volunteering as a teacher’s assistant. He also likes to spend time with solo activities, such as: reading, cooking, hiking, cycling, gardening, and swimming. 

Nick came to Building Futures to help share the knowledge he has acquired and give students the opportunity to develop their technical skills in a safe and nurturing environment.

Nia has worked in Higher Education and K-12 education for the past decade. She graduated from Prairie View A&M University with a B.A. in English and a Minor in Political and Behavioral Science.

Nia received her MA in Comparative Literature from the University of California-Davis.While at UC Davis, she taught courses on race, class, and gender in the Comparative Literature department and served as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultant for Graduate Studies to increase retention and recruitment of students from marginalized communities. Providing safe and equitable learning environments has always been an important goal of hers.

She served for Teacher for America-Dallas as a 7th grade Reading and Language Arts Teacher.

The desire to expose children to learning new skills in order to build their confidence and increase career options is what led her to Build Futures. She believes that with the right support in learning new skills, children are able to see their future selves succeeding.

Jourdan is from St. Louis, MO, and graduated from Hazelwood East Senior High School in 2011. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master of Education with an emphasis on organizational leadership at Grand Canyon University, which he expects to complete by December 2025.

With 10 years of experience in education, he has primarily worked with students in grades 6-8. Jourdan has a passion for working with children and finds immense joy in seeing their faces light up when they learn something new. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling and exploring new experiences.

Before joining Building Futures, he would take his classes there, allowing them to learn about and participate in various projects. When the opportunity arose to work at Building Futures, it was an easy decision for him.

He became a part of Building Futures to actively show children the practical applications of the skills they acquire. He believes in illustrating how these skills can be integrated into various aspects of their everyday lives, fostering a deeper understanding and encouraging them to use what they’ve learned beyond the classroom.