Josh Spring, Executive Director
JoshSpring@cincihomeless.org
Pronouns: He, Him, His
513-421-7803 x 704
Josh began learning about homelessness from those who were homeless; while working in the transitional housing building of Tender Mercies, an agency providing affordable housing for people who have experienced homelessness with mental health barriers.
Josh graduated from the College of Social Work at Xavier University. Josh is a Licensed Social Worker. Previously, Josh was the Social Worker for Tenants of Over-the-Rhine Community Housing’s 250 units of affordable housing. Josh noticed that repeatedly Tenants or those that wanted to be Tenants were experiencing the same repeated issues. This built a desire to organize systematic efforts to take on the root causes of homelessness, leading Josh to the Coalition.
Liz Virgo, Director of Education
Born and raised in Maryland, Liz moved to Cincinnati soon after graduating college at the University of Louisville. While in Louisville, she earned her BA with a dual major in Pan African Studies and Cultural Anthropology while working as a Lead Teacher for an early childhood education program at a refugee resettlement agency. Liz has been very active in several of Cincinnati’s community-based organizations in many ways such as singing in three different Social Justice themed choirs, acting as secretary of her neighborhood Community Council, graduating Action Tank’s City Council School, sitting on the board of the Northside Farmers Market, becoming her neighborhood Precinct Executive, and regularly attending a local Quaker Meeting and Beloved Community Church, where she canvassed for Affordable Housing initiatives put forth by the Coalition.
When she is not at work at the Coalition, Liz is usually with her two young children, teaching or taking a Yoga class, or out in nature.
Aubrey Ghafari, Director of Development
AubreyGhafari@cincihomeless.org
Pronouns: she, her, hers
513-421-7803 x 700
Aubrey is deeply committed to servant leadership, community care, and the understanding that people and communities already hold deep resourcefulness. Her work is influenced by Makoto Fujimura’s idea of culture care – tending to people and systems in ways that sustain justice, creativity, and shared wellbeing.
Aubrey studied Psychology and Leadership Studies at Indiana Wesleyan University and later became a certified life coach through Lark’s Song, earning her ACC with the International Coaching Federation. Her focus has centered on wellbeing and mending access gaps in low-income communities, grounded in the belief that flourishing should be available to everyone.
Across her work in nonprofits of various sizes, the throughline remains consistent: every person deserves an aligned life they can recognize as their own. Aubrey is proud to be part of the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition and is using her strengths in systems thinking and relationship building to support sustainable revenue, strong partnerships, and collaborative work with member organizations.
Outside of work, you can find Aubrey hiking and hammocking in a new park, cozying up with a book, mentoring coaches in training, or bullet journaling.
Rico Blackman, Director of Organizing
Rico Blackman@cincihomeless.org
Pronouns: He, Him, His
513-421-7803 x 702
Rico’s path to the Coalition started with his desire to be a positive influence in the lives of Black Americans across the city of Cincinnati. In the midst of the 2020 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter Movement, Rico founded Black Power Initiative (BPI), a nonprofit organization with the mission of supplying individuals with resources and opportunities. After speaking to several members of the community, BPI narrowed their focus to enhancing food equity and access for citizens across the city by cooking, rescuing, and buying high quality meals. Black Power Initiative would then focus on bridging the gap between education disparities that exist within racial lines by advocating and providing literacy services to Black youth across the city. Rico has committed himself and his organization to fight for greater access to better food, transportation, technology, education, healthcare, and housing for all.
Rico graduated from Notre Dame College with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and is currently in grad school at the University of Cincinnati in pursuit of a Master’s degree in Public Administration.
Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 