The Forum
Distinguished Speakers
Moderator
Adam Troy
CEO, COCDF and
TROY Enterprises
A multi-dimensional social entrepreneur, Adam Troy is noted as a transformational leader with broad based experience in the areas of community revitalization and commercial real estate development. To those arenas and beyond, he brings a unique blend of expertise to align government and private sector interest with that of community residents and non-profit organizations toward the improvement of resident well-being and overall quality of life.
Adam’s expertise with mixed-use projects in underserved urban markets and his continued commitment to community has positioned him as one of our nation’s most experienced leaders with projects involving multiple partnerships among corporations, government, faith-based organizations and community groups. His completed project track record demonstrates a proven ability to work in unison with staff, volunteers, and board of directors.
Skillful in interacting with stakeholders, community groups and government officials at varying levels, he is recognized for his ability to gain consensus.
Emmanuel V. Remy
Columbus City
Council Member
Serving on Columbus City Council since 2018, Councilmember Remy represents District 4, which includes the neighborhoods of North and South Linden, Northland, North Central, and East Columbus. He has worked tirelessly to meet and better understand the needs of each of these neighborhoods. Over the years, he created the Cleaner Columbus campaign which is focused on combating litter and illegal dumping. He is also committed to fostering diversity in City hiring, and strengthening efforts related to welcoming and resettling new residents.
Since 2022, Remy has chaired the Public Safety Committee, where he has led continual hearings addressing alternative crisis response and violence prevention. He has also championed initiatives like investing $20.1 million in summer youth grants and the “Love Our Children, Lock Your Guns” program, which distributed thousands of free gun locks to Columbus residents. Additionally, Remy played a key role in approving over $1 million in funding for LSS CHOICES, the only domestic violence shelter in Franklin County. Councilmember Remy is dedicated to the goal of answering every single call, the right way, every single time.
In 2023, Remy helped launch Public Safety Week, an annual event focusing on different neighborhoods across the city, aimed at fostering community engagement and promoting public safety. The week features educational events on safety procedures, resources, and opportunities to meet the Columbus Divisions of Fire and Police.
In 2025, Councilmember Remy chairs the Public Safety & Criminal Justice Committee and serves as the vice-chair of the Public Utilities & Sustainability Committee. In addition to his role on Council, Remy works as a Realtor, specializing in the residential market and helping buyers realize their dreams.
Remy currently serves on the boards of the Greater Columbus Arts Council, the National League of Cities, and the Ohio Municipal League.
Yakima (Kym) Douglas
Director, Department of Neighborhoods
Douglas comes to the City of Columbus from the Maryland Stadium Authority, where she championed workforce development initiatives, formed productive partnerships with state and local governments, led community engagement efforts as part of a tri-county redevelopment endeavor, and bolstered internal capacity to perform additional functions.
Before that, she was the deputy chief of staff for the mayor’s office in the City of Baltimore and held numerous positions ranging from special advisor to policy manager and chief of staff in state agencies in Maryland and Ohio. Douglas launched her career in government as a legislative analyst for Columbus City Council.
Douglas graduated from Fort Valley State University with a bachelor’s degree in political science before attending the University of Akron, where she earned a Masters of Applied Politics.
Danielle Sydnor
CEO, RISE Together
Innovation Institute
Danielle Sydnor is a respected leader and advocate in Ohio, known for her tireless work in social justice and economic empowerment. With a background in finance, she has held key roles at esteemed institutions like PNC Investments and Merrill Lynch Bank of America Wealth Management, where she focused on financial education and empowerment. Recognized for her leadership, Danielle has received prestigious awards including Crain’s Cleveland Power 150 and Crain's 40 under 40.
Her commitment to community service is evident through her involvement in numerous boards and committees, including as past Board Chair of Eliza Bryant Village and as former President of the Cleveland Branch of the NAACP. Danielle's impact extends beyond her professional roles; she's a sought-after speaker and thought leader, addressing crucial issues like racial equity and entrepreneurship at various forums and conferences.
Danielle's dedication to creating positive change is exemplified by her involvement in fellowship programs such as the NAACP NEXTGEN Leadership Program and Cleveland Bridge Builders. Her work has been featured in prominent media outlets, further amplifying her message of empowerment.
Currently serving as CEO of Rise Together Innovation Institute, Danielle continues to drive initiatives aimed at fostering innovation, collaboration, and sustainable growth. Her leadership, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to justice make her a transformative force in her community and beyond. Danielle is a native of Sacramento, California. Her family moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1995. She has since proudly deepened her roots in Ohio. She has two sons, Noah and Giles, who are both away at college.
Dr. Keith A. Troy
Pastor, New Salem
Missionary Baptist Church
The ability to wrap the traditional virtues of our forefathers' religion within the framework of modern-day relevance is a hallmark of great religious leaders. A learned scholar, Dr. Keith A. Troy was blessed with such a gift and has become widely regarded as a "master teacher" with a Shepherd's heart. Born in Toledo, Ohio, he is the second of five sons from the lineage of Rev. and Mrs. Leon Troy, Sr. As a youth, his education was spent in the public school system of Warren, Ohio where his academic, athletic and leadership skills became apparent. Dr. Troy went on to receive his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he majored in Religion and minored in Education.
He went on to earn his Master of Divinity Degree from the Colgate Crozer Seminary in Rochester, New York, and his Doctor of Ministry Degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. Since October 1983, Dr. Troy has served as the Pastor of the New Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio. Under his servant leadership, the congregation has grown steadily over the years. His unyielding passion for training and leadership serves as the foundation upon which New Salem's internal church growth model is built and continues to yield a relevant ministry for tomorrow's generation of global minded citizens. He has been blessed to preach and teach in several foreign countries such as South Africa, Liberia and Mozambique.
Outside of New Salem his "beyond the walls" approach to ministry brings together both faith and function. Dr. Troy's vision and partnership model for community led to the establishment of a separate faith-based non-profit community development corporation. Over the past three decades, various public/private partnerships, paved the way for such economic development projects as:
Agler Family Housing-a first of its kind faith-based collaborative involving a 144-unit multi-family housing project located adjacent to a 90-unit congregate care facility, complemented by two man-made ponds; The Renaissance Community Village, a 64-unit affordable housing complex serving the special needs of large families. These three and four bedroom units are leased with a purchase option and offer below-market rents; The Unity Resource Center, a combined effort with other local CDC's and the Department of Human Services to develop a multimillion dollar 40,000 sq. ft. one-stop shop for employment training and job opportunities in Northeast Columbus; and The Unity Health & Wellness Center, a 54,000 sq. ft. Town Hall of Health Care facility to service area families.
Other initiatives and community development accomplishments spear-headed under Dr. Troy's leadership have included: a food pantry; a childcare center with a latch key program; the King's Corner bookstore; the LIFE motorcycle ministry; the purchase of two, four-unit apartment buildings, known as New Salem Gardens; and the development of New Salem Manor, a 33-unit senior citizen housing complex involving a collaborative partnership between HUD and the New Salem Church CDC; Unity Partnership, a faith-based economic development corporation that facilitated upwards of $50 million in public/private investment in the areas of housing, employment, and health care services throughout Northeast Columbus.
Dr. Troy has developed a legacy of service with participation in numerous religious and community organizations. Included among his past positions and current roll call of service are: former President of the Baptist Pastors Conference, former President of the Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention; Ford Foundation Research Fellow, The Columbus Morehouse College Alumni Association; and the Community Centered Banking Initiative. He also served as a member for the following organizations: I Know I Can, Urban Growth Development Corporation, Affordable Housing Trust, The House of Troy Foundation; and the Martin Luther King Arts Complex. He is married to the former Brenda Patterson, a native of Warren, Ohio. Together they are the proud parents of three daughters, Myeshia (McKenzie) Harmon, Tiffane' (Keith) Warren, Shanece and two sons, André and Kendall, and seven grandchildren.