Our Staff
Brenda Lewis
Brenda Lewis, Beachell Family Learning Center Lab Assistant
Brenda Lewis has been with the Beachell Family Learning Center as the Lab Assistant since the beginning. Brenda pivoted from her policy career with the Social Security Administration to concerned community advocate when she completed the Philadelphia Citizen Planning Institute, cementing her path as a civic leader. Committed to her faith, she completed the Christian Stronghold Training Institute’s biblical counselor program. She also organized the Concerned Citizens of Mantua to bring a local supermarket to Mantua, a longtime food desert. Brenda and her husband remain lifelong residents of the Mantua neighborhood.
Banna Gebre, Associate Director of Workforce & Economic Impact
Banna Gebre is the Associate Director of Workforce & Economic Impact at Drexel University's Office of University & Community Partnerships. Since joining Drexel in February 2023, she has led strategic initiatives at the Beachell Family Learning Center, focusing on workforce development, adult education, and entrepreneurship support. Her leadership extends to Drexel's Economic Inclusion and Hire Local initiatives, where she collaborates with internal and external partners to create impactful workforce solutions. Banna holds a BA in Communication with a minor in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania.