UrbANISM at Neighborhood X Labs
The People Behind the Mission
Neighborhood X Labs (NXL) is a San Francisco-based nonprofit operating at the intersection of urban planning, urban design, and the interdisciplinary fields that shape how cities grow.
Our mission is driven by a multidisciplinary team of educators, researchers, civic leaders, and practitioners whose expertise spans K–12 and higher education, architecture, planning, policy, engineering, and community-based research.
Our lab-based model integrates program leads, research advisors, and field practitioners, providing students with direct access to academic rigor, professional mentorship, and real-world career pathways across the disciplines that define urbanism today. We emphasize education pathways that promote equitable, community-centered development, ensuring that our programs not only meet academic standards but also advance sound research practices and prepare students for college and career success.
We work closely with partner institutions and educators to align our programs with these essential standards and objectives.
Our Parent Organization & Fiscal Sponsor
Neighborhood X Labs operates as a program of The Lioness League, a San Francisco-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The core mission of The Lioness League is focused on anti-poverty and education pathways—creating opportunities for underserved communities to access economic mobility, financial literacy, and opportunity. NXL is also committed to advancing health equity initiatives through its programs. Additionally, NXL is fiscally sponsored by the San Francisco Study Center, a nonprofit organization that supports community-based research, education, and civic engagement across the Bay Area.
Why NXL Exists
NXL was born from a simple truth Tiffany Carter learned the hard way — education changes everything, especially through community-based research. "We know what we are, but know not what we may be." — William Shakespeare. There is genius trapped in every neighborhood, and NXL exists to set it free by creating education pathways and supporting health equity initiatives.
Founder-Executive Director
TTiffany Carter is an award-winning entrepreneur and community builder whose leadership has been recognized by the City and County of San Francisco and the Golden State Warriors for excellence in community building, entrepreneurship, and small business impact. Once a student in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) who navigated significant barriers to access, she now understands how to navigate—and leverage—the very systems that often limit opportunity, using her insights to expand education pathways for young scholars in public schools through community-based research.
A HarvardX-trained public value leader, former San Francisco Small Business Commissioner, and current member of the SF Planning Equity Council, Carter was also named a Bay Area Woman of Power by the Nob Hill Gazette. She employs a systems-based approach to education, research, and place-based innovation. At Neighborhood X Labs, she is committed to building environments where young people—especially those often overlooked—can develop confidence, critical thinking, and the tools necessary to contribute to health equity initiatives while reaching their full potential.
Rachel Madison - Operations Lead
Rachel oversees program execution, student engagement, and day-to-day operations across NXL's interdisciplinary initiatives — ensuring every experience, from classroom sessions to field immersions, runs seamlessly and with intention. A UCLA graduate with a degree in Education, she brings a strong foundation in student development, academic programming, and youth engagement, focusing on community-based research and education pathways that support health equity initiatives. Her approach is rooted in creating structured environments where students can thrive.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BOARD PRESIDENT-MEAGHAN MITCHELL
BOARD PRESIDENT-MEAGHAN MITCHELL
BOARD PRESIDENT-MEAGHAN MITCHELL
Meaghan brings more than 15 years of experience in community engagement, partnerships, and civic storytelling across the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds an Executive MBA in Organizational Leadership from Harvard Business School Online and is an alumna of the New Leaders Council Fellowship Program. Her background spans journalism, media,
Meaghan brings more than 15 years of experience in community engagement, partnerships, and civic storytelling across the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds an Executive MBA in Organizational Leadership from Harvard Business School Online and is an alumna of the New Leaders Council Fellowship Program. Her background spans journalism, media, and cross-sector partnerships across transportation, arts and culture, and local media, with a focus on community-based research and health equity initiatives. As Board President, she provides strategic leadership and governance oversight in support of NXL's mission to expand access and create innovative education pathways for students.
ACADEMIC ADVISOR-AMAURY REED
BOARD PRESIDENT-MEAGHAN MITCHELL
BOARD PRESIDENT-MEAGHAN MITCHELL
Amaury is a Systems Engineer in the Space division at Lockheed Martin and holds a Master's in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University. His commitment to education pathways is evident from his undergraduate experience at San Diego State University, where he was one of six students nationally selected for Virgin Galactic's ina
Amaury is a Systems Engineer in the Space division at Lockheed Martin and holds a Master's in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University. His commitment to education pathways is evident from his undergraduate experience at San Diego State University, where he was one of six students nationally selected for Virgin Galactic's inaugural BLAST program — Black Leaders in Aerospace Scholarship and Training — and was featured on BNC News following Richard Branson's 2021 spaceflight. He also received the Prebys Entrepreneurship Endowed Scholarship and participated in Stanford's Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Seminar, demonstrating a strong entrepreneurial background that complements his engineering expertise and aligns with health equity initiatives through community-based research.
SECRETARY-AURION WILEY' GREEN
BOARD PRESIDENT-MEAGHAN MITCHELL
SECRETARY-AURION WILEY' GREEN
Aurion is a San Francisco-based urban planner and graduate student at the USC Price School of Public Policy, where her work focuses on community-based research aimed at designing neighborhoods that are both culturally rooted and environmentally sustainable. Her recent initiatives include serving as Community Liaison for the Bayview Shuttl
Aurion is a San Francisco-based urban planner and graduate student at the USC Price School of Public Policy, where her work focuses on community-based research aimed at designing neighborhoods that are both culturally rooted and environmentally sustainable. Her recent initiatives include serving as Community Liaison for the Bayview Shuttle — a first-of-its-kind neighborhood mobility initiative connecting D10 residents to education pathways, community hubs, small businesses, and public services while promoting health equity initiatives.