Leadership & Team
Leadership & Collaborative Team
NCPPA is led by a group of community and systems innovators with deep experience in housing, public policy, resident leadership, systems design, implementation, and community development.
Together, NCPPA’s founding architects bring a rare blend of resident-rooted credibility, public housing and policy fluency, cross-sector partnership design, innovation strategy, and field execution.
Crystal Jones-Taylor Co-Founder & Principal ArchitectCommunity Strategy & Housing Leadership
Crystal Jones-Taylor brings resident-rooted credibility and advanced community-based nonprofit experience, along with senior public-sector experience in HUD and public housing field operations. Her leadership ensures that the community voice is structural, not symbolic.
Robert Mayfield (photo/bio) Co-Founder & Principal ArchitectCOO, NCPPA | CEO, Smart Growth SolutionsOperations & Ecosystem Implementation
Robert Mayfield bridges grassroots insight with scalable strategy. He advances housing as a wealth-creation platform and strengthens field execution across multi-sector partnerships.
Zarin “Zee” Miller (photo/bio) Principal StrategistCOO, NCPPA | CEO, Smart Growth SolutionsSystems Integration & Strategic Network Development
Zarin “Zee” Miller connects community-centered strategies with technology, scalable infrastructure, and mission-aligned private-sector collaboration.
Jermaine R. Hampton (photo/bio)Principal StrategistOperations, Field Coordination, Stakeholder Engagement & Network Execution
Jermaine R. Hampton translates strategy into execution with operational discipline, making place-based plans actionable under real-world conditions.
Team Overview
NCPPA has assembled experts in affordable housing construction and development who typically have a multidisciplinary educational background and often hold advanced degrees in urban planning, civil engineering, public policy, architecture, or real estate development.
NCPPA employs experts with multidisciplinary backgrounds and advanced degrees in fields such as urban planning, civil engineering, and public policy, as well as specialized training in federal housing programs and HUD regulations. Their team supports affordable housing development, disaster recovery, and community resilience by integrating life skills, education, and economic strategies tailored to meet the needs of individuals and communities.
Their professional histories include leadership roles in public housing authorities, management of supportive housing initiatives for individuals experiencing homelessness, and direct service delivery within non-profit organizations specializing in resident empowerment and wraparound care. They’ve worked alongside government agencies, nonprofits, and private developers, learning firsthand how to revitalize communities, support economic growth, and create resilient and sustainable neighborhoods.
Experience
NCPPA’s 30+ years of experience spans public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Its leadership has leveraged hundreds of millions of dollars to boost community transformation, affordable housing, and impactful programs locally, nationally, and internationally. This experience demonstrates their ability to secure resources and convert investment into tangible outcomes for families, neighborhoods, and institutions.
Programs
NCPPA’s key contributions include programs that help lift individuals and families out of poverty into homeownership, using housing for economic empowerment and stability. The leadership team combines government, faith-based, and community experience, blending policy insight, implementation, and grassroots engagement. This enables NCPPA to link system strategies with community realities.
Performance
NCPPA’s experience includes supporting CHDOs and CDCs in workforce development, affordable housing, youth development, community revitalization, and organizational strengthening. Its leaders have provided technical assistance to colleges, developed training curricula, and contributed thought leadership through conferences and forums. This expertise is recognized by communities, officials, and business leaders and has inspired and mentored future changemakers dedicated to reducing poverty, creating wealth, rebuilding after disasters, strengthening resilience, and building future wealth.
Governance
The National Center for Public/Private Alternatives is chartered as a tax-exempt organization under IRS 501(c)(3) designation, led by a diverse board of visionary practitioners and transformative leaders from both the public and private sectors. The NCPPA board of directors represents key issue areas we prioritize, as our mission focuses on affordable housing, community, and economic development.
Leadership Team
At the heart of the NCPPA lies a multidisciplinary leadership team—spanning Legal, Financial & Accounting, Marketing, Technology, Human Resources, Governance, and Partnerships—each domain essential to the organization’s operational integrity and strategic vision. This diverse team ensures that NCPPA’s mission is advanced with professionalism, ethical stewardship, and an unwavering commitment to inclusivity and innovation.
Principals:
Crystal Jones
Taylor, President/ Chief Executive Officer, MRUP, University of New Orleans, LA
Robert M. Mayfield
Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, MSLD, Clayton State University, Morrow, GA
Bishop J.R. Hampton
Chief Faith-Led Strategist, Business Management University of Phoenix
Zarin Miller
Chief Business Strategist, MBA, Cambridge University, United Kingdom
Partners
The National Center for Public/Private Alternatives (NCPPA) collaborates with a diverse array of specialized partners. Each entity contributes invaluable expertise to enrich its mission and amplify its impact across communities. These partnerships integrate perspectives from rural, urban, faith-inspired, and international settings, fostering innovative solutions tailored to the unique needs of underserved populations. Notable collaborators include:
Aegis Systems, LLC:
Renowned for its leadership in strategic planning and capacity building, Aegis Systems, LLC provides essential guidance that fortifies NCPPA’s organizational infrastructure. Their contributions ensure the National Center’s long-term operational strategy aligns with its vision for sustainable progress.
Inter-Faith Fellowship Assemblies, Inc.:
A clergy-led consortium dedicated to advancing affordable housing, homeownership, and financial literacy initiatives across Louisiana, Georgia, and Alabama. This organization empowers a network of Community Development Corporations (CDCs) and Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs), fostering economic stability and wealth creation within marginalized communities.
Smart Growth Solutions, Inc.:
Place-based deployment specializing in neighborhood development and organizational effectiveness, Smart Growth Solutions, Inc. delivers comprehensive technical assistance. Their initiatives include programs such as responsible fatherhood support and reentry services, which target individuals transitioning from incarceration, thereby enhancing community resilience and social inclusion.
Blooksy.com LLC:
Focuses on youth development and cutting-edge digital innovation, Blooksy.com, LLC augments NCPPA’s capabilities through advanced software solutions, creative content production, and digital literacy training. Their forward-thinking approaches to marketing and communication are instrumental in reaching broader audiences and fostering meaningful engagement.
Acting as a dynamic technical assistance hub, these alliances bridge expertise and lived experience across rural, urban, faith-inspired, and international landscapes, cultivating thought leadership and practical solutions that reflect the diverse needs of the communities they serve. The partners’ specialized knowledge in strategic planning, affordable housing, neighborhood development, and youth empowerment not only aligns with but also enhances NCPPA’s pursuit of sustainable, equitable progress. By integrating the strengths of its collaborators, NCPPA magnifies its impact, ensuring that every initiative is both responsive and transformative for the populations at the heart of its mission.