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Melvin Carter

Senior Advisor

Melvin is a nationally recognized systems innovator and two-term Mayor of Saint Paul known for advancing equity-centered, community-driven change. As chief executive of an $800 million municipal enterprise, he has led transformative public-private partnerships, guided the city through overlapping crises, and launched nationally recognized models such as Community-First Public Safety and CollegeBound Saint Paul. Melvin brings operational rigor and a deeply human leadership philosophy focused on generational impact and inclusive economic growth.

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Drinal Foster

Chief Impact Officer

Drinal oversees performance measurement, operational excellence, and long-term impact tracking for GroundBreak Coalition, ensuring its transformational goals are matched by disciplined execution. A 30-year Wells Fargo veteran and Senior Vice President, she has led enterprise-wide operational and customer engagement initiatives with a strong focus on equity and inclusion. An award-winning executive and civic leader, Drinal brings deep systems expertise to align strategy, accountability, and innovation in building a more inclusive financial system.

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Mike LaFave

Chief of Staff

Mike serves as Chief of Staff for the GroundBreak Coalition, overseeing governance, operations, and coordinated implementation as the organization expands its impact. With more than 25 years of senior leadership in community development—including roles at Family Housing Fund, Project for Pride in Living, and Neighborhood Development Center—he has dedicated his career to expanding access to housing, capital, and entrepreneurship. Mike brings strategic discipline and partnership-driven leadership to advance equitable wealth building across Minneapolis–St. Paul.

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Gwen King-Lunde

Executive Administrator & Operations Coordinator

Gwen serves as Executive Administrator and Operations Coordinator for the GroundBreak Coalition, strengthening cross-functional coordination and ensuring the organization’s operations run seamlessly in service of its mission. With a background in nonprofit administration, executive support, and program management, she brings expertise in stakeholder engagement, budget oversight, and high-level communications.

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Eric White

Chief Investment Officer

Eric leads the Capital Mobilization aspects of the GroundBreak Coalition, ensuring that our financial institution and community lending partners in entrepreneurship, homeownership, and neighborhood development are working seamlessly in support of the wealth builders we serve. With nearly 20 years experience in impact and investing, mobilizing hundreds of millions of dollars for economic justice at Cogent Consulting, the Bush Foundation, and The Financial Services Consulting Group, mobilizing capital equitably is his life’s work.

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Adair Mosley

CEO

Adair leads the GroundBreak Coalition with a deep commitment to equity-driven transformation and creating new pathways for generational prosperity across Minnesota. With more than a decade of experience leading social impact organizations—including serving as CEO of African American Leadership Forum and President & CEO at Pillsbury United Communities—his career has been dedicated to rallying talent, launching innovative initiatives, and building a more equitable financial system for all.

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What is ABH (Advancing Black Homeownership)?

This first-of-its-kind program combines flexible underwriting criteria with financial assistance to help Black or African-American buyers overcome historically inequitable housing practices and buy their first home. The ABH Community Fund is a collaboration between the Minnesota Homeownership Center, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, Build Wealth Minnesota, NeighborWorks Home Partners, PRG, Inc., Project for Pride in Living (PPL) and GroundBreak Coalition.

Culture + Capacity, and Momentum

More than 200 coalition members gathered last week for our Spring Convening to celebrate the impact underway and double down on our ambitious vision for this region. Leaders like Aarica L. Coleman, President & CEO of Land Bank Twin Cities said it best:

 “Access has never been neutral. Who gets pathways to move forward has long been shaped by structural inequalities, including race, class, and proximity to power. That’s why appropriately structured capital matters.” 

The event was hosted by George Modular Solutions, an 83,000-square-foot housing manufacturer now rising in North Minneapolis. Founder Devean George, who played 11 seasons in the NBA, captured the generational promise of investing in companies like his:

“We are placing jobs in the community to meet people where they’re at. Hopefully, this plant will provide jobs for families that will produce the next NBA basketball player and developer, your next architect, your next senator. You never know what can come out of it.”

View the convening recap.

An investment from JPMorganChase

JPMorganChase has committed nearly $40 million in philanthropic investment to expand access to capital for small businesses. GroundBreak Coalition and the Minneapolis Foundation are among the organizations selected to put that capital to work locally. We are honored to be part of this effort. Read the full announcement.

Legislative Session Recap

The 2026 Legislative session closed with meaningful wins for housing and small businesses across Minnesota. 

  • $40 million in housing assistance 
  • $100 million in capital investments for housing, plus $17 million for public housing
  • $150,000 for homeowner education

What the data is revealing about our region

New research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis shows the Twin Cities missed all three regional housing benchmarks last year. Housing production, affordable housing production, and Black homeownership all declined and the gaps are significant. The Twin Cities Black homeownership gap remains the largest among 12 comparable metro areas nationally. Read the full report.

This data reflects what our coalition members experience every day. It’s why the work doesn’t stop.  

In Gratitude, 

The GroundBreak Coalition Team

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