What We Deliver

1. Strategic Investment Design
We create practical investment strategies that prioritize business growth, community resilience, and long-term economic impact.

2. Transaction Structuring & Due Diligence
Our team facilitates responsible deal structures that deliver strong financial performance and meet the real needs of the marketplace.

3. Community Engagement
We ensure our investment strategies are aligned with local values—empowering business owners, expanding job opportunities, and strengthening regional economies.

Consistency

We strive to provide a trustworthy, anticipated end-result over and over.

David Sharp 

Managing Partner, Chief Program Designer

David is the founder and CEO of Urban Advisors and has been an active impact investment consultant for the past fifteen years.  Prior to Urban Advisors, David was the investment manager for Wells Fargo Bank's community development investment group, where he grew the investment portfolio from $40 million to $100 million over a 3-year period.  The portfolio consisted of private equity funds and direct investments, real estate funds and direct investments, fixed income investments and CDFI investments. David has served as a Leveraged Finance vice president, Mergers and Acquisitions analyst, and as an Intelligence Officer in the United States Navy. David is a Morehouse College alumnus and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance.

Tawruss Sellars

Chief Strategy and Operations Officer

Tawruss manages Urban Advisors’ strategy and infrastructure efforts for projects and engagements.  Prior to Urban Advisors, Tawruss was a management consultant at The Boston Consulting Group, and began his career underwriting senior debt with Wells Fargo Bank’s Loan Syndications group.  He also served as a Vice President with Urban Advisors before attending business school, and worked towards chartering a NC-based community bank.  Tawruss, an alumnus of Morehouse College, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration. He also holds an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.

Jordan Whitfield

Strategy & Operations Analyst

Jordan combines financial analysis, process improvement and executive leadership skills to improve the business performance of Urban Advisors projects and engagements. Jordan has over 30 years of business experience and was an adjunct professor at Johnson C. Smith University for 15 years. An alumnus of Morehouse College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, he also holds an Industrial & Systems Engineering degree from Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University.

Senemeht Olatunji, MSW

Impact Officer

Senemeht develops approaches to manage and create impact across Urban Advisors’ projects and engagements.  A licensed Social Worker, Senemeht previously worked with homeless women and families and domestic violence and sexual assault survivors. She facilitated group and individual therapeutic and psycho-education interventions. A graduate of Marymount Manhattan College with a Bachelor of Arts degree, she also holds a Master of Social Work from Howard University.

Sanyakhu-SHeps Amare

Business Advisor

Amare co-founded and operated the oldest African American online company in the country for 15yrs in the early 80’s, before the web. His experiences covers the formation of many companies, as well as providing consultation advisory services in CED to non-profits, business teams, and small entrepreneurial companies. He assists in taking ideas from concept to implementation through strategy team development and operations. Amare holds a Masters in Community Economic Development (CED).

Zakiya West

Project Manager

Zakyia West is the Project Manager at Urban Advisors, where she leads the execution of major initiatives and ensures seamless coordination across teams. Known for her organized leadership and results-focused approach, Zakyia oversees project timelines, stakeholder engagement, and team performance from concept to completion. Her work ensures that every project at Urban Advisors is delivered with excellence, efficiency, and impact. Zakiya holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology at University of North Carolina of Greensboro..