As a native of Buffalo, New York, Tommy received his formal education in the Buffalo Public School system. He later graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Leadership Development, specializing in Accounting. Tommy completed the Harvard Kennedy School, Leadership, Organizing, and Action: Leading Change Executive program. He has also taken numerous courses specializing in mentoring and youth leadership development.

As the Say Yes Buffalo, Director of Boys and Men of Color (BMoC) Initiative & Scholar Mentoring program, he oversees a city-wide program to accelerate positive outcomes for young people across the cradle-to-career continuum. He has completed a successful career as the Upstate New York Information Systems Division Chief with the Internal Revenue Service. As Deputy Director of Open Buffalo, he assisted in creating a community movement for social and economic justice as part of his pursuit and passion for equity and social justice for the underserved.  In addition, as an ordained Pastor, Tommy has over 30 years of youth development and urban youth ministry experience in black and brown communities. 

As a significant component of his youth development experience, he was the National Director of Mentoring for YouthBuild USA, instrumental in implementing their national mentoring model for opportunity youth. With over 30 years of mentoring experience, he specializes in assisting programs developing initiatives that meet the needs of young people of color.  Tommy’s work with young people, along with his commitment to the community, has allowed him to experience and better understand the challenges many of our disadvantaged and underserved youth experience in the educational, employment, housing, juvenile justice, and other systems that hinder their success.