Teslim Ikharo, J.D.

Managing Director

Teslim Ikharo is a strategist, convenor, and impact investor. He uses finance, real estate development, social services, and policy to produce positive change. With several professional lives, Teslim has worked as an investment advisor, real estate developer, financial services writer, and managing director of social service programs in the mental health, homeless, formerly incarcerated, and social justice disciplines.

An Oakland native, Teslim grew up in the city’s Dimond District--a neighborhood he credits with helping to shape his worldview and belief that diversity is a necessary component for creating resilient communities. Just as ecosystems are strengthened by biodiversity, neighborhoods and companies are more resilient when people of different backgrounds come together. He believes that proximity and access to public spaces, academic and cultural institutions, and public transit are the bedrock of inclusive, diverse, safe and healthy blocks, neighborhoods, and cities.

Adaptive reuse, infill development, green infrastructure, and public art are primarily his current tools of choice. As an expert in the accessory dwelling unit space he has led financing, product and program design, and construction projects. His current work focuses on demonstrating the economic and social benefits of the arts and artists within communities so that public and private entities increase investments that make sense from a quadruple bottom line lens: people, planet, profit, and purpose.

Teslim received his B.A. from Indiana University, Bloomington and his J.D. from the Paul. M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University.

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