Meet our eclectic & skilled team of wizards (board members).
Muhammad Abdul-Hadi
Muhammad Abdul-Hadi is the Co-Founder of Down North Tree House and the owner of Down North Pizza, the mission-driven restaurant that exclusively hires formerly incarcerated individuals and serves up pies with a purpose in the Strawberry Mansion community in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Down North Pizza is the culmination of Abdul-Hadi’s 13-year vision as a serial entrepreneur. It’s a concept that has long been ingrained in him; a place where he’s contributing to the economic improvement of underserved communities through excellent food and quality customer service. Through fair wages, innovative hiring practices, and community building, Abdul-Hadi is looking to reduce recidivism rates in the Black community on a wider scale.
Momin Sheikh is a serial entrepreneur and real estate developer in Philadelphia. Having started his first business when he was 17 years old, Momin has started and funded multiple start-ups across various sectors. He most recently sold his creative agency, MerakiCMO in 2018. Prior to the formation of MerakiCMO, Mr. Sheikh held numerous senior finance positions at JP Morgan, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo. Having worked in Investment Banking, Private Equity and Commercial Lending, Mr. Sheikh brings years of experience in financial underwriting, deal structuring, and investor relations. He holds a degree from Rutgers University.
Outside of the office, Mr. Sheikh loves to travel, collect art, and is integrally involved with multiple non-profits including CareLink Community Support Services, Justice for Our Neighbors, Down North Pizza and Big Brothers Big Sisters, where he volunteers his time as a board member and mentor. Mr. Sheikh Co-Founded Philadelphia based non-profit Friends For Good, working to bring together young professionals in support of local charitable organizations. Additionally, Mr. Sheikh was a recipient of the 2019 Philadelphia Business Journal 40-Under-40 award.
Momin Sheikh
Momin Sheikh
Momin Sheikh is a serial entrepreneur and real estate developer in Philadelphia. Having started his first business when he was 17 years old, Momin has started and funded multiple start-ups across various sectors. He most recently sold his creative agency, MerakiCMO in 2018. Prior to the formation of MerakiCMO, Mr. Sheikh held numerous senior finance positions at JP Morgan, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo. Having worked in Investment Banking, Private Equity and Commercial Lending, Mr. Sheikh brings years of experience in financial underwriting, deal structuring, and investor relations. He holds a degree from Rutgers University.
Outside of the office, Mr. Sheikh loves to travel, collect art, and is integrally involved with multiple non-profits including CareLink Community Support Services, Justice for Our Neighbors, Down North Pizza and Big Brothers Big Sisters, where he volunteers his time as a board member and mentor. Mr. Sheikh Co-Founded Philadelphia based non-profit Friends For Good, working to bring together young professionals in support of local charitable organizations. Additionally, Mr. Sheikh was a recipient of the 2019 Philadelphia Business Journal 40-Under-40 award.
Allen King
Allen King a serial entrepreneur and seasoned philanthropic board member. Allen has deep roots in east coast construction, having direct experience in construction, property management, development, acquisitions, and financing. Allen has developed and sold over $11,000,000 worth of real estate and is currently developing $20,000,000+ worth of property across several projects in the Grays Ferry, University City, Port Richmond and Kensington neighborhoods of Philadelphia.
Allen previously served as the Director of Backstage Capital’s Venture Fund raising $15M+ across portfolio companies in under six months. He also was a founding partner and Chief Product Officer for JetSense.AI an AI powered conversational marketing platform from which he built the first chatbot for the NFL. Prior to this, he served as Head of Marketing for Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he developed a business roadmap that directly drove the business unit to $75M+ annual revenue target. He also spent time leading the marketing efforts at Calvin Klein, Kate Spade and Lucky Brand. Allen holds a MBA as well as a Bachelor’s of Science from Villanova University.
Farah Kapoor serves on multiple boards of Philadelphia charity and non-profit organizations, including Reading Terminal Market, Historic Philadelphia, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Her passion for bringing communities together and enhancing their quality of life is a primary driving force behind her many pursuits of helping underserved populations in the area. Originally from Singapore, Farah comes from a family where the value of philanthropic giving is a cherished tradition.
With a background in science, education, and the arts, Farah exhibits a wide-range of expertise and versatility of skill and intellect. It has propelled her to “give back” in service to others. As a mom of two, Farah is a compassionate family advocate. Additionally, she is a reading specialist and yoga instructor. She has lived in Barcelona, Spain, and Fontainebleau, France. Farah makes three-dimensional art out of paper, and also indulges in limoge style of painting.
Farah Kapoor
Farah Kapoor
Farah Kapoor serves on multiple boards of Philadelphia charity and non-profit organizations, including Reading Terminal Market, Historic Philadelphia, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Her passion for bringing communities together and enhancing their quality of life is a primary driving force behind her many pursuits of helping underserved populations in the area. Originally from Singapore, Farah comes from a family where the value of philanthropic giving is a cherished tradition.
With a background in science, education, and the arts, Farah exhibits a wide-range of expertise and versatility of skill and intellect. It has propelled her to “give back” in service to others. As a mom of two, Farah is a compassionate family advocate. Additionally, she is a reading specialist and yoga instructor. She has lived in Barcelona, Spain, and Fontainebleau, France. Farah makes three-dimensional art out of paper, and also indulges in limoge style of painting.
Peter Mastrogiacomo
Peter Mastrogiacomo harnesses a tireless power in pursuit towards game-changing business catalyzation. He is the Founder, Owner, and Operator of Grayson Sky International, a marketing and branding firm based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Besides dedicating himself without relent to improving his clients’ portfolio performance, brand presence and integrity, and general happiness, Peter believes in building and enhancing ecosystems: creative, commercial, and environmental. He is a passionate advocate for the city of Philadelphia, regularly organizes and contributes to charity fundraisers that benefit his beloved city, as well as underserved communities across the globe.
As a founder of the tech company CyTess, Peter turns the company mission of “compassionate capitalism” into reality as a force for positive change. He also founded Stages Recovery, an app for those struggling with drug and alcohol addiction through “recovery capital”. He treats creatives and entrepreneurs in his orbit like family, encouraging them to achieve their dreams, and providing the funds and support network necessary to accomplish them.
