Metanoia/ Chief Operations Officer

Jamilla Harper is a community and international development leader who believes in building equitable, place-rooted futures “with” local community, not “to” local community. As Chief Operating Officer of Metanoia Community Development Corp., she leads organizational strategy, operations, and partnerships that support economic opportunity, resilient housing, and family-centered development in North Charleston’s historic Black communities. Her work centers neighborhood leadership, long-term care for place, and the belief that meaningful progress begins with shared power.

Jamilla’s practice is informed by both local commitment and global experience. Prior to Metanoia, she served as Associate Director of the Kounkuey Design Initiative in Kenya, where she supported award-winning placemaking efforts, recognized by Rockefeller Foundation and UN-HABITAT, as well as the development of public spaces and social infrastructure through community-led, human-centered design processes. She holds a master’s degree in Development Studies from the University of Nairobi through a Rotary Ambassadorial Fellowship and bachelor’s degrees in Communication and Spanish from the College of Charleston.

Her leadership has been recognized across sectors. Jamilla was named to Charleston Regional Business Journal’s Forty Under 40; listed as South Carolina’s “Leaders to Know” by The Post and Courier; and selected as a Liberty Fellow (Class of 2025) within the Aspen Global Leadership Network. She serves on the CLIMB Fund Board and lives in North Charleston, where her work and life remain grounded in people, place, and collective care.