Juan Sebastian Arias

Juan Sebastian Arias joined MPC in March of 2019. As a Manager, his work focuses on deepening the organization’s housing policy and community development efforts, including the Cost of Segregation  and Our Equitable Future research and recommendations.

Prior to joining MPC, Juan Sebastian worked with Enterprise Community Partners as a Program Officer for Chicago and Detroit. There, he was responsible for capacity building, sustainability, and racial equity initiatives in the community development sector. He also led grant-making efforts across both regions to support community development corporations and other nonprofits. He brings over 9 years of experience in project management, research, and communications at nonprofits across both East and West coasts, including the Government Alliance on Race and Equity, the Center for Community Innovation at UC Berkeley, Living Cities, and again with Enterprise Community Partners.  

A proud Chicago native and son of Ecuadorian immigrants, Juan Sebastian grew up across Avondale, Logan Square and Jefferson Park. He has a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies from Harvard College and a masters’ degree in City Planning from the University of California – Berkeley. He is an active volunteer with the Logan Square Neighborhood Association, former president of the UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design’s Students of Color group, and a founding Board Member of the Harvard Latinx Alumni Alliance. He was also a 2017 Fellow with Chicago United for Equity and a 2013 PLACES Fellow with The Funders Network.

He now lives back in Logan Square after too many years away. He enjoys biking, hiking, traveling, exploring Chicago, visiting family, and playing with his niece. His preferred pronouns are he/him/his.