Angela Blanchard is recognized for her pioneering work in asset-based community development that focuses on the human, social, and cultural strengths of vulnerable populations. Blanchard is the president and CEO of Houston-based Neighborhood Centers Inc., one of the top 1% of U.S.-based charitable groups that serves 250,000 clients annually through 60 facilities in the Houston and Gulf Coast regions. Former HUD Assistant Secretary Roberta Achtenberg (who currently serves on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights) has praised Blanchard for her innovation in developing "a powerful transformational model" with important implications for community redevelopment efforts throughout the nation.