LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA – August 28, 2026 – The Lincoln University Foundation of Pennsylvania, serving as the philanthropic engine behind Lincoln University, welcomes two new board of trustees members, Omar A. Karim, and Lincoln alum Amaris Jones ‘95.
“I am truly excited to add these two amazing individuals to our board,” says Harry A. Stinson III, Vice President of Institutional Advancement & Executive Director of the Lincoln University Foundation. “Adding Omar and Amaris to the Lincoln University Foundation Board strengthens our ability to think boldly about the future of Lincoln. Both bring a tremendous combination of professional expertise, entrepreneurial leadership, and a genuine commitment to creating opportunities for others. As we continue to expand the Foundation’s reach and build a stronger culture of investment in Lincoln University, we need leaders at the table who understand that our history is not simply something to celebrate, it is a foundation upon which we must build. Omar and Amaris bring the relationships, perspective, and energy that will help us connect Lincoln’s extraordinary legacy to an even greater future.”
Omar A. Karim
Credits: Omar A. Karim, courtesy of Omar A. Karim
Omar A. Karim is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Banneker Ventures, a fully integrated real estate development and construction firm transforming urban communities through purpose-driven investment and design excellence. Since founding Banneker in 2006, Omar has guided the company’s evolution from a boutique development firm into a diversified enterprise with four verticals—Real Estate Development, General Contracting, Property Management, and Advisory Services.
“I am deeply honored to join the Lincoln University Foundation Board of Directors and to help steward an institution that has expanded human potential and shaped generations of leaders for more than 170 years,” says Karim. “I believe every generation is entrusted with the responsibility to leave the institutions it inherits stronger than it found them, and I look forward to helping ensure that Lincoln’s extraordinary legacy continues to grow for generations to come.”
Under his leadership, Banneker has delivered and managed more than $1 billion in mixed use, multifamily, and public-sector projects across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and New York. The company currently owns and operates more than 200 residential units, 10,000 square feet of retail, and maintains an active $1 billion development pipeline that includes some of the region’s most impactful projects: Park Place at Addison Road Metro, The Pavilion at Lottsford, The Rolark at Congress Heights Metro, Urban Village Apartments, and The Malcolm and The Martin at St. Elizabeths East Campus. Omar has also overseen the construction of more than $200 million in public facilities, including libraries, schools, and recreation centers that serve residents throughout the Washington metropolitan area. Before founding Banneker, Omar began his career in New York City at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, advising public and private sector clients on complex financial and corporate matters. He later joined Bundy Development Corporation in Washington, D.C., where he managed real estate projects and served as General Counsel.
Beyond business, Omar is deeply committed to civic leadership and educational equity. He serves on the boards of the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (as a gubernatorial appointee), College Track, Inc., the African American Real Estate Professionals of DC, and the DC Metro Black Contractors Collective. A proud graduate of Howard University, Omar earned both his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and his Juris Doctor from the university. He is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), the Real Estate Executive Council, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Amaris Jones ‘95
Credits: Amaris Jones, courtesy of Amaris Jones
Chef Amaris Jones ‘95 is a visionary culinary entrepreneur and celebrity chef celebrated for redefining modern Soul Food through a lens of health, heritage, and hospitality. Rooted in her formative years spent in her father's church on Philadelphia's iconic South Street and inspired by the warmth of generational family gatherings, Chef Amaris has built a career at the intersection of flavor, culture, and star power — cooking for entertainers, professional athletes, and some of the most recognized stages in food and entertainment media.
“As a second-generation alum joining this prestigious Board of Directors of the Lincoln University Foundation, I am honored to help carry forward an institution that has shaped generations of thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals,” says Jones. “I'm energized to bring fresh, innovative ideas to how we invest in the next generation of Lincoln students.”
In 2012, she burst onto the national scene with the launch of South Street Restaurant in Miami's Design District — the city's first upscale Southern-style eatery. Lauded by the likes of Martha Stewart and LeBron James, her restaurant established her as a formidable culinary force. Just a year later, she headlined the Chicken Coupe event at the Food Network's SOBE Wine & Food Festival, further cementing her status in the industry.
Chef Amaris has cultivated a reputation as a trusted culinary partner to NFL players and top entertainers, curating private dining, wellness-driven menus, and event experiences for high-profile clients across sports and entertainment. She served as celebrity chef for the BET Awards VIP section two years in a row, bringing elevated soul food to one of music's biggest nights. Chef Amaris's prestigious client list includes American Express, JP Morgan Chase, Cadillac, and top global luxury retailers. In 2023, she was selected as a guest chef for Vice President Kamala Harris at a private fundraiser for the Biden Presidential Campaign.
Chef Amaris's media presence includes a featured spot on the Oprah Winfrey Network's (OWN) Food Fantasies. Additionally, she served as Chef-at-Large at Marcus Samuelsson's celebrated Red Rooster Overtown and represented the United States as lead chef for the Food for Diplomacy Initiative in Istanbul, Türkiye. Her fast-casual concept, Chick 'N Jones, opened in 2021 and quickly became a beloved Miami staple, twice earning Miami New Times' Best of Miami Editor's Choice for Best Chicken Wings (2022 and 2026), along with "Best Pop-Up" honors from Legacy Magazine.
As an Equity Advisor for the woman-owned cereal brand "Off Limits," she champions inclusivity and representation — values that have shaped her entire career.
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About Lincoln University of Pennsylvania Foundation
The Lincoln University of Pennsylvania Foundation is a separately incorporated 501(c)3 organized for the purpose of serving as a supporting organization and foundation to Lincoln University of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education. Launched in July 2020, the Foundation manages and oversees all donations and gifts to Lincoln University, including the Lincoln University 1854 Promise Fund. The fund provides unrestricted support and is a vital source of institutional and student support in the areas of: Financial Aid, Academic Enrichment, Athletics, Campus & Facilities, and Student Life. For more information about the Foundation or to make a donation, please visit https://giving.lincoln.edu/Donate-Now.
About Lincoln University of Pennsylvania
Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, the nation’s first degree-granting Historically Black College and University (HBCU), educates and empowers students to lead their communities and change the world. Lincoln offers a rigorous liberal arts education to a diverse student body of approximately 1,650 men and women in more than 34 undergraduate and graduate programs. To learn more about Lincoln University, visit www.lincoln.edu.
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