FUSE Executive Fellows and Alumni

KRISTEN ABRAHAM is a former management consultant specializing in business process transformation and strategic planning efforts. With over 25 years of professional experience in corporate and nonprofit sectors, Abraham is passionate about creating unique business solutions for clients, including optimized strategies, organizational structures, and operations. In the past decade, she has leveraged her project management and team leadership expertise in the service of nonprofit organizations. Abraham has a BBA from the University of Georgia with a major in Marketing and an MS from Georgia State University with a major in Computer Information Systems.

Dr. Azmi brings over 25 years of experience in project management, technology, and business. He held managerial positions in public and private companies, including MWDSC, Metricom, Inc. and DGA, Inc. He taught at universities including UCLAe and Cal Poly. Dr. Azmi holds a doctorate in Public Administration, and Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees in Engineering. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Professional Engineer (PE). He received the UCLAe Distinguished Instructor Award, a distinction held by less than 2% of faculty.

TENITA BALLARD is an experienced leader who blends corporate and entrepreneurial know-how, boasting 18+ years advising top executives on HR strategy, risk management, and more at companies like AT&T, DIRECTV, and Coca Cola. At Intel, TeNita served as a Global HR D&I Partner, where she was responsible for guiding the development and implementation of D&I initiatives across the organization. TeNita holds an MBA in Business Administration and BA in Psychology. She’s a member of LAAAWPPI and a USC Adjunct Professor.

MARIO BONIFACIO is an accomplished data scientist and dedicated community organizer. He served as a U.S. Army officer and deployed to train the next generation of Iraqi Army officers. He has organized on presidential campaigns, advised on legislation in Congress, and worked in analytics and software development at the New York Stock Exchange and other financial services firms and startups. He holds a Masters in International Finance from Columbia University and a Bachelors in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.

DEWAYNE W. BRIGHT, SR. has committed his career to improve the quality of life for residents of Kansas City, MO’s urban core through housing and community development. As a community organizer, he remained focused on leadership development as the primary tool to address the multitude of concerns that impact families. This work has resulted in nearly $20 million in new home construction and the redevelopment of an abandoned school into 44 units of senior housing. DeWayne attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Baker University where he studied Business Administration with an emphasis on Organizational Leadership.

ALIA BROWN is a strategic program manager with 20+ years of data, partnership, marketing, operations, and communications experience. Known for steering opportunities through “storms” resulting from rapidly changing circumstances, to achieve seamless experiences for consumers, clients/prospects, executives and key influencers.

Most recently, Alia owned classes and workshops programming from end to end, creating and executing an efficient business growth plan, using data trends to optimize live online offerings throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.

She also co-founded Village Athlete which partners with professional athletes to strengthen their legacy of continued impact in the villages they support; through brand development, experiential marketing, and strategic community development. In her previous role, as the Events/Partnerships Director for the Museum of Latin American Art, Alia was responsible for the creation, management, and revenue generation of over 40 museum fundraisers per year, as well as the execution of all museum community events – totaling approximately 100 per year. In her earlier career, Alia was an Assistant Vice President with Bank of America. Her responsibilities included the management and execution of various sponsorship marketing, communications, public affairs, and community involvement programs throughout Greater Los Angeles.

Alia is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. Her proudest accomplishment is her son, Kylan. She also loves yoga and animals, with 1 turtle, 2 rescue dogs, and countless foster kittens.

MICHAEL BUONVINO is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in project, program, business development, and strategic planning, as well as a robust architecture education and background. His career has been marked by leadership roles with leading development, global EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction), and PMCs (Project Management Consultants), where he has excelled in various aspects of business development, corporate and client strategies, joint ventures, and strategic alliances.

With a mature and broad-based executive approach, Buonvino has been instrumental in opening new sectors and markets, both domestically and internationally. Buonvino’s entrepreneurial spirit has driven his success in business development, where he has demonstrated expertise in creating corporate and operational models, team building, growth strategy, and forging strategic partnerships. His track record includes leading numerous complex public and private international projects, ranging from $10 million to $23 billion.

His project portfolio spans a diverse range of sectors, including campus design, high-rise and residential buildings, hospitality, retail, mixed-use developments, resorts, entertainment venues, sports facilities, commercial properties, as well as infrastructure projects such as roads, railways, airports, and power and energy facilities. With a solid connection to New England, Buonvino’s global work experience extends across the United States, North, Central, and South America, as well as regions such as Afghanistan, the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries, North Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Australia, Asia, and Europe.

GARY CAMPANELLA excels in transforming operational landscapes. His specialty is aligning people and operations with strategy, vision, and values. As Senior Operations Manager for Capital Group Companies, Campanella worked with nonprofit organizations across Los Angeles. He was a Mediator in the LA Superior Court system. Currently, he is the Managing Editor of a literary magazine and a partner in a hospitality management company. He is a certified Project Manager (PMP). He holds many certificates and two degrees.

NATHAN CHAI is an entrepreneurial marketing and operations leader with deep experience in high-growth tech. Most recently, he built several marketing and operations teams at Thumbtack, a Silicon Valley-based services marketplace. Previously, Nathan led product, marketing, and consulting for a services firm focused on performance enablement and change management. With a master’s degree from BYU, Nathan started his academic career teaching rhetoric and communication before moving into his first entrepreneurial role: helping launch a successful EdTech start-up.

MARTIN CHALLINOR is a business transformation leader, levering the power of people, process and technology to enhance organizations strategically and operationally, elevating customer experiences. Most recently, Martin led the Digital Initiatives Strategy at Pearson, working with cross-functional teams and strategic partners to launch/operationalize digital offerings within the higher education ecosystem. Martin holds a B.Sc in Astrophysics from the University of Cardiff, UK, an MBA from the University of Exeter, UK, and is PMP qualified.

JOSHUA CLARK is a Creative Content Producer and Consultant with over a decade of professional media experience. Most recently, he was the senior manager of short-form original productions at Exposure Labs, a film and impact production company focused on climate change and accountable technology. After receiving his B.S. in Journalism from Boston University, he pursued an M.F.A. in Film, Television & New Media Producing from the University of Southern California.

FRED A. CLAY‘s 25-year career demonstrates unwavering dedication to Sustainability and Social Equity championing for BIPOC communities.

As Founder and Principal of Clay Leadership and Consulting, he and his team deliver culturally relevant solutions for leadership growth and organizational development. Fred serves as Board Chair of MILPA (Motivating Individual Leadership for Public Advancement) and Board Secretary of the SJSU Black Alumni Network. He has an MBA in Sustainability and a BS in Environmental Science. He is certified in PMP, EVN SP. SBD, and personal training.

Djuan Coleon is the Executive Director and Board Chair of PURE (Project Urban Renewal Energy) where he oversees the day-to-day operations of the organization. Djuan is a Cultural Champion of the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) ARC Engagement Process and a partner with Georgia Tech and the UN RCE (Regional Centre of Expertise) on Education for Sustainable Development. Prior to founding PURE, he served as the Director of Marketing and Digital Strategy for The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (“The King Center”) where he directed marketing, digital and customer experience initiatives across the King Center platforms. Djuan served as the Director of Constituent Relations with the National Alliance of Faith and Justice (NAFJ) where he worked in partnership with the National Corporation of Community Service and the Pen or Pencil Movement to implement the national the Service Learning Challenge in Atlanta which was organized under President Barrack Obama’s “United We Serve Act.” Djuan’s experience in public works for two major metro Atlanta municipalities laid the foundation for his expertise in environmental issues. He spent seven years in engineering and construction as a project manager with the City of Atlanta where he identified and communicated best-practice guidelines for managing the surcharge events associated with state water utilities and ensured that facilities were able to meet existing E.P.A. regulatory guidelines. He also oversaw the implementation of DeKalb County’s $3.5 million flow monitoring project and managed over 123 monitoring sites throughout the County. His career has been built on leading successful initiatives across government, public service, corporate and civil rights sectors which created a natural segue way for him to bridge the gap (of what) in underserved communities, and by building awareness and opportunities for collaboration with others to ensure economic, ecological and environmental justice.

ALVARO D. CUBIDES is dedicated to advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). He specializes in engagement and organizational development. With extensive HR and curriculum development experience, he founded ADC Consulting to tackle organizational discrimination. He has developed academically grounded DEI methodologies that address human differences in the workplace. Cubides holds a BA in Religious Studies, focusing on intersectionality. He holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace.

MARIO DE LA OSSA specializes in renewable fuels project development and sustainability programs and has deep expertise in leading asset management, commercial structuring, and optimization teams. Before focusing on renewables, he led commercial and asset optimization activities for a privately owned refinery. He has held senior commercial roles for oil majors and trading organizations. Mario served as a US Naval officer and holds an MA from Norwich University and a BS from the US Naval Academy.

LAWRENCE EBO is a strategic and business-minded Information Technology Project Manager with over 20 years of hands-on experience in the technical field. He started his professional career as a Sgt. in the United States Marine Corps. He supported the contracts for Air Defense Variants for LAI Bn in Camp Pendelton, including war defense efforts in Desert Storm. Transitioning from the mechanical/engineering field in the Marines, he obtained his Associate, Bachelor, and Master. He is working on his Doctorate in Electronics and I.T. Technology at Phoenix University, South University, and UC Irvine. He has worked as Manager, Director, and Technology Advisor for Ingram Micro, Western State University College of Law, and Toyota. Some of his projects include developing High Availability and Disaster Recovery Solutions at Toyota. Campus-Wide Wireless Installation and Upgrade for Western State University College of Law. Hardware and Software refresh and upgrades for local city and government clients. Ebo has certifications in VMware and Cloud Cybersecurity. In 2020, he was also a Member of the Information Technology Judging for the 2020 American Business Awards.

VALERIE FEINBERG is a certified urban planner with experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. As a land use planner, she has spent her career focused on the intersection of urban planning and public health. Her expertise includes preparing and implementing community development regulations aligned with federal, state, and local policies considering community goals, environment sustainability, economic viability, public health, and safety. She is passionate about creating healthy neighborhoods, walkable streets, and beautiful places for everyone.

She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from Texas Tech University and a Master of City and Regional Planning from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is a contributory member of various community organizations.

Valerie is an avid bicyclist and dabbles in floral design as a side gig. She is most proud of her two grown sons, Jesse and Austin. They continue to challenge her thinking.

LINDA FRAZIER has extensive experience providing legal and financial support to corporations, government agencies, educational institutions, and corporate foundations. She served as a Senior Executive in the construction industry for more than ten years. Linda holds a BBA from the University of Cincinnati, an EMBA from Case Western Reserve University, a JD from Cleveland State University, and was both a Weatherhead Fellow at CWRU and pursued postgraduate studies in Executive Leadership at UC-Berkeley.

SARA HAMMES has led environmental transformation through technology innovation, market strategy, end-use market development, comprehensive stakeholder engagement, and community advocacy. Her experience spans international trade, journalism, global market development, infrastructure development, and as an educator in Cultural Intelligence. Recently she led infrastructure development for organic residual recycling, including end-use markets, to achieve compliance with California’s SB 1383. Sara holds a BA in Economics from UC Berkeley and an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management.

With over 15 years of diverse consumer-facing roles across multiple industries, MARY AUSTIN HARRELSON has honed her expertise in client experience and operational excellence. As CRM Americas at ETRO, she expertly managed full-funnel client marketing, spearheaded strategic initiatives, and conducted all client analytics and insights. Pursuing a M.S. in Sustainability Management at Columbia University, she aims to transform environmental and social impact into actionable CRM strategies to optimize business outcomes through stakeholder engagement, strategic communications, and exceptional technical understanding.

SHERONDA HELTON brings 18 years of experience in the education sector, with a strong commitment to educational equity and youth development. In her previous roles as the Executive Director of Girls on the Run Los Angeles and DEI Consultant at the National School Boards Association, she worked to advance educational equity on a broad scale, creating initiatives that directly impacted millions of students and educators nationwide. Sheronda holds a Master’s in Special Education from Loyola Marymount University and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Grambling State University.

ANGELICA HERNANDEZ has over 15 years of experience working in government, the private and nonprofit sectors. Recently, she worked as a consultant helping businesses expand their operations. Prior to this role, she served as a Policy Deputy in the California State Senate, specializing in healthcare, education, water, immigration, and Latino affairs among other areas. Angelica earned a BA in History and Political Science, as well as an MS in Public Administration from Cal State LA.

MOKYOU HYUN is an experienced finance professional, nonprofit advisor, and clean energy co-founder where she partners with companies and research organizations to develop plasma processing solutions for waste, water, and biotech industries. Previously, she originated and executed industry-transforming M&A, corporate finance, and private equity transactions as an investment banker and principal investor at Merrill Lynch. She was also a special assistant to the CEO, CFO, and Vice Chairman of Trammell Crow Company/CBRE. Mokyou earned a bachelor’s degree in politics from Princeton University and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. She has a passion for driving multidisciplinary solutions to improve public policy for marginalized communities.

DR. SHANNON JOLLY is a DEI research practitioner native of Atlanta, GA. He is a former student-athlete and Triple Dawg from the University of Georgia. He brings 12 years of leadership experience in program development, change management, and strategic planning across various industries — such as sports and entertainment, higher education, and non-profit. Shannon has served as the senior program manager for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for USA Fencing. Before joining the Olympic & Paralympic movement, Shannon was a DEI consultant for the NCAA — Office of Inclusion, Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena, and other professional and collegiate organizations.

In addition to his work in sports and entertainment, Shannon has managed federally funded grants for the University of Georgia and Morehouse College, developing pipelines and pathways to STEM for underrepresented students. An advocate for social justice and a champion of positive change, Shannon utilizes his academic and practitioner background to help educate, empower, and enhance communities.

STEPHEN KELCH is an IT Executive with expertise in project management, system integration, and infrastructure development across industries like logistics, retail, and manufacturing. In his last role, he was a Senior IT Project Manager at NiSource, leading an SAP S/4HANA cloud and Salesforce integration. Previously, he oversaw projects implementing advanced technologies such as Oracle ERP and business intelligence systems. Kelch holds an associate degree in MIS/Data Processing from Columbus State Community College.

TRACE LANE is an interdisciplinary climate resilience, equity, and engagement specialist. Her expertise is focused on the advancement of climate justice through strategic integration of community, Tribal, and stakeholder feedback into the design of programs, impact assessments, and policy through community-based action research and community-led design processes. Lane’s expertise is utilized to support extreme heat resilience, wildfire resilience, equitable water access, and energy equity in the United States, Peru, and India. Lane is the founder of the non-profit organization, The Story Lab, which bridges story with science to understand how the environment is changing and why it matters. Most recently, Lane served as a Lead Technical Assistance Provider for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Community Change Grant Program, and before that, was a Senior Sustainability Consultant for AECOM Energy Advisory Services, where her work focused on energy equity protocols for states and municipalities. Lane holds a master’s degree in political science and public administration, a master’s degree in international social welfare research and policy, and is a Ph.D. candidate in integrated coastal sciences.

NICOLE JACKSON is a seasoned product and technical leader with over a decade of experience in product development, delivery, and digital transformation. She has held various high-level roles, such as Chief Technology Officer, Head of Product, and Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. Her expertise spans user experience, systems thinking, solutions delivery, and software development, enabling her to create scalable solutions for complex problems across multiple industries, including nonprofit, B2B, B2B2C, B2C, B2C, and B2G.  

Jackson serves on the Advisory Board for the Strategic AI Certificate Program at Ashland University, is a member of the Responsible A.I. Institute, and was recently chosen as one of 49 Americans to participate in the EU Office of Artificial Intelligence Code of Practice Plenary to assist in the development of practice guidelines to adhere to the rules and guidelines of the EU AI Act by August 1, 2025. She also serves as an advisor with IJIS, alongside technical and government leaders as an AI ethicist in the creation of best practice guidelines for federal and state law enforcement agencies. Jackson is a recognized national leader in STEM and mentors undergraduate students at Howard University and the University of Texas-Austin through the National Science and Technology Medals Foundation (NSTMF) was one of 125 women honored by the AAAS as a national mentor under the IF/THEN initiative, with a 3D-printed statue of her likeness displayed in the Women’s History Month IF/THEN exhibit at the Smithsonian and in Washington D.C. in 2022.

Jackson has been featured in additional museum exhibits, including Google Arts and Culture’s New Science exhibit and the International Museum of Surgical Science. She is a new member of ForbesBLK, serves on the AAAS Early Science Award Selection Committee, and occasionally instructs product management certification programs at Columbia University and Georgia Institute of Technology. Outside of technology, Jackson volunteers her time to causes that work best for humanity to self-actualize. She enjoys gardening, and she and her spouse maintain more than 60 indoor plants. Jackson is a caregiver to her mother, who is bravely battling rare bile duct cancer, and she and her wife are empty nesters who enjoy dinners and live music. 

Dynamic strategic communications leader DUANE JOHNSON has driven transformative results across healthcare, education, and entertainment. Formerly Vice President at LAGRANT COMMUNICATIONS, Johnson has developed expertise in strategic planning and creative strategy for diverse audiences. He attended Barry University, majoring in English Literature and Professional Writing. Johnson has led campaigns for organizations, including the California Department of Public Health and Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, and is now focusing on engagement that drives social impact.

PATTY MENJIVAR has over 20 years of working in sustainability. She has managed ESG goals from a strategic and execution standpoint while helping shape how it is embedded within a company’s culture, strategic plans, and operations. The ESG topics include decarbonization strategies, GHG emissions reporting, cap and trade, strategic plans, governance, stakeholder engagement, sustainable supply chain, circularity, health and safety, voluntary and regulatory disclosures, and others. Menjivar aims to use her deep experience and passion to collectively create a sustainable now and future.

DR. EDIDIONG “DIDI” MENDIE is an Environmental Justice and Policy Consultant. She serves as the Executive Director of Ezrach Brain Trust Association, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit. Mendie has extensive experience working with marginalized communities, policymakers, and clean energy stakeholders.

Additionally, she is a licensed attorney in Nigeria and an Adjunct Professor/Lecturer of criminal justice at California State University Sacramento and Texas Southern University. Mendie is a co-founder of Mendlife Global Foundation and a licensed arbitrator with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). She is a published author and speaker at international and local conferences.

Mendie holds a Ph.D. in Administration of Justice from Texas Southern University, an LL.M. in Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Law from the University of Houston, Texas, a B.L. from The Nigerian Law School, and an LL.B. from the University of Benin, Nigeria.

CHRIS MIRAGLIA combines a background in entrepreneurship and professional management with human-centered design and public policy principles to help solve complex organizational issues. Chris has founded a small company in disaster relief and has worked in the construction field for over ten years. Most recently, he graduated with a Master of Public Policy from Duke University and holds a Master of Entrepreneurship from the University of Florida.

RITA MOBEKA is a project management professional with over 25 years of information technology experience in both the commercial and defense sectors. Mobeka spent the past five years as an Executive Senior Manager and General Manager at L3Harris, an Aerospace and Defense company, where she had P&L responsibility for the site and developed strategic plans spearheading technology initiatives for the radar and reconnaissance business units. Mobeka has notable success delivering full system functionality and driving excellent team execution while providing technical expertise in requirements analysis, system design, integration, testing, and deployment solutions that support Customer-focused business objectives. Mobeka has extensive knowledge of managing projects and supervising/mentoring project managers through the entire lifecycle, achieving results in demanding environments. Mobeka has a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University and a B.S. from MIT.

NI KAL S. PRICE has over 20 years of marketing and strategic planning experience within corporate and non-profit organizations. As a Paramount Pictures executive, she managed brand marketing teams for multiple distribution partnerships. Working within community organizations, Price has strengthened underserved populations via education advocacy and engagement and serves on the planning commission. Price holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Howard University and an MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business.

GAME QUAN worked for 30 years in nonprofit higher education, starting as an administrative assistant and ending as chief financial officer.

He was CFO at Claremont School of Theology, trying to turn them around. He helped start the Digital Theological Library. He nearly doubled the patient revenues for a nonprofit dental practice.

He has a BS in Economics/Systems Science from UCLA.

SUSANA SANTANA is a communications professional with experience in nonprofit organizations, running operations, and monitoring program performance. As an executive in nonprofit organizations, she led the implementation of technological upgrades, strategic plans, and facility and program improvements, while carefully assessing internal processes and saving on expenses. She also advised on HR and Communications/PR matters. Santana has a BA from UCLA in Communication Studies and a Master’s in Communication Management from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

JENNIFER SCHEEL has spent over 15 years in the consulting industry, providing strategic analyses to defense, aerospace, and energy decision-makers. She led cross-functional teams in opportunity identification, source selection, decision analysis, and program execution. Most recently, she led a small business’s business development and operations as Chief of Staff. She is passionate about refocusing her business and data analytics expertise to support sustainability and equity goals in her hometown.

EMILY STAPLETON has channeled her vision of “happy people on a habitable planet” into a career in start-up and large-scale transportation organizations. She has worked in car sharing, bike sharing, public transit, and logistics. Most recently, she led urban and rural last-mile delivery teams at Amazon. Emily holds a BA in psychology and an MBA, both from Harvard.

NIKKI VANDIVORT is an environmental professional with 16 years of experience protecting natural and cultural resources for utilities and municipal clients. For the past nine years, her work has involved building a multi-disciplinary team of scientists to anticipate their client’s regulatory and organizational needs, improving efficiency and collaboration, and avoiding/mitigating impacts on environmental resources. Her passion is sustainability and implementing solutions to the climate crisis. She holds a dual MBA and MPA in Sustainable Solutions from Presidio Graduate School and a BS in Environmental Science from Western Washington University.

THANAPAT VICHITCHOT is dedicated to providing economic opportunities to the community through workforce development.

Most recently, Thanapat held a project management role with a start-up consulting firm within a Regional Chamber of Commerce. During this time, he served as a voting member of the City of Cincinnati’s Children and Families Cabinet. Over his fifteen-plus years in the nonprofit Workforce Development sector, some of his past experiences include coaching, growing and managing self-sufficiency programs, and collaborating on various projects with diverse stakeholders.

Entrepreneurially, Thanapat founded a real estate investment firm that renovates properties to provide quality, affordable housing to residents. He serves on a Financial Wellness Advisory Council for a local nonprofit workforce development organization.

Thanapat obtained his BBA in Marketing and Information Systems from the University of Cincinnati and has completed nonprofit leadership and quality improvement science training programs.

GLORIA WESLEY is an adept management consultant and CEO of Exodus Management and Consulting, LLC, with 25 years of success guiding companies through evolving business landscapes. From streamlining processes to fostering cultural shifts, she propels organizations forward. With degrees from Strayer University, The University of Southern Mississippi, The Community College of the Air Force, and Tougaloo College, Wesley holds certifications like Certified Human Resources Professional and Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt DEI Professional. Her diverse experience makes her a coveted leader in business transformation. Gloria champions economic equity as a Board Member of her local chamber of commerce and mentored entrepreneurs as a Certified SCORE mentor. Her tenure on the National Small Business Association Leadership Council showcased her tireless advocacy for small businesses’ interests in Washington, D.C. Additionally, she chaired the City of Statesboro Business Commission, showcasing her commitment to community empowerment. Gloria Wesley is your partner in driving transformative change and unlocking your organization’s full potential.

DR. LISA WHITE brings over 20 years of experience as a mental health professional. She is also a former management consultant who has coached emerging leaders and helped organizations select the most qualified candidates. In 2021, Dr. White served as a consultant for the City of New Albany’s Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Action Committee (IDEA). She holds a doctorate in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, a Master’s degree in Social Work, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.

JACKSON WRIGHT is committed to advancing justice through public policy, especially in the Southern United States. Wright served Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards as part of his policy and legislative team and coordinated Louisiana’s implementation of federal infrastructure investments. Before that, Wright worked in public education in Nashville. Wright holds an MPP from the Harvard Kennedy School and a BA in Public Policy Studies from the University of Chicago.

MARIA YUAN is a results-oriented leader committed to driving positive change. As the Founder of IssueVoter, Maria’s mission is to give everyone a voice in our representative democracy. IssueVoter actively engages people in policy, fostering transparency between constituents and representatives and empowering an informed electorate. Maria applies her diverse skillset and 20+ years of experience to consulting as a fractional CFO, COO, or Chief-of-Staff for Founders, CEOs, and family businesses.

A recognized thought leader, Maria has shared her insights at numerous conferences. Media outlets have featured her writing and interviews, including PBS, Real Clear Politics, The Hill, and CBS. Committed to service, Maria is on the Board of Directors for the Bridge Alliance and volunteers for several nonprofits.

Maria earned her MBA from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania and her BBA from The University of Texas at Austin.

RANIA ADWAN (2016-17) combines research, planning and global affairs expertise to identify opportunities and facilitate growth. Most recently, with PwC, she provided strategic and operational leadership to the Risk Consulting business unit. Her experience and influence spans the Middle East, Asia, the U.S., U.K. and the Caribbean, on engagements ranging from post-disaster recovery and reconstruction to anti-corruption and corporate intelligence. She holds an MA in Foreign Service, International Relations and Security from Georgetown University and a BA from the University of Wales, Cardiff.

ALEX-HANDRAH AIMÉ (2017-18) has spent more than 15 years in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and management consulting, with a focus on emerging markets. Immediately prior to FUSE, she served as managing director and partner and head of the South African office of Emerging Capital Partners (ECP), one of the largest Africa-focused private equity firms with more than $2.6 billion raised over 18 years of investing across the continent. At ECP, Alex-Handrah sourced, structured, negotiated, led, and managed more than $300 million in equity and debt investments in telecommunications, education, food retailing, and financial services across south, east, and west Africa. Alex-Handrah earned a B.A. from Harvard, a J.D. from Stanford Law School, and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

SIMA ALIKANI (2015-16) is a management consultant with over 18 years of consulting experience leading global initiatives for startup to Fortune 500 companies. She focuses on technology and business strategy, strategic operations analysis and optimization, business process design and re-engineering and enterprise information systems. In addition to working with companies like Apple, Genentech and Honeywell, she has supported nonprofit organizations including the YWCA and American Red Cross. Sima holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA from San Francisco State University with a focus on Operations Management and Information Systems.

DEBBIE ALLEN has more than 25 years of experience in criminal and juvenile justice and crime victims services. Previously, she helped establish a Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and an Information Sharing Ecosystem in the Denver metro area. She also worked for the North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission and as staff development coordinator for the secretary of the North Carolina Department of Corrections. Her experience spans the key areas of the criminal justice system, from encounter to reentry. In her varied career, Debbie has served as a practitioner, administrator, researcher, and technologist. She is also the current president of the National Association for Justice Information Systems. Debbie has a graduate certification in applied statistics from Penn State University, an MSW from the University of Michigan, and a B.S. from Guilford College.

NICK ALMEIDA (2016-17) has more than 15 years of experience in both social and public finance, and a depth of experience providing strategic, financial and operational advisory services to private, public, and social sector clients. Nick is the cofounder and managing director of Sidecar Social Finance (SSF) – a social impact agency providing impact investing advisory and capital services to individuals, institutions, and social entrepreneurs. He holds an MA in Sociology and a BA in Public Policy from Stanford University.

KERRI ANDERSEN is an advocate and leader adept at building meaningful relationships and implementing innovative solutions. Kerri’s background includes leading the L.A. office of the only nonprofit in the country federally appointed to provide immigrant children with best interest advocacy; representing foster children as an L.A. County children’s attorney; providing counsel, project management and consulting to local and international nonprofits; teaching elementary school and most recently creating Bright Spot where she champions the importance of Intentional Joy through coaching and workshops. Kerri earned her B.A. in Law & Society at UCSB, M.Ed. at UNLV, and J.D. at Quinnipiac Law.

DONNA MICHELLE ANDERSON (2016-17) is a veteran television showrunner and executive, as well as a patented tech entrepreneur. She guides entertainment networks, nonprofits, and startups through branding, launching, and scaling their content and companies. Over the past 20 years, she has helmed top-rated programming for CBS, Bravo, BET, A&E, TLC, and more, created groundbreaking production software. She also championed diversity across multiple industries and founded the Hollywood Diversity Network. She is an active member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the Producers Guild of America, and American Mensa. She holds a B.A. from Stanford University.

HELEN ANGELDONES is a seasoned analytics strategist with more than 20 years of experience advising and consulting in the financial services, retail, e-commerce, consumer software, healthcare, and life sciences industries. She has driven and led data and strategy groups for Fortune 500 companies, including UnitedHealth Group, Oracle, PayPal, Kaiser Permanente, and AbbVie. Known for bringing innovative thinking to business problems, Helen has deep knowledge of how to build closed-loop analytics infrastructure from the ground up and manage teams of analysts to deliver data-strategy and evidence-based growth recommendations. She has a B.A. in psychology from York University and an MBA from the University of Missouri.

JESSICA ARONOFF‘s career—spanning the corporate, philanthropic, legal, and nonprofit sectors—has been guided by an unwavering commitment to social justice and fostering purpose and potential in leaders, teams, and organizations. Most recently consulting in the areas of strategy, management, corporate culture, and social impact, Jessica previously served as vice president of philanthropy for The Wonderful Company and as executive director for Break the Cycle, a domestic violence services organization. A former senior fellow at the Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab at USC Marshall School of Business, Jessica received her B.A. in English from Wesleyan University and her J.D. from UCLA School of Law.

DR. ALGIE AU is a nimble, versatile, and innovative leader best known for her work in the fields of education and sustainability. Before joining FUSE, Algie chaired the DEI Strategic Planning team at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Sustainability Green Team at Citrus College, Board of Directors Brockus Project Dance Company, Academic Senate at Brockus Project Dance Company, and held various governance roles across the West Coast. She has an interdisciplinary background in biological science, higher education, public health, education policy and performing arts. Her current research explores the intersectION of transportation, conservation psychology, and air quality concerning human health. She is an advocate for environmental justice [biophilic/human-centered design of sustainable and resilient work]. She loves to sit down with a good book and is passionate about dance, cats, knitting and gardening. Algie holds a doctorate in Sustainability Education from Prescott College, an M.S. in Biological Sciences, and a B.S. in Biology from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

MARK AVNET (2016-17) is a management consultant and researcher whose work focuses on the influence of organizational culture and team dynamics on operational and safety performance. Most recently, he was an Assistant Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering and Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University. Prior to that, Mark was a consultant with McKinsey & Company focusing on the design and implementation of operational improvement programs in the aerospace industry. Mark holds a B.S. in Physics from MIT, an MA in Science, Technology, and Public Policy from The George Washington University, and a Ph.D. in Engineering Systems from MIT.

NATALIE BARNDT has more than two decades of experience spanning finance, mergers and acquisitions, organizational development, and management consulting in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors. She has lived and worked on four continents. While working for a pharmaceutical company, Natalie led a business development team in acquiring new products and companies. More recently, she led the launch of a global anti-poverty organization into East Africa. Natalie holds an M.A. in organizational dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.S. from the University of Delaware, and she serves on several nonprofit boards in Philadelphia.

SUSAN L. BARNES is an economic development and public policy professional with more than 20 years of experience working in Silicon Valley-based cities. She has extensive experience formulating economic development strategy and public policy, as well as facilitating community engagement and outreach. Susan has operated her own consulting business since 2010 and has worked with Contra Costa Water District, Santa Cruz County, Downtown San Mateo Association, the cities of Pacifica, Rohnert Park, Crescent City, and Skyline College. Previously, she worked as manager of economic development and redevelopment for the City of Palo Alto, a role she held for 12 years. Susan holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UC Berkeley.

TAUQEER BASHIR is an innovative, client focused, and quality driven management consultant. Most of his professional experience has been focused on helping Fortune 100 clients with the analysis and optimization of business processes, insourcing and outsourcing investment and business decisions, and leveraging IT to improve business efficiency. His clients include Accenture, E&Y, and Microsoft. Most recently, his work has focused on advising clients about their initiatives to use cloud technology. Tauqeer received a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the Oregon Institute of Technology and an MBA from the University of Washington.

WILLIAM BAYLOR has dedicated his career to increasing equitable access to affordable housing, closing the racial wealth gap and providing opportunities to build generational wealth in underserved communities. For William, developing pathways to homeownership is not just an occupation, but it is also a vocation. He has served as a liaison between policymakers, community partners and residents and been a strong advocate for policies that revitalize and build the capacity of underserved communities. He has developed key homeownership programs, initiatives and projects in Birmingham and across the South-East. William studied political science at Talladega College and economic and community development at Auburn University, where he earned a professional certification in government and economic development.

DOLAN BECKEL (2016-17) most recently served as a Director of Information Technology for Cognizant Technology Solutions. Prior to that, he was co-owner of Fathom Solutions, a Chicago-based management consulting company focused on the communications industry. Dolan was also an associate partner at Accenture helping international communications service providers through strategy, business process, and technology solutions. Dolan holds a BA in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of California, Berkeley.

NATHANIEL SANGA BENCIVENGA has more than 15 years of experience in operations and customer experience management. He has built and led teams in industries ranging from fashion retail to private healthcare, developing solutions for improved resource allocation, team building, and overall efficiency. He has managed the expansion of more than 200 stores and offices across the country for various organizations, and he’s driven by creating diversity in leadership and streamlining performance for an effective customer experience. Nathaniel holds a B.A. in sociology, with minors in labor and workplace studies and gender studies, from UCLA.

Talia Benet is passionate about working with the Bay Area community and advocating for systems and policy change. Talia has worked in education and the nonprofit sector for over 16 years. She credits her mentor Bishop Dr. Charley Hames, Jr., for teaching her about servant leadership and stewardship. She is a Senior Executive that manages an Oakland Nonprofit and a Licensed Local Preacher at Beebe Memorial Cathedral, a historically African American church that has been in the Oakland community for over 90 years. Talia was partially raised in New Orleans and considers herself a “Californian with southern mannerisms.” Talia enjoys spending time with her family, mentoring youth, and researching southern Antebellum history in her spare time.

PATRICE BERRY is the former director of College Track East Palo Alto. Under her leadership, the college acceptance rate for students in the program reached 100 percent, and the college matriculation rate reached 93 percent. Prior to College Track, Patrice served as director of the Student Success Center at the Netter Center for Community Partnerships and co-founded the Leaders of Change program. Patrice earned her B.A. in political science from Swarthmore College and holds an MEd from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, where she was a Woodrow Wilson-Rockefeller Brothers Fund fellow. She currently is completing her PhD at Temple University and is a board member for the Prison University Project.

ALOK BHATIA has more than 20 years of systems development consulting experience at large corporations. He is a certified Project Management Professional, leading change orders for large domestic and global development teams, and his background includes business process integration and project management. Previously, he was a vice president for Caso, as well as a senior manager for multinational companies in the life sciences, healthcare, banking, automotive, and document imaging industries. Alok has a bachelor’s degree in technology from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.

PATTI BIRBIGLIA (2015-16) is a marketing executive with over 15 years of experience leading branding, marketing and strategy both inside Fortune 100 companies and as a consultant to CMOs and marketing teams. Her experience includes executive positions with Sapient, Frog Design, and Stone Yamashita Partners, as well as consulting engagements with IBM, Starbucks, Franklin Templeton Investments, Cisco, United Airlines, and William Morris Endeavor Entertainment. Patti holds a B.A. in classics and English from Colgate University and dual MBA degrees from UC Berkeley and Columbia University.

HASSANATU BLAKE is a strategist and leader with more than 15 years of experience in the public health and educational technology sectors. She is dedicated to global, cross-cultural technology-powered exchange and evidence-based community interventions. She has experience in stakeholder engagement, strategic partnerships and planning, research, and program design and development. Most recently, she has focused on community development and research to address some of the greatest challenges and opportunities in the health sector. Hassanatu holds an MBA from Plymouth State University, an MPH in health policy and management from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, and a B.A. from Tufts University. She is also a doctoral student at the School of Public Health at The University of Alabama at Birmingham.

MICHELLE MARTIN BONNER has extensive experience in human resources, recruiting, diversity and inclusion, leadership, and professional development. She has worked with healthcare organizations, nonprofits, and law firms, including Lathrop Gage, Thompson Coburn, Faith Miracle Temple, and Saint Louis University (SLU). Michelle holds a B.S. in business administration from SLU, a J.D. from SLU School of Law, a Certificate in Employment Law from the SLU William C. Wefel Center for Employment Law, and a M.A. in Christian ministry from Missouri Baptist University.

KIM M. BOWMAN JR. is an attorney with a demonstrated commitment to public service. He is a captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and a member of the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps Reserve (JAG). Kim is a commissioner on the L.A. County Commission for Older Adults and has served on the boards of several community councils and nonprofit organizations. In 2016, he was the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor of Utah. Kim holds a J.D. from the University of the Pacific, an M.A. in gerontology from USC, an MBA from Westminster College, and B.A.s from the University of Utah.

RAFAEL BRACERO (2017-18) has spent more than 15 years in brand marketing and partnership development at industry-leading firms, including Disney, Procter & Gamble, Activision, Warner Brothers, and Dell. At Disney Consumer Products & Interactive Media, Rafael led licensing partnerships with Fortune 500 consumer brands, including J&J, Campbell’s Kraft, and OPI. Prior to joining Disney, he worked in brand management at Procter & Gamble, Activision, and Del Monte Foods. His expertise also includes digital and social marketing, media planning, consumer research, forecasting and budgeting, and partner and creative agency management. In 2015, he founded Pathfinder Brand Consulting to serve the needs of CPG, tech, and media clients. Rafael earned a B.A. in economics and political science from the University of Michigan, an MBA from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, and an MPP from the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy.

KEVEN BROUGH (2016-17) has been a member of several climate change startups, including most recently the Climate Policy Initiative, where he was a co-founder, COO, and Director of Strategy. Originally trained as an attorney, Keven worked for McKinsey & Company, where he served cross-sector clients on strategy and investment projects at the intersection of markets and public policy. He was also a director for Permian Global, a forest conservation fund. He is a graduate of Haverford College and Harvard Law School.

E. AMINATA BROWN (2017-18) has 20 years of experience as a performance and organizational transformation consultant. Prior to starting her FUSE fellowship, Aminata was with Accenture, then principal of her own firm, ChangeCare LLC, where she led projects to advance system, process, and performance effectiveness for companies such as Cisco Systems and Deloitte. Aminata also founded a nonprofit dedicated to investing in girls’ education and women’s entrepreneurship to transform marginalized communities in Africa. She earned a B.A. in English literature from Brown University and an M.A. in spiritual psychology from the University of Santa Monica.

LAUREN BULLER has spent her career working towards educational equity in the nonprofit and public sectors. Most recently, she led large-scale strategic and operational initiatives as a vice president at Teach For America, and as a Broad Resident in urban education for Newark Public Schools. Lauren was previously a consultant with McKinsey & Company, where she worked with clients in the consumer goods and pharmaceutical industries. Lauren has an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a B.A. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania.

DWAYNE CAMPBELL is an immigrant from Jamaica who uses data to develop equitable policies that improve conditions among historically disenfranchised groups. Dwayne has taught at the high school, college, and graduate school level. Most recently, he was the Director of Postsecondary Access at the Emily Krzyzewski Center in Durham, NC. A data-driven expert, Dwayne employs “empowerment and utilization-focused evaluation” to ascertain reliable and valid findings. His systems change approach produces sustainable transformations that withstand the volatility of the unexpected.

He received his undergraduate at the University of the West Indies, master’s degrees from Boston College, and doctorate from University of Rochester.

ASHLEY CANNON is an experienced and dynamic leader with a sales, technology, and public service background. Before becoming a FUSE Executive Fellow, Ashley directed operations for business improvement districts in the Mid-Atlantic, developed parking strategies for Baltimore City, and held various sales leadership roles nationwide. She’s an advocate for social justice and mentors youth from underserved communities within Baltimore City. She enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with family and friends. Ashley has a B.A. in English from Coppin State University.

ALEX CASTILLO (2015–17) is a founding member of Star Insights, a strategic advisory firm, where he serves as an executive advisor and thought partner to senior leaders of organizations in the social impact sphere. Castillo brings his general management and brand marketing expertise with three decades of experience in global consumer products, entertainment, and local government.

Castillo began his career in the consumer products industry, working for Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, and Kraft Foods. Castillo held increasing responsibility for leading global brands, including Pantene, Gatorade, Gillette, and Kraft Cheese, with assignments in the United States and Latin America.

In 2002, Castillo pivoted professionally and moved to Los Angeles to pursue his passion for the performing arts. Castillo has appeared in dozens of films and television shows, most notably costarring opposite Academy Award nominee Alfre Woodard in “Clemency,” the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize-winning death row drama distributed worldwide in 2020. He is currently recurring on the Amazon Studios’ series “Bosch: Legacy” now streaming worldwide on Prime Video.

As a FUSE Executive Fellow, Castillo served as senior advisor to the City Librarian & CEO of the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL), where he led the development and implementation of the New Americans Initiative, the library’s comprehensive immigrant integration program. He also facilitated the development and operationalization of LAPL’s first marketing plan. Castillo also served as a FUSE Alum-in-Residence from Fall 2018 through Fall 2020.

Castillo received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania/Wharton School and an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Born in Guatemala and raised in Chicago, Castillo loves to mentor young leaders, watch fútbol, travel the world with his husband, and go on 500-mile walks.

DARCY CELLETTI has dedicated her career to advancing equity and social justice. She is a trusted leader and skilled curator of multi-sectoral partnerships and collective impact initiatives. Darcy is dedicated to amplifying and centering community voice in policy solutions, bringing people and ideas together to solve complex problems. Prior to launching her consulting business, INTENT 2 IMPACT, Darcy was the Vice President and Chief Community Impact Officer for the YMCA (WA). In this capacity, she created the YMCA Center for Community Impact, dedicated to improving health, education, and justice outcomes within historically marginalized communities. Darcy also served as a national project leader, facilitating community and enterprise-wide innovation, systems change, and process improvement initiatives, including the Gulick Project, Activate America, Action Communities for Health Innovation and Environmental Change, and Diversity, Inclusion and Global Innovation Darcy holds a BA in Communications from Washington State University and Master of Public Health (MPH) from Portland State University.

She is also the mother of two amazing humans.

JOAN CENTANNO (2016-17) has more than 20 years of successful management, marketing, consulting, and entrepreneurial leadership experience in corporate and startup organizations. She began her professional career with Procter & Gamble and Frito-Lay, managing consumer brand strategies, new product introductions, and sales initiatives, and leading departments with up to 300 people. An award-winning consultant, Joan has created sustainable and often game-changing programs on innovation strategy, market entry and growth, operations, and organizational effectiveness for clients such as Target and Lowe’s. She holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a B.S. from Northern Illinois University.

ALLI CHAGI-STARR has more than two decades working as a social impact strategist, cultural organizer and DEI consultant. She has been fortunate to have worked with world class organizations, businesses, and community leaders to amplify the impact of initiatives for social transformation, including the Ella Baker Center, Green For All, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, Living the Next Economy, Democracy in Color, the East Bay College Fund and the Center for Transformative Action. She has helped to launch dozens of initiatives, conferences, and racial justice book campaigns. Alli has a B.A. in Cultural Organizing and an MBA in Business Innovation and Social Impact from Mills College. When she’s not organizing, Alli frequents the Bay area’s many local eateries and enjoys all kinds of music, comedy, and futuristic films. She lives with her ten-year old in Oakland, California.

JOHN-PAUL CHAISSON-CARDENAS has over 20 years of experience developing, supporting, and evaluating programs all over the United States and Latin America. To put himself through school he worked in a meatpacking facility in Kansas, during which time he began serving as a bilingual facilitator, advocate, community organizer, and educator. He has since been recognized at the national level for his work embedding equity into large multimillion-dollar systems. As the public policy lead and product development manager at the Northwest Area Foundation in St. Paul, Minnesota, he oversaw a multimillion-dollar portfolio designed to promote equity, build assets, reduce poverty, and improve the lives of rural youth, families, and communities. John-Paul has held several public offices, including State Director of Equity and Civil Rights at the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Iowa Latino Affairs Commissioner. More recently, he was appointed to lead the Human Rights/Office of Latino Affairs under the Iowa Department of Human Rights. 

John-Paul has taught graduate courses in areas such as discrimination, diversity and oppression, Latinx immigration to the United States, multicultural education, and family/community development.. He has a B.A. in Sociology/International Relations/Multiculturalism from University of Saint Mary, and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Iowa.  Currently, he is a Ph.D. candidate in the Educational Policy and Leadership Program, where he is completing his dissertation in structural racism and oppression. 

SWATI CHANDRA has nearly 20 years of experience in marketing and general management. She has led teams in the development and implementation of brand and consumer marketing strategies across leading media and consumer products companies, including Dow Jones, Scholastic, ZS Associates, and TATA Companies. Most recently she served as the general manager and global marketing lead at NZXT, a gaming company. She also teaches marketing at the graduate level. Swati holds an MBA in finance from The Wharton School of Business and a B.S. in statistics from Delhi University.

JERRY T. CHANG is a venture designer, engineer, and entrepreneur, focused on developing innovative projects in technology and social innovation. He is an experienced team builder who works to create alignment from diverse interests and perspectives to reach consensus. Most recently, he led the data, evaluations, and alignment team at Hayward Promise Neighborhood. He has developed projects in collaboration with Cal State East Bay, the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs, Grove Consultants, and the SF Chamber of Commerce. Jerry is a former CORO fellow in public affairs and holds a B.S. from UC Berkeley and an M.S. in statistics and engineering/industrial management from Cal State East Bay.

Maria Elena Chavez has used community engagement, advocacy, and policy development to strengthen underserved communities. As Center Director for the YWCA Greater Los Angeles, she led outreach and advocated for the successful adoption of the Walnut Park Pedestrian Plan by the LA County Board of Supervisors in 2019. Maria Elena currently serves as Board President of California Walks and earned a BA in Film Production from USC and an MPA from CSULA.

RAY CHEUNG (2016-17) has more than two decades of experience in international business and governmental cooperation related to sustainable development in China. He served as the executive director of the US-China Energy Cooperation Program (ECP) and has consulted for the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation on financing clean technology deployment. In addition, Ray led the World Resources Institute’s clean technology business incubator in China and was an advisor to the chairman of AIG Companies in China on clean technology investment strategies. He has a B.S. in conservation resource studies from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA from Georgetown University.

TED CHUNG has worked in security and business resiliency for the corporate sector both in the US and in Asia. Prior to his corporate roles, he was a Special Education Teacher at a Title 1 school in New York City with Teach for America. His foundational professional experience was in the United States Army as an Infantry soldier and officer. He has a master’s degree in Foreign Policy, focusing on Korea and Northeast Asia, and a CPP certification from ASIS International. In his spare time, he enjoys woodworking, which he does badly, and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu which he does okay.

GUSTI CLARK (2014-15) came to FUSE with more than 15 years of experience in learning and development, organizational development, and project management. She began her career in the nonprofit sector and then worked for the online technology company Macys.com as a learning and development manager. She later served as a corporate trainer for Carnival Cruise Lines, where she was responsible for delivering ongoing training to a crew of over 900 people representing more than 50 nations. Transitioning into a project management role, Gusti managed software development projects for a small biotech startup and then served as assistant vice president of professional development with the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of Project Management Institute. In 2017, she launched her own travel consultancy company, Prime Meridian Travel, L.L.C. Gusti holds a B.A. from the University of Washington in communications.

NICOLA CLIFFORD (2015-16) is a management consultant who has worked with executive-level clients across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. As a manager at Deloitte Consulting, she focused on strategic planning, program management, and insider threat. She has managed large teams, performed in-depth analyses around strategic challenges, and led change management strategies for a variety of clients. Nicola holds a B.A. in history from the University of Michigan and a MPA from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.

VERONIKA COLE holds over 25 years of experience in a wide variety of fields supporting community development and social services in disadvantaged communities. She has held leadership positions in the areas of youth development, child care administration, home care for the elderly, mentally ill and/or disabled, affordable and supportive housing and services for the unhoused. Most recently, while working with the City of Alameda, Veronika coordinated a grant application successfully receiving approximately $12.25 million in State funding to construct 47 units of interim supportive housing for the homeless. In this role she also supported the City’s response to homelessness and provided support for the City’s Alameda Alliance for Children, Youth and Families. In a role prior to this one, she provided over five years of leadership for services promoting the social determinants of health for 28 affordable and supportive housing projects. This role included helping staff and residents adapt to pandemic conditions. She is on the Board of Directors for a small arts nonprofit established in 1962 and has served as chair of the Children’s Fund Citizen’s Advisory Committee for the City of San Francisco. Veronika holds a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Administration from the University of San Francisco.

DAWN M. COMER (2017-18) has more than 15 years of experience in business strategy, solutions development, and marketing and communications for consumer product, technology, and media and entertainment companies. Most recently, Dawn worked to create digital business solutions to improve her client’s brand performance and differentiate their consumer experience. She also spent two decades at IBM and worked in consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Dawn earned a B.S. in electrical engineering from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and an MBA from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.

DAN CORREA (2014-15) came to FUSE with an extensive background in public policy at the federal, state, and local levels. As an analyst at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington, D.C. think tank, he authored several policy reports on innovation, entrepreneurship, and broadband policy, which have been cited in publications including The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Dan has also worked as a consultant at the Science and Technology Policy Institute on federal innovation and science policy issues and the Connecticut Technology Council on state entrepreneurship policies and technology-based economic development. He served in the White House as the assistant director for innovation policy at the Office of Science and Technology Policy under President Barack Obama and co-founded the Smart Cities Lab, a peer-to-peer network stitching together investments in new mobility across multiple cities into a single platform. Dan is a graduate of Yale Law School, holds an M.S. in economics from Yale University, and has a B.A. from Dartmouth College.

KORIN CRAWFORD (2015-16) is an entrepreneurial leader with more than 15 years of experience in real estate, urban infrastructure, and property acquisition. He completed the Stanford MSx Program, a master’s program for mid-career professionals at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Previously, Korin was managing partner of Ekology Infrastructure, offering advisory services to investors, utilities, and public agencies on building innovative portfolios of sustainable infrastructure. As an independent individual investor, Korin built a 35-unit, $9 million portfolio of residential real estate in the Bay Area. He holds a B.S. in electrical and computer engineering from Duke University and an M.S. in electrical engineering from Stanford University.

AMY CROSS brings 15 years of experience in criminal justice and education systems to designing transformative, strategic solutions to public safety challenges. Most recently, Amy directed a portfolio of research projects at the National Network for Safe Communities aimed at reducing incarceration, violence, and the police-community trust deficit in nine cities. Amy has worked as a public defender, educator, and youth organizer in New York City and Chicago, combining a range of strategies including litigation, mediation, advocacy, and hands-on strategic advisement to achieve justice system reform. Amy holds a B.A. in American and race and ethnic studies from Smith College, an MEd in special education from CUNY Queens College, and a J.D. from Cardozo School of Law.

STACY CUMBERBATCH brings more than a decade of experience in both startup and corporate environments in the banking, real estate, and venture capital industries. Her work has focused on new initiatives, strategic partnerships, and risk mitigation. Most recently, she was a principal at Quake Capital, where she helped launch the company into the Los Angeles market and invested $4.5 million in capital across 30 ventures. Previously, Stacy led training, underwriting, and due diligence teams with First Republic Bank. She received a BBA from the University of Georgia and an M.S. from the USC Marshall School of Business.

CAROLINE DE FILIPPIS is a dedicated professional in sustainability and communication, with experience in various sectors in the US, Scotland, and France. She was recently the Community Development Director at the Lindsborg Museum and a consultant for the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition. Caroline earned an MSc in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability from the Institute of Technology of Blekinge (Sweden) and an MA in Communication Marketing from the Institute of Business Administration of Grenoble (France).

KISHANI DE SILVA has worked as a project manager for nearly 20 years, specializing in the architecture and design industries, where she managed and negotiated contracts for international firms. Following her time at Foster + Partners in London, she started her own management consultancy and completed reading for an MSc in major program management at the University of Oxford. She has an executive leadership certification from Cornell and a BArch from Woodbury University, where she was adjunct faculty and taught management, entrepreneurship, and leadership components at the graduate level. She sits on several local boards for organizations focused on equity and social and economic justice.

AMANDA DEFISHER is a nonprofit strategist and champion for good. With over seventeen years of experience in program design, capacity building, budget development and ground-level work with individuals and families experiencing homelessness, substance use disorders and/or mental illness, she brings a well-rounded perspective to her Fellowship role. Amanda is also the founding board member of Recovery All Ways, a recovery-based nonprofit organization serving people in the heart of the opioid crisis in Rochester, New York. Amanda holds an MPA in Healthcare Administration from the State University of New York and a BA in American Studies from St. John Fisher College.

AVNI DESAI has been working in the non-profit public policy field since 2010. Her experience is centered around removing systemic barriers to health, housing, and economic justice through power-shifting, policy advocacy, and community organizing.

Avni has successfully worked on laws that have increased access to higher education, decreased financial barriers to living and working in San Francisco, and increased the access and availability of affordable housing in San Francisco. Additionally, she has worked on statewide legislation related to housing and reducing the impact of municipal debt.

Avni holds a Bachelor’s in Microbiology from UCLA and a Master’s in Public Health from Loma Linda University.

PRIYA DEY-SARKAR (2017-18) has 15 years of experience as an integrity, reliability, and major projects engineer in the oil and gas industry. She uses a combination of technical design, financial and business evaluation skills, and regulatory experience to bring long-term, balanced solutions to unusual and complex projects. Over the course of her career, Priya has worked for ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, and Xelio. Most recently, she worked as an asset manager in the solar and renewables industry, managing a 220-megawatt portfolio. She earned a B.S. in civil engineering and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.

ERIKA DIMMLER (2012-13) came to FUSE after 16 years of experience at CNN. At CNN, Erika served as a senior producer covering a range of stories, including the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, inauguration of President Barack Obama, and G20 summits around the globe. Most recently, Erika joined the Whole Foods Market team, serving as the regional public relations director for Northern California and the Pacific Northwest. Erika earned a B.A. in English literature and international studies from Boston College, as well as a certificate in Spanish language and literature from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia.

CHRIS E. DISHNO (2017-18) has leveraged two decades of experience in logistics and business development to help Fortune 500 companies like FedEx, Brink’s Inc., and UPS create and manage complex sales strategies and streamline process management. While at FedEx Ground and Brink’s, Chris traveled across North America, helping underperforming teams become profitable while maintaining employee morale. He attended California State University Long Beach, where he focused on family and consumer science, and is currently in his last semester of his liberal arts degree at Arizona State University.

KAREN DOOLITTLE (2017-18) leverages two decades of experience in consulting and program and project management to identify opportunities and solve problems across functions and industries. As an engagement manager at Ernst & Young, Karen developed strategies and transformed the end-to-end experience for customers. While managing multi-unit operations at PepsiCo, she achieved top three nationwide key performance indicators. Previously, Karen served as an Air Force officer, directing a hospital nutrition department that produced 75,000 meals annually, and providing inpatient and outpatient clinical nutrition services. Karen earned a B.S. in nutrition and food science from Virginia Tech, and an MBA in strategy and operations management from The Anderson School at UCLA.

SEAN DOSS (2017-19) is a commercial real estate banking and asset management executive with 20 years of experience providing real estate investment and credit solutions for full-time investors, owners, operators, developers, and high-net-worth individuals. Doss previously held leadership roles at JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley, as well as at US Bank, where he was responsible for structuring, underwriting, and managing a portfolio of secured and unsecured credit facilities for real estate investment trusts, institutional funds, and national real estate developers. Doss earned a B.S. in finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

KIMBERLY DUBIN (2017-18) has more than 15 years of experience in marketing and brand development, corporate communications, and public relations. After years of managing brands and communication programs in-house for large organizations in complex industries like healthcare and professional services, she transferred her skills to the agency side and joined the brand consultancy Paragraphs LLC. Kimberly earned her B.A. in marketing, Spanish, and international business from the University of Wisconsin and completed an executive leadership program at Harvard Business School.

COLIN DWYER (2016-17) has 15 years of private-sector and nonprofit experience, including investment banking, healthcare venture capital, and a biotechnology company he helped to build from startup through a $100 million IPO. Colin has also been a strategic consultant to a range of nonprofit organizations, including Covenant House Alaska, The United Farm Workers Foundation, and Kickstart International in Tanzania. Colin worked as a strategic adviser to the board of Faces & Voices of Recovery. Colin has a B.A. from Georgetown University and an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

DANIELLE ELKINS has worked with local government leaders on infrastructure issues for more than a decade, specializing in local and state transportation policy. In 2017, Danielle founded Civic Ideation, which helps cities implement new transportation technologies more quickly and efficiently. Danielle also co-founded and ran Advance Atlanta, a nonprofit advocacy organization that successfully increased transit funding in the metro Atlanta region. Prior to that role, she was the youngest-ever director of government affairs for the global engineering company CH2M, coordinating all stakeholder and government engagement efforts for the company’s most complex programs and projects. Danielle earned a B.S. from USC in civil engineering.

HALA FARID’s career in community development, affordable housing, and philanthropy spans nearly 30 years in both the non-profit and private sectors. She most recently worked at Citi, where she spent 19 years as Director and then Senior Vice President of the Office of Inclusive Housing (OIH). In this role, she partnered with national housing advocacy nonprofits to design and support programs that addressed community needs and addressed Citi businesses and regulatory requirements. Through her work with the OIH, Hala addressed issues of affordability, gentrification, and displacement using a holistic strategy that included supporting shared equity, repurposing surplus publicly-owned properties as affordable housing, and creating small housing stability loans that allow low-to moderate-income families avoid foreclosure or eviction.

Hala grew up in Washington D.C. and Queens, NY. She graduated with a B.A. in political science, economics and education from Queens College-City University of NY.

LORIE FIBER works with organizations operating in highly regulated industries and helps them sustainably improve the quality of life for people worldwide. She advises Fortune 500 companies and startups addressing health, energy, and food security on marketing strategies, introducing innovative offerings that integrate data, analytics, and a human touch. Previously, she served in executive leadership roles for Livongo Health, IBM Watson Health, and Castlight Health, as well as for communications agencies Edelman and Weber Shandwick. Lorie earned a B.A. from UC Santa Barbara in English literature.

KARTERRIA FINKLEY has more than 10 years of public health and health promotion service. She has previously worked as a linkage to care navigator and HIV clinical quality improvement assistant in Atlanta, and as a health educator for the DeKalb County board of health, and she completed a health information technology practicum with the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Her areas of research include health information exchange, health informatics, health promotion, HIV and sexually transmitted infections risk reduction and prevention, adolescent health, and wellness and occupational health and wellness. She received a B.S. from Kennesaw State University, an MPH and MBA from The University of Alabama at Birmingham, and is working to complete a Ph.D. in public health from Georgia Southern University.

Born of deep interest and regard for others, ERIN K FLOOD has centered her life and career around change work. She has held positions from entry-level to Executive Director with organizations impacting the formerly incarcerated, previously gang involved, foster youth, folks impacted by violence, as well as the food and housing insecure. In 2013, she began Insights for Social Good, Management Consulting for Nonprofits and serves as its Principal Consultant.

Erin also holds an MFA and was a professor of art and a product designer in her earlier career.

Having lived and worked throughout the US and abroad, Erin calls Los Angeles home. In her spare time, she makes art, volunteers as an Emergency Crisis Counselor, practices food preservation, runs, and enjoys spending time with her partner Tim, their cat Aonghas and dog Lewis.

SIOBHAN FOLEY (2016-17) most recently worked at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), where she led the Advanced Energy Working Group for CGI America. Previously, Siobhan worked at the Center for Sustainable Energy to increase adoption of clean energy technologies and with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation on solar education and corporate engagement. She also led strategic marketing and communications initiatives in travel, theater, and e-commerce. Siobhan earned an M.A. in sustainability management for the public sector from the Presidio Graduate School and a B.A. from Columbia University.

REBECCA FOSTER (2013-14) worked as an investment banker in the public sector and infrastructure group at Goldman Sachs. She worked in the New York and San Francisco offices raising capital for city and state governments, universities, nonprofits, and utilities. Rebecca’s experience ranged from managing multi-billion dollar debt offerings to prepare Florida for hurricanes to leading financings for unemployment insurance deficits post-recession for Idaho and Colorado. Prior to Goldman Sachs, Rebecca worked in urban development consulting at HR&A Advisors, at the White House Office of Management and Budget, and as a river guide. She now serves as executive director of the San Francisco Housing Accelerator Fund, an innovative new public-private partnership that provides San Francisco with powerful new tools for producing additional affordable housing. Rebecca received her B.A. with from Brown and her MBA from Stanford.

ANGELICA M. FRIAS is a strategist focused on designing transformative community impact projects to build sustainable communities. She brings 16 years of experience in stakeholder engagement, strategic partnerships, and program design from various sectors, including energy sustainability, telecommunications, and healthcare. Most recently, she has focused on consulting and collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams, advising on outreach, project design, and community development. Previously, Angelica was a senior manager with Pacific Gas and Electric’s Low-Income Programs and Strategies division, where she led cross-product marketing. Angelica holds an M.S. in urban planning from Cal Poly Pomona and a B.A. in political science from California State University, Los Angeles.

NILES FRIEDMAN (2015-16) has more than 15 years of executive management and advisory experience that spans the private and public sectors, both domestically and internationally. Most recently, he served as a senior advisor with the U.S. Small Business Administration. He previously served as a vice president with BroadReach Healthcare, where he led a division that created commercial markets to improve access to products and services in collaboration with health system and hospital leaders, government agencies, and private sector partners. Niles also previously served as a national partnership director with The Advisory Board Company and as a manager with Deloitte Consulting. He has a B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University and a MPH with a concentration in management and public policy from Emory University.

KWASI FRYE has a strong record of success in engineering technology-based solutions for both government and private sector clients. He has served in a variety of capacities, including systems architect, strategic advisor, business development manager, and market researcher. He now applies the same management principles, techniques, and expertise to a number of new, ambitious housing-focused projects. 

DAVID GABRIEL (2015-16) co-founded Global Reach Leadership, a consulting firm specializing in organizational assessment, coaching, leadership development, and talent management. He has worked with clients in the technology, healthcare, pharmaceutical, government, education, and nonprofit sectors to improve individual, team, and enterprise performance and collaboration. David previously served as senior director of organization effectiveness and talent management at McKesson. He holds a B.A. from the University of California Davis, an M.S. in industrial and organizational psychology from San Francisco State University, and Ph.D in organization and leadership from the University of San Francisco.

KIA N. GAINES has 15 years of experience in technology and operations consulting in the healthcare industry, working for small and large firms, as well as for the State of California. Most recently, Kia was part of Cognizant Technology Solution’s growing healthcare consulting practice, where she delivered transformative technical and business process improvements for hospital, medical center, and health insurance company clients nationwide. Kia holds an MBA from Carnegie Mellon Tepper and a B.S. from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

LISA MARIE GALA is a specialist in historic preservation, urban redevelopment, rural revitalization, land conservation, and cultural heritage protection. She held management positions in several Fortune 100 companies before founding the consultancy firm Land and Cities, and most recently served as vice president of community and economic development for Hope Credit Union/Enterprise Corp. Previously, she established the City of Dallas’s 11th Conservation District, “M Streets East,” and the Dallas Endowment for Endangered Properties revolving fund. Lisa Marie holds a J.D. and graduate certificate in land use from Vermont Law School, as well as an MBA and B.A. in American history from Stephens College.

NOELLE GALPERIN (2012-13) has more than 20 years of operational marketing and general management experience. She began her career with Colgate-Palmolive, working in international brand management in New York, Manila, and Mexico City. Then as the principal of Galperin & Associates, she worked closely with the CEOs and founders of early-stage companies in a number of operational roles to formulate strategic plans, catalyze business development, and create breakthrough marketing communications programs. Noelle has a B.A. from Wellesley College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

LISA GANS (2012-13) has a background in human rights law and international development. She began her legal career at the firm of Debevoise & Plimpton in New York and went on to work on human rights and development issues around the world with non-governmental organizations, including the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights Legal Aid Project, The International Rescue Committee, the International Bar Association, the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, Medica Mondiale, and the International Medical Corps. Most recently, Lisa founded Aperture Innovation Labs, providing a range of strategic planning, innovation, and legal services to a broad range of clients. Lisa earned a B.A. from Harvard in Near Eastern languages and civilizations and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.

MARGRETTA GETAWEH is a reproductive justice advocate working to dismantle systemic barriers that limit access to resources and information. She has over 15 years of experience in community engagement, strategic partnerships, program design, implementation, and evaluation. Margretta recently served as director of community engagement for Planned Parenthood North Central States, advancing their mission through strategic collaboration and developing a comprehensive engagement plan for their community education programs. She co-founded the African Immigrant Professional Development Conference to help underemployed immigrants network and navigate the workforce development system to achieve economic mobility. Margretta holds a B.A. in Global Studies and Social Justice from the University of M.N. and an M.A. in International Development and Service from Concordia University, Portland, OR.

DEMETRIUS GLOVER (2017-18) has provided leadership in the corporate, government, academic, and nonprofit sectors. Most recently, he served as vice president of strategic information at United Way of Central Indiana, where he led interdisciplinary research projects to develop data-driven solutions to organization-wide challenges. Demetrius has held positions at Indiana University, Notre Dame University, University of Louisiana-Lafayette, Schumacher Clinical Partners, Saturn Research Institute, and Lafayette Consolidated Government. He earned a B.A. in history from the University of Southern California, and an M.A. and Ph.D in history from Purdue University.

BARRY GOLDBERG is an advisor and change agent for integrated business and technology strategies, digital innovation, and process transformation. As a management consultant with Gartner for more than 20 years, he helped public safety and justice agencies improve internal operations and workflow and deliver expanded services to constituents across the U.S. and in Canada. Prior to joining Gartner, Barry worked in various technology management and operational roles for Transamerica Corp. There, he oversaw the design and construction of a data center and office facility, led business continuity and disaster recovery efforts, developed and managed service level agreements, and initiated operational changes to reduce costs. Barry earned a B.S. in architecture from USC and holds PMP and ITIL Foundation certifications.

JEREMY GOLDBERG (2012-13) came to FUSE with experience working as a non-profit executive, strategic consultant, and public-private partnership advisor on projects in the United States and abroad focused on information and communications technology for development, public health and education. As Executive Director of the Global Youth Partnership for Africa, he oversaw all operations, managed an international staff and raised more than half a million dollars and in-kind contributions for program activities.

After his fellowship, Jeremy continued his work with the City of San Jose, serving as their Talent Partnership Lead and Deputy Chief of Staff for Civic Innovation. In 2015, Jeremy moved to New Orleans to serve as an Advisor on Civic Innovation and Partnerships with Civic Consulting USA, overseeing the design and development of a public-private partnership collaboration with the White House Strong Cities Strong Communities National Resource Network. In the fall of 2015, Jeremy took a role with the Office of Mayor Ed Lee of San Francisco, serving as Director of the Startup in Residence program for the Mayor’s Office of Civic Innovation. Jeremy currently serves Deputy CTO of NYCx. NYCx is based out of the New York City Mayor’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer.

Jeremy holds a BA from the University of Texas at Austin in Political Science and Government along with a Masters in Public Affairs and Practical Politics from the University of San Francisco.

JANA GOOD is a marketing executive with extensive experience in the healthcare industry, where she focused on engaging consumers in their health. Jana was the first marketing hire at two startups, Solera Health and Omada Health, where she helped build the operations, systems, and teams to drive consumer engagement and meet aggressive revenue targets. Earlier in her career, Jana ran commercial marketing communications for Kaiser Permanente. Jana has an MBA from the Haas School of Business at U.C. Berkeley, an M.S. in education from Columbia University, and a B.A. in English from U.C. Berkeley.

LADONNA GOODEN has advised a range of companies, from global Fortune 500 firms to startups, on strategies for digital marketing, business development, and funding. Her work has been in diverse industries, including telecommunications, advertising, energy, consumer packaged goods, and technology. Most recently, she served as executive in residence for AltCap, a community development financial institution, and as a coach for its NeXt Stage KC business development program, which supports underrepresented small business owners. LaDonna earned her MBA and M.A. in finance and international studies from the University of Pennsylvania and an A.B. from Princeton.

CASSWELL GOODMAN (2017-18) is the CEO and founder of Exceptional Quality Professional Development (EQPD), a workforce development consulting firm based in Los Angeles. With more than 20 years of experience in the social service and education sectors, Casswell has established a dynamic organization that utilizes cutting-edge training and trauma-informed strategies to engage and empower prospective employees. EQPD also provides professional development for staff members who work directly with at-risk youth, formerly incarcerated individuals, and homeless clients. Casswell earned a B.A. in sociology from the University of Louisville and an M.S. in humanities and social sciences from Nova Southeastern University.

BETH M. GRAHAM, a proud Atlanta native and mission-driven, servant leader, values a people-centered approach to shape strategy through an equity lens.

Beth, Founder of Humanaty Farm to Table, is advancing policy to end hunger, and reduce diet-related diseases, transforming food ecosystems in underinvested communities through the legalization of Micro-Enterprise Home Kitchen Operations.

Through her management-consulting firm, B. Graham Consulting, Beth helps clients maximize social impact and asset-based community development, supporting the Sustainable Development Goals.

She served over 20 years with Delta Air Lines, leading customer, community and employee engagement strategy globally supporting corporate social responsibility initiatives.  

Beth earned a M.S. from Georgia State University, and B.A. from Hampton University.  She is a City of Atlanta, Mayor’s Office of Resilience, Sustainability Ambassador, Partnership for Southern Equity Just Energy/Just Opportunity cohort and Global Village Project board member.

MATT GRETTON is a dedicated and results-oriented Agriculture and Food Systems Development professional passionate about sustainable farming, entrepreneurship, and community engagement. With a solid background in agricultural coordination, program management, and innovative farming techniques, he brings over a decade of hands-on experience in agricultural operations, sales, and project leadership.

CHRISTINE GUARDIA (2013-14) came to FUSE with over 16 years of cross-sector collaboration experience as a consultant to federal, state, and local governments. Christine worked with clients such as the Library of Congress, Commonwealth of Massachusetts and City of New York along with nonprofit organizations focused on early childhood education and summer academic programs. After her fellowship, Christine continued her work with Children Now for an additional year before returning to her work as a change management and training consultant across sectors. Most recently, Christine has worked as a Change Management Consultant for RGP, working with clients in the greater Los Angeles area.

Christine has a BA in Policy Studies and Public Relations from Syracuse University, a MPA in State and Local Government from the Syracuse Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and an MBA from Boston University with a focus on Public and Nonprofit Management and Marketing.

KESHAV GUPTA (2017-18) has two decades of management consulting and business advisory experience working with Fortune 500 clients across industries. Most recently, he served as the vice president and global head of consulting business for Trianz, where he was responsible for client management, thought leadership, and engagement delivery. Prior to that position, Keshav worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM Global Business Services, where he led large global business transformation and operations strategy engagements. Keshav earned his undergraduate degree in engineering from Birla Institute of Technology, an MBA from Indian Institute of Management, and an MS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University.

RONNELL HAMPTON facilitates policy and urban design development using a collective impact approach. He manages community organizing by cultivating relationships with people disproportionately impacted by urban disparities, community organizations, and government agencies at the local, state, and federal levels. Ronnell founded a company focused on social and environmental justice and most recently, served as policy manager with the Los Angeles Food Policy Council, where he led the Good Food Zone Policy’s passing. Before that, Ronnell worked as a senior data analyst for Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System and worked as a licensed banker. 

Ronnell’s passion is rooted in developing infrastructure and resources to improve outcomes in historically underserved and underrepresented communities. Ronnell is a member of the American Planning Association, National Organization for Minority Architects, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. He graduated from CSU Dominguez Hills with a B.A. in negotiation, conflict resolution and peace-building and a minor in Africana studies. Ronnell went on to receive his master’s in urban sustainability from Antioch University in 2017. Ronnell is also certified in computer-aided drafting design and is currently completing a degree in architectural drafting and design.

DANIEL HAN is a management consultant with expertise in strategy and operations, enterprise transformation, and program and project management in financial services. He has worked with such financial institutions as American Express, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, and most recently City National Bank. Daniel previously worked in international development, including supporting small business development in Thailand and conducting risk assessments of the World Bank’s equity investment portfolio. Daniel holds an MPP from Duke University and is a former Peace Corps volunteer.

LAUREN HANCOCK (2017-18) has spent more than 15 years working as an educator and advocate for student-centered learning. Most recently, she was a project fellow and school leader professional development lecturer at the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University. She has traveled across the country working with principals dedicated to changing the future of education and developing student-centered programs. Previously, Lauren was a founding educator and head of school at AltSchool in San Francisco, and has worked in Family Programs at Google. She earned a B.A. from the California State University, Northridge.

ÁJA HARDY has focused on developing public/private partnerships in the digital health, technology, consumer, and government sectors. Most recently, she was head of strategy and partnerships for a dental tech startup and an advisor to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Prime Health, and General Assembly. Ája previously developed the strategy practice at the global consultancy Huron and led teams responsible for sales, marketing, global strategy, R&D, and operations at Deloitte, Cerner Corp., and Abbott Laboratories. Ája has an MPH from Tulane School of Public Health, an MBA from the Bloch School of Management at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and a B.S. from Xavier University.

NIA HARPER’s passion for social and economic justice has directed her career choices. With 15 years of economic, workforce, and strategic business development experience, Nia has worked in leadership roles that call on her knowledge in human resources, entrepreneurship, and strategic partnerships in both the private and public sectors, including for the federal government, law firms, university systems, and large nonprofit organizations, and all aimed at improving small business success in underserved communities. Understanding the positive impact that the creation of viable employer options can have on empowering a community, she is also an entrepreneur whose consulting services focus on solutions for family financial self-sufficiency and the successful scaling of minority- and women-owned small businesses for job creation. Nia has an MBA from Northcentral University.

LA’KISHIA HARRIS is an educational program curator committed to equity and student growth. She began working in the youth development and advocacy space at the age of sixteen. La’Kisha was a founding member of Oasis Center, a non-profit organization that provides a wide range of opportunities to Nashville youth and thier families. She went on to work as a College Counselor & Grant Manager at College Connection before joining the Tennessee State Department of Education and later Metro Nashville Public School. While there, La’Kishia forged key partnerships with the National Museum of African American Music and Junior League of Nashville. La’Kishia earned a B.S. in Child Development/Family Relations and a M.S. in School Psychology from Tennessee State University. She is currently attending Trevecca Nazarene University, where she is pursuing a Doctorate of Education in leadership and professional practice.

JOMETRA HAWKINS is often called a “community translator.” Through her past work, she has served as a bridge between communities and policymakers, uncovering and communicating the needs of residents in underserved communities and advocating for policies that will help lift their socioeconomic status. She has overseen key health initiatives in Houston and surrounding areas and currently serves as the co-chair of the African American Health Coalition. She is also a former co-chair of the Acres Homes Health Action team, which was created as part of the City of Houston’s Complete Communities Initiative. Prior to that, Jometra studied at Texas Southern University, where she earned a Bachelor of Education. 

ROB HENNING (2015-16) most recently served as the Director of Platform Development for beEdison, a software company in the solar energy market. Prior to his role, he served as a Director of Financial Planning and Analysis for NBCUniversal and as a Senior Associate and Manager in the Audit Division of PricewaterhouseCoopers. A Certified Public Accountant, Rob holds Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Commerce degrees from the University of Auckland, New Zealand and a Master of Arts in Sustainability from Harvard University.

JESSICA L. HERBERT has deep cross-sectoral experience building and executing collaborative and strategic programs in community revitalization, public safety, cyber security, and criminal justice. She is the founder of the process advisory firm IDEA Analytics, which uses data-driven approaches and technology to provide clients with customized pathways to achieving strategic objectives. She holds an M.A. in global securities studies from Johns Hopkins University and a Ph.D. in criminology and criminal justice from Arizona State University.

STEPHANIE HERVEY deploys emerging technologies to solve todays’ most pressing social challenges. She is an accomplished data analyst with a track record of pursuing economic resiliency and wellbeing for local communities. Her lived experience as a Black woman informs this work. Stephanie’s background includes land use planning, business development and community engagement. She has worked with Oracle as an instructor, with Boeing as a supply chain process engineer, and with Unity Park as program manager for open spaces that foster economic development. Stephanie is excited to apply her skills and commitment to intersectionality to address the many challenges facing underserved communities.

AHMED HNESH (2015-16) has more than a decade of experience managing complex stakeholder environments and leading large-scale projects, including strategic planning, performance improvement, and financial management initiatives. As a senior manager for Deloitte, he specialized in working with senior governmental leaders and corporate executives to craft strategies, design governance models, and build technology-enabled organizations capable of world-class execution. Most recently, Ahmed helped launch and scale Deloitte’s presence in Libya, where he led the firm’s consulting operations that helped guide the country through its challenging transition. He holds a B.S. in finance from the University of Pittsburgh.

JEAN HO is a strategy and analytics professional with more than 20 years of experience in her field. A former management consultant with McKinsey & Co., Jean has diverse experience working across multiple industries, including media and entertainment, health and fitness, financial services, and retail apparel. More recently, she was responsible for leading major cross-functional and strategic initiatives at large organizations like The Walt Disney Co. and 20th Century Studios. Over the years, Jean has also had the opportunity to use her skill set to support local nonprofits through pro bono consulting projects with the Taproot Foundation. She earned a B.A. in molecular and cell biology from U.C. Berkeley and an MBA from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania.

Jennifer Hobart is an expert in healthcare analytics and information management. At Blue Shield of California, she led the medical informatics and business intelligence functions.  Jennifer also held a variety of positions at Kaiser, including vice president of management information and analysis. Most recently, she served as a senior fellow in the Singapore Office for Healthcare Transformation, advising on systems-level innovations. She also has an active pro bono practice, consulting for nonprofits worldwide. Jennifer received a B.A. in economics from Harvard University, an M.S. in economics from The London School of Economics and Political Science, and an MBA from the University of California at Berkeley.

KAREN HOLST (2014-15) came to FUSE after co-founding two education-focused companies. In 2000, Karen co-founded an internet company, MyEdu, which was acquired by Blackboard Inc. in 2014. Karen drove the company’s growth to serve millions of college students at 1,200 campuses across the U.S. She has led strategic partnerships, operating large-scale data organizations, marketing, communications, and new business development within multiple verticals in the public and private sectors. After her fellowship, Karen joined IDEO as a Product Manager and Director of Platform and Operations for the launch of IDEO U, IDEO’s online school that teaches design thinking and collaboration for global leaders.

Karen received her BS degree in Corporate Communications from the University of Texas at Austin.

CHRIS HORNSTEIN (2017-18) has spent 15 years providing construction management, master planning, and asset management consulting for both private and public sector clients. Most recently, Chris worked with Atkins (a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group) to apply strategic master planning, programming, and asset management services to U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Energy locations worldwide. He earned a BS from Pennsylvania State University and a BLA from the University of Maryland.

THOMAS HOUSTON (2013-14) came to FUSE in 2013 with 10 years of advertising and project management experience, working with organizations including Cadbury Adams, Philip Morris, Sara Lee, Walmart, the District of Columbia and the National Urban League. After his fellowship, Thomas moved to New York City where he became a Fellow with Education Pioneers, supporting Turnaround for Children grow in their quest to help children in high poverty schools receive the education they deserve. In 2015, he began work with the District of Columbia as a Social Marketing Specialist, working to expose and decrease indicators of poverty by making a link between public health and education. Thomas also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Medici Road, a non-profit think tank that seeks to reduce generational poverty by connecting better education and public health outcomes.

Thomas holds a BBA in Marketing from Howard University and an MBA from the Pennsylvania State University.

KATIE HUNT is a dedicated environmental advocate and committed advancing equitable solutions to sustainability issues. Hunt has built her career around working with community stakeholders to enhance local food access, campaign for subminimum wage reform, and organize grassroots public participation to affect policy change.

Most recently, Hunt worked as a Sustainability Consultant with Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. In this role, she contributed to the development of an Environmental Justice Action Plan, implemented sustainability policy, and provided subject matter expertise on a variety of enterprise-wide initiatives. Previously, as tenure-track faculty at two universities she led community-based research projects, published and edited for peer-reviewed journals, and taught courses on environmental justice, social advocacy, and sustainable food systems.

Hunt holds a PhD specializing in environmental communication from the University of Utah and a professional certificate in strategic planning.

CORWIN HUNTER has a background in government, project management, business analytics and digital marketing. Most recently, at HollisSon Consulting, as principal/owner, he was responsible for tracking client policy priorities at the state and federal level, including managing and supporting clients and stakeholders in advancing these policies by conducting policy analyses, and developing resources and tools to support advocacy and communication efforts. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University.

SAMI IWATA (2017-18) has more than 15 years of experience reframing issues and driving solutions in industries such as technology, higher-education publishing, design, and the nonprofit sector. She has launched a new college astronomy textbook franchise, and led user research in holiday light displays and remote access software. Most recently, she was an Adobe product manager, leading global engineering teams, building data capabilities, and championing improvements to the customer experience. She is also a trained personal coach. Sami earned a BA from Yale University and an MBA from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.

ANGELINE JOHNSON is a scholar and practitioner with more than 20 years of experience in community and economic development. Having served in cities throughout the U.S., she has worked with nonprofit and government agencies to build collective synergy for community change. Angeline holds a B.A. in geography and an MPA in public administration from The University of Toledo, as well as a master’s in planning from the University of Southern California. Angeline is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in spatially integrated social sciences at The University of Toledo, where she is focusing her research on quality of life disparities related to race and ethnicity, housing, income, and class. 

JODY S. JOHNSON, ESQ. is a father and legal scholar, interested in the expansion of an academic understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential to redefine and expand the school-to-prison pipeline. He has developed an original ethical framework to produce racial equity and inclusion within decision-making and risk management. Jody is also a professor at American River College and brings a focus on policy, racial ethics, and equity to any project he serves.

TYRONNE JOLLY has nearly 20 years of experience in strategy, marketing, corporate development, and performance management. Most recently, he was the President and COO of a non-profit addiction recovery facility. Previous roles include founding a mental health system navigation startup, healthcare management consulting, product development and management, among others. Tyronne started his professional career as an Examiner with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Tyronne holds an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Management at the University of Virginia. He also graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelors’ degree in Accounting from Bethune-Cookman University.

CAROLYN P. JONES is a CPA whose career combines consulting and hands-on financial executive experience, typically for Fortune 500 companies. Her career emphasis has been on creating integrated strategic and financial plans. She has led major financial forecasting efforts that quantified the results of evolving legislation and/or business model change for large and complex companies. Carolyn has also led several major financial turnaround efforts, including for one of the nation’s largest urban school districts.

For the past six years, Carolyn has taught Financial and Business Communications at Tulane University in New Orleans. Carolyn also has an MA in Linguistics/TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). At Tulane, she worked closely with international students and enjoyed scaffolding her classroom material to meet their unique needs. Carolyn’s ability to identify and match resources to community needs was recognized in her having been named Volunteer of the Year for the State of Texas for Texas Literacy. Carolyn is also Past President and an active Board member for LaTESOL, which educates over 200 teachers annually on the pedagogical best practices for working with English Language Learners.

Carolyn considers herself a lifelong learner and enjoys knowing the difference between an asset and a liability as well as the subtleties that distinguish a gerund from a participle.

CORDELLA JONES is a finance professional and community advocate who is passionate about building collaboration across systems and sectors and coordinating resources around homeownership in the city of Milwaukee. She has over 15 years of combined experience in the areas of bank operations, retail lending in low-moderate income areas, management, technology, and community engagement. She is a graduate of Associates in Commercial Real Estate, a program sponsored by the Mandel Group and Marquette University to increase minority representation in commercial real estate.

Cordella studied at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with an academic focus in economic development and civil engineering.

EUGENIE JONES-LAUGHRIDGE holds an MBA in Marketing from National University/San Diego. She has extensive experience leading the development and execution of internal and external marketing and communications strategies and community outreach engagement efforts. While serving in executive leadership roles with nonprofits, private industry, and government organizations, she has developed high-impact communications roadmaps with tailored marketing, messaging, branding, and outreach tactics that address human service needs, homelessness, and natural resource protection.

Eugenie is a published writer, having served as a weekly columnist for Scripps Howard News Service and a polished professional speaker certified in professional training by the University of Washington. As a Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Project Manager with the Department of Community Development, she demonstrated masterful skills in community assessment, strategic communication planning, and social good marketing design.

ANDREA “DRE” KALTZ combines her background in education, nonprofit leadership, advocacy, and operations to support under-resourced communities, with a particular focus on addressing youth homelessness. As Chief Development Officer, Youth Advocate, and founding member of LYTE Collective in Chicago, IL, Dre created community partnerships, managed diverse stakeholders, collaborated on policy, and provided direct service to youth. Dre’s work is led by voices of those with lived experience of homelessness, with the goal of ending harmful systems and working collaboratively to find innovative solutions.

Dre earned her BFA and Art Education certification from College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI.

GIL KEINAN is a real estate investment and asset management professional who specializes in hotels and restaurants. His experience has taken him from being a minibar attendant in Germany, to managing luxury hotels and resorts in the Americas, to managing hotel asset-management platforms for private and public funds. Gil holds an executive MBA from the University of San Francisco, a master certificate from Cornell University, and a B.S. from the University of Surrey. He is currently pursuing his doctoral degree at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School, where he is researching the impact of operator scale on hotel asset value premium.

CAROLINE KIM PALACIOS is a social sector leader, fundraiser, and entrepreneur dedicated to helping organizations navigate change, achieve sustainable growth, and amplify impact. For over a decade, Caroline has led programmatic initiatives to improve education, health, and lifetime outcomes across California through creative, cross-sector strategic partnerships. Her most recent work as principal at dsrptq ventures has focused on helping nonprofits and small businesses adapt to disruption. Caroline received her Master’s of Public Administration and Certificate in Public Policy from the USC Price School of Public Policy and her B.A. in Diplomacy & World Affairs from Occidental College.

C. BRENT KISER has more than 25 years of experience in corrections, substance abuse treatment, and change management. Most recently, he coordinated national reentry efforts at the Federal Bureau of Prisons. His leadership precipitated a national inmate identification initiative, successful negotiation of agreements with the Social Security Administration, and a new national volunteer program policy. Prior to that, he administered a national residential reentry system for federal inmates. He has also worked as a drug treatment counselor in the public and private sectors, and served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. Brent has an M.A. in rehabilitation counseling from New York University and a BGS from the University of Kentucky.

JOSEPH KOH is a strategy and operations professional with more than a decade of experience in the private and public sectors. He blends human-centered, co-creative techniques with strategic analysis to help organizations better understand and operate in an increasingly complex business environment. Most recently, he served as a management consultant with EY, where he advised large enterprises in such sectors as technology, consumer products, healthcare, and energy on strategic matters, including organic and inorganic growth, innovation, and performance improvement. Joseph holds an MBA from the University of Southern California, an M.S. in economics from San Francisco State University, and a B.S. from the University of California, San Diego.

PATRICK KOPPULA catalyzes social, civic, and cooperative innovation. He has served as an innovation partner for the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office’s Service Integration Branch, and for federal officials in the Obama White House. Previously, he served as a founder and executive of several venture-funded startups, including GarageBand. In his early career, Patrick served as a quantitative strategist for city- and state-level finance departments. He has a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and public policy from Harvard University.

LAKSMI LAGARES is an international impact strategist and executive advisor who delivers shareholder and stakeholder value by aligning social sustainability with business. She combines ESG and values-based leadership skills with deep partnerships, public policy, business development, sales, marketing, and communications expertise. She designs and implements public-private-community partnerships that are data-driven, impactful, and scalable; meeting community, employee, business, and consumer needs and objectives simultaneously.

Her work in Social Sustainability supports UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and she is a pioneer in using lived experience to solve global grand challenges. She has presented on the subject nationally and internationally. Lagares has been a guest speaker at various universities including Stanford, Mills, and UC Santa Cruz, and has held leadership positions with corporate, philanthropic, nonprofit, and academic organizations.

JULIE LAMBA is an organizational learning and leadership development consultant. Prior to working with the Los Angeles Public Library, Julie built the learning and development department at a growth-stage marketing technology company, and she delivered online leadership development programs to companies such as Coca Cola, Charles Schwab, and Mastercard. She also led program development at General Assembly, where she helped thousands of students globally transform their careers. Julie earned a B.S. from Georgetown University and an M.S. in education from St. Joseph’s University, and she is an alumna of the MBA program at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

NANCY LAMBERT has extensive management consulting experience that spans industries focused on technology and change management solutions. As a consultant for Emerson Human Capital, she worked with top executives at Deloitte Consulting and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. During her 21 years at Accenture, Nancy worked with manufacturing and financial services clients, and then as director of capability development for more than 117,000 global technologists. As a fellow with Common Sense Media, she helped policy makers protect kids and prepare them to thrive in the digital age. Nancy earned her B.S. in finance from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

JILL LAWLOR has 25 years of experience in management, resource and program development, strategic planning, and land use and development planning. Jill has secured and administered over $100 million in federal, state and private grants and contracts. She is passionate about working directly with communities and stakeholders to create programs and projects that meet the needs of disenfranchised communities and provide equitable access to opportunities for all residents.

MICHELLE LEBLANC has spent most of her 20-year career in web and mobile technology, working across a range of industries. She has leveraged her digital expertise at Realtor.com, Edmunds.com, Farmers Insurance, and Honda, among other companies. She has a deep background in digital strategy, including web product management, mobile app development, e-commerce, social media, and content marketing. In addition to her corporate and agency background, she has consulted with numerous small businesses and startups. Michelle earned an MBA in international business from California Lutheran University and a B.A. in psychology and anthropology from the University of Alaska.

SARAH LEDDY (2013-14) came to FUSE in with deep experience working at the nexus of governance and growth. Prior to her fellowship, Sarah worked on international development programs funded by the U.S. government, the William J. Clinton Foundation, and the National Endowment for Democracy. Sarah supported strategic planning and guided governments to plan and fund their services, often testing or creating innovative models tailored to local challenges. After her fellowship, Sarah continued to work on the Greenwise Joint Venture in the City of Sacramento before moving to Haiti to serve as Chief Operating Officer for Sustainable Recycling Solutions. In 2015, Sarah took on the role of Principal of Tipping Point Solutions in Vermont, where she consults with donors and international clients to support social sector organizations.

Sarah holds a BA in Literature from McGill University along with a Master’s in International Economics from the Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

ANETA LEE is a champion for digital inclusion and equity in every setting she finds herself in. As a Program Manager at EveryoneOn, Aneta led the design, implementation and management of a joint inaugural initiative with Microsoft to address the digital divide in eight underserved urban communities of color across the country. Aneta earned her Bachelor’s of Science degree from Clayton State University (Morrow, Georgia) in Psychology and Human Services.

IAN LEE is a proven team leader focusED on enhancing human capital through foundational structural management, organization and communication engagement, and innovative process improvements. While finishing his MBA from Syracuse University, Ian founded the nonprofit Achieve To Dream and ACCIO CONSULTING, a business consulting firm.

MARK LEE (2017-18) is a career leader in management consulting with experience in business development, business analysis, process engineering, and project management. Mark most recently served as a principal consultant at Synechron’s Business Consulting Practice, focusing on new business development, strategic planning, and executable program roadmaps. He has also worked at Accenture and Deloitte Consulting. Mark earned a B.A. in economics and an MPA from Cornell University.

CHRISTA LEONARD utilizes her ten years of experience in urban agriculture to develop food systems that are equitable and community-centered. She is passionate and committed to collaborative, grassroots organizing that promotes and restores food sovereignty within historically underserved communities. Christa uses emergent strategies and pattern recognition in her learning process. She believes the community is best served when we emphasize resilient relationship building and adaptation to develop transformative food justice policies. Christa prides herself on her ability to create meaningful connections with people, her boots-on-the-ground work ethic, and the belief that together we make the impossible possible.

ADAM LEWIS is a social entrepreneur, purpose-driven business leader, and non-profit founder.

After founding a large soccer-based homeless services agency, Adam led a (recently acquired) fantasy sports company and oversaw strategy at the USA’s largest athletic/social club.

As an advocate for play, sport, and community, Adam has ‘talked’ at TED, is an Appointed Chair with the City of Portland, and was profiled in the Washington Post. He holds a B.A. from Willamette University.

LAUREL LICHTY (2013-14) came to FUSE with experience as an international attorney with specialized experience in regulatory compliance management and comparative law. She has advised on anti-corruption, FCPA compliance and anti-money laundering investigations. She previously served as the Ethics and Compliance Manager of an energy and technology conglomerate with 22,000 employees worldwide, managing a compliance program operating in 12 languages in more than 50 countries. Laurel has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law for the University of London external program in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the International Law Institute in Washington, D.C. She has taught US Contract Law, the US Legal System and International Human Rights Law. She has consulted with the World Bank’s International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and the International Law Institute.

After her fellowship in 2013-14, Laurel was an International Corruption Investigations Training Facilitator for the International Corruption Hunters Alliance for two years before moving to Integreon, where she was Vice President for Compliance Services. In 2016, Laurel joined Motorola Solutions where she currently serves as an attorney ensuring contract compliance and mitigating risk.

Laurel holds a Master of Science degree from the London School of Economics, an LLB from City University, and an LLM from George Washington University. She is a member of the American Society of International Law and the ABA International Anti-Corruption Committee.

DR. LYSA LIGGINS has over 26 years working in the field of workforce and talent development. She has dedicated this phase of her career to constructing educational and career opportunities specifically for presently and formerly incarcerated individuals. She is a trusted leader and orator who uses her voice for anti-recidivism advocacy and to champion equity and social justice among marginalized communities. She is the founder of Leaders GROW Leaders, a consulting group that focuses on professional development, emotional intelligence, and navigating individuals into career opportunities. She also works as adjunct faculty at both the Community College and University levels.

Dr. Lysa earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies and a Master’s Degree in Leadership and Management both from the University of La Verne. She earned an Educational Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University in 2016 and is presently completing her Ph.D. in Global Leadership.

In her spare time, Dr. Lysa enjoys spending time with her family, writing, reading, outdoor activities, and mentoring. She has one adult daughter.

MICHAEL LIM (2016-17) is an innovation professional with global infrastructure, finance, and technology experience, including most recently as a co-founder and CEO of a technology venture addressing urban infrastructure challenges. Originally trained in urban planning, Michael started his career in infrastructure development for the United Nations in the Asia Pacific region. He was also an investment banker, most recently with Lazard Freres & Co, and advised technology companies and governments on strategy, capital raises, and M&A transactions. Michael holds a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

ANDREA LIPTON (2017-18) has 20 years of experience creating and implementing learning and development initiatives for Fortune 500 companies across an array of industries. Most recently, she led learning strategy and intellectual property development for Ferrazzi Greenlight, a boutique firm that specializes in executive coaching, leadership development, and collaboration. Previously, she relaunched the corporate university for CBRE in the Americas, and she has led learning and development teams for companies, including Arden Realty, a subsidiary of General Electric, and JPMorgan Chase. Andrea earned a B.A. and an M.A. from Columbia University.

JEREMY LOGAN, a hospitality veteran with more than 25 years of experience, has worked in some of the best restaurants in many of the top restaurant cities in the U.S. For the past decade, his work has focused on multi-unit operations, new unit growth, and leadership development. Jeremy has overseen development and operations for more than 20 new unit openings across the country, working with three Houston-based restaurant groups. His wine education came from Napa Valley, where he worked in hospitality, sales, and production roles for multiple ultra-premium producers. During that time, he also moonlighted as a Minor League Baseball radio broadcaster and sports writer for the Napa Valley Register. Jeremy earned a B.A. in English literature from San Francisco State University.

MARY LONIGRO has extensive experience in the behavioral health field across business, policy, program and management platforms. Her doctoral research focused on unsheltered and chronically homeless persons, public health concerns, and inequities in the use of software technology to address public health. Dr. Lonigro’s findings with respect to these and other inequities have been shared with key political stakeholders and informed her trademark the concept of the We Hygiene App.

Dr. Lonigro earned her doctorate in social work from the University of Southern California – Los Angeles, with a focus on social innovation and macro systems management. She also holds a Master of Social Work from California State University – Sacramento.  Dr. Lonigro is a licensed social worker (Academy of Certified Social Workers) and Spiritual Practitioner (RScP). She’s previously held licenses and certifications for clinical social work and alcohol and drug abuse counseling.  Dr. Lonigro is a military veteran who served 20 years in the military and honorably retired with the rank of Major. 

YVES LOUIS-JACQUES (2015-16) is a management and technology consultant with a focus on financial investment, analysis and reporting. Most recently, he advised CrossBoundary, an investment advisory firm and an international donor organization on frontier market investment opportunities. Yves previously served as a financial analyst at the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi and was also a partner for FREE DMC, a marketing and content agency where he led brand strategy and partnerships. Yves’ career began at Accenture, where he spent nine years leading client engagements in the public service and media/entertainment groups. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University and a dual Master of Public Policy degree from Sciences Po Paris and Columbia University.

LANA LOVICK has 40 years of experience in the utility industry. Most recently, she led Entergy Corp’s beneficial electrification programs. She’s held positions in Energy Efficiency, Regulatory Affairs, Strategic Planning, Utility Planning and unregulated operations. Previously, Lana worked in retail and investment banking and the gas pipeline industry in domestic and international project financing, mergers/acquisitions, and equity and debt offerings in the energy sector. Lana holds a BS in Geology from the University of Alabama and an MBA from Tulane University.

TIM LUCAS (2014-15) came to FUSE in 2014 from AllianceBernstein (AB), a leading investment management firm. At AllianceBernstein Tim applied lean six-sigma strategies to discover opportunities for process improvements and eliminating wasteful spending. Tim gained extensive experience in change management and enterprise project management, leading multiple efforts to help solidify the firm’s position as a leader in innovative product offerings. While at AB, Tim also chaired the firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility Group and volunteered with Citizen Schools to teach personal finance techniques to students at a Bronx middle school. After the completion of his fellowship, Tim worked as a Social Impact Manager with LendUp and currently resides in New Orleans, LA.

Tim holds a BBA from the George Washington University.

For 20+ years, MICHAEL MACHARG has embraced breakthrough science and new business models to expand access to clean energy, essential medicines, primary healthcare, and nutritious food globally. Michael co-founded a pioneer in rural solar finance (Simpa Energy), built one of the first investment funds in the international development sector (Mercy Corps’ Social Venture Fund), and helped build the world’s first nonprofit pharmaceutical company (OneWorld Health). Michael holds a BA from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from Duke University.

DR. NINA MACK-CAIN is the founder and CEO of Info eNConnect Consulting LLC, an information technology consulting firm. In 2019, Dr. Mack-Cain retired from AT&T after 21 years of service.  She has over 30 years experience as an IT trainer, data and analytics manager, software quality assurance manager, requirements manager, and technical support manager. Dr. Mack-Cain received her Doctor of Business Administration in information systems management from Walden University, a Master of Business Administration in information systems from City University, and a B.A. in communications from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She completed a leadership program from Harvard Business Publishing.

FLAVIAN MARWA (2017-18) has more than 18 years of experience working at the intersection of private and public sectors, leading businesses and fostering sustainable economic development, entrepreneurial finance, and startup business incubation. He is the founder and managing partner of Sebelda Global Development Advisors. Flavian earned a BA in Engineering from University of Dar es Salaam, an MS from the University of Maryland at College Park, an MPA from The Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and an MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management.

BEN MATRANGA (2014-15) came to FUSE in 2014 with a decade of experience in investments and economic development initiatives in emerging markets. His experience spanned all stages of the investment process – from idea creation and implementation to analysis and negotiation, portfolio management and corporate governance where he served as Board Director of four portfolio companies. Previously, he was an Investment Officer with The Soros Economic Development Fund (SEDF), a $350 million investment fund founded by George Soros, where he established offices in Monrovia, Liberia and Nairobi, Kenya.

After his fellowship, Ben continued to serve Mayor Ed Lee working on implementation of the city’s Vision Zero Plan. Ben currently works as the Director of Investments for International Network Investments & GMPC LLC.

Ben holds a BA in Economics and Political Science and an MPA in Public Policy and Finance, both from New York University.

ERIC MATTENSON (2017-18) is a change leader in healthcare, retail, financial, and travel services. With more than 25 years of executive leadership experience, he has launched and built successful Lean Six Sigma/Business Transformation programs at four Fortune 500 companies, including Walgreens, Quest Diagnostics, GE Capital, and American Express/Thomas Cook Travel. In his most recent role, Eric served as senior director, Walgreens Lean Six Sigma. Previously, he spent nearly a decade leading a team of 15,000 employees in patient services, call/contact centers, and logistics at Quest Diagnostics. Eric earned a B.A. in economics from Brandeis University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

SLATER MATZKE (2016-17) was the Founder and Operating Partner for a specialized independent consulting business for 10 years before serving as a Business Development Specialist in Honduras, Peru and El Salvador with Peace Corps. He holds a BA in Political Science from New York University and an MPA as a Coverdell Fellow at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.

ROXANNE FERAND MAYFIELD sees customer service as a 360-degree view. She believes customer service is not just our relationship with our stakeholders, but it can be extended to our fellow colleagues as well. Her customer service experience comes from the travel space where she was last a group travel manager putting together travel events for a book of 15-20 companies. Prior to that, she was an operations manager with a team of agents. Their client was the oldest law firm in California. Prior to that, she was a trainer and did a lot of escalation management for American Express and its Platinum cardholders.

Roxanne’s B.A. degree was with a concentration in Political Science.

CONSUELLA MCCAIN is a dedicated public servant committed to restoring public trust and goodwill within the communities she serves. Subscribing to the “E4 model of Public Service and Administration”, which focus on: Empathy, Ethics, Equity, and Excellence in Service to all stakeholders. Consuella has proven to be a thought leader and a change agent in the areas of socio-economic, business, and workforce development. She possesses valuable insight on understanding the importance of our local government’s responsibility in advancing social equity and eradicating disparities. She enjoys creating quality programming and insightful training/development that foster access, promote diversity, inclusion, and equity in a meaningful way. Consuella holds a concentrated BS in Small Business and Entrepreneurship; and an MPA in Government and Nonprofit Leadership. As a life learner, Consuella has perpetual certifications in Compliance Administration and Fair Housing.

EDWIN MCCLENDON is a specialist in strategic advisory and capital placement engagements with deep knowledge of information technology, financial services, and commercial real estate. He has worked in international investment banking and equity and debt investments, and has held senior research and portfolio management positions at American Express, Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan Chase, and William Blair & Co. Edwin was the founder of McClendon, Morrison & Partners, a boutique investment banking firm, and spent four years as a private equity and real estate consultant in Dubai. He is a graduate of Macalester College with degrees in economics and political science.

WENDY MCCULLEY (2016-17) has two decades of experience in executive marketing and management of organizations in the medical, consumer products, technology, e-commerce and financial services industries. She has taught marketing at the graduate level and has worked for global companies including Life Alert, Experian, TransUnion and Mattel. Wendy holds an MS in Education from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, an MBA from Wharton and a BA from Harvard College.

AUTUMN MCDONALD (2015-16) has more than a decade of experience working with foundations, nonprofits, companies and associations on strategy, program design and evaluation. She most recently served as senior consultant with strategy-consulting firm FSG, with a focus on collective impact as a problem-solving approach. Autumn previously founded and consulted with Catalyst Education Consulting, serving multiple national and state-level clients. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University, a Master in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a Master in the Learning Sciences from Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy.

JODY MCINTOSH is an experienced community engagement professional adept at employing a public health lens to drive outcomes. Her interdisciplinary experience spans from research, implementation, and advocacy for harm reduction initiatives, peer-based recovery programs and volunteer management in a food-as-medicine program for the seriously ill. Most recently, she provided oversight for day habilitation and community inclusion programs for the intellectually and developmentally disabled. Her passion for integrating social justice, advocacy, and public health is further reinforced by her membership in NeXT Philadelphia, the young professionals arm of the Urban League of Philadelphia and as a trustee for the George & Enid Brooks Foundation. Jody earned her MPH from Drexel University and her B.S. in Public Health from Rutgers University.

KEVIN MEEHAN combines 13 years of corporate sector experience with deep expertise in environmental sustainability and management. His areas of focus include operational sustainability, renewable energy policy, and compensatory mitigation. Most recently, he worked with the Environmental Defense Fund’s Climate Corps. He also has worked in program management, sales, and factory management in the consumer electronics and automotive industries in China, North America, and South America. Kevin holds an M.A. in international environmental policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, an M.S. from NYU, and a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

MOHAMMAD MEHRYAR (2017-18) has been empowering organizations across the globe for 17 years to make smarter decisions using information technology and data analytics. Most recently, he led the online analytics team for Home Depot’s award-winning e-commerce department, and formulated an effective business analytics strategy that transformed the company’s analytical capabilities. Mohammad earned a B.S. in software engineering from the University of Tehran, an M.S. in information technology from the KNT University of Technology, and an MBA from the University of Southern California.

HYMAVATHY MENATH is an entrepreneur, diversity and inclusion consultant, and culture change leader who has worked with Fortune 500 companies such as Walmart, SAP, and VISA. As a founder of Talking Cranes, a diversity and inclusion consultancy, she helped global companies diversify their talent pipelines and build inclusive workplace cultures to create high-performing, innovative organizations that are better equipped to respond to today’s volatile. disruption-prone marketplace. Hymavathy also has two decades of product- and business-development experience in education technology, helping build successful businesses in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. She has a B.S. in physics from the University of Madras and an M.S. in publishing from Oxford Brookes University.

ANJALI MENON is a technology executive whose area of expertise is consumer marketplace operations. She has worked for companies such as TaskRabbit, Twitter, Magic, and most recently IfOnly, where as vice president of operations she managed more than 25 people and led the creation of thousands of consumer experiences across three markets. Anjali sits on the boards of Inforum, a division of The Commonwealth Club, and the San Francisco Opera Bravo! Club, and she is recognized as a Nasdaq Milestone Maker. Anjali earned a B.S. in business administration from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.

SHARON MERON (2016-17) spent 10 years on the education team at The Broad Foundation overseeing the foundation’s extensive grants evaluation process. Previously, she worked closely with the CEO of Advanced Monitored Caregiving, a New York based healthcare services provider, to refine and implement the company’s business plan. She holds a BS in Economics from Amherst College and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

RAHUL MEWAWALLA (2013-14) is a product, technology, digital and business leader with expertise across Fortune 500 and high-growth companies. He has extensive strategic and operational leadership experience across digital, product, technology, platforms, internet, software, telecommunications, financial services, media, retail and consumer companies such as Yahoo!, Nokia, NBCUniversal and General Electric Company. He has held leadership roles such as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), President, Executive Vice President and numerous other senior executive, entrepreneurial and corporate board roles. He has served as Chairperson of a NASDAQ-listed company, CEO and President of technology companies, Corporate Board Director, Advisor to Stanford University’s Persuasive Technology Lab, Cisco Systems’s EIR Advisory Board, and Committee Chair of the VC TaskForce SIG on Systems and Services. Rahul has received numerous awards and honors for technology, product, innovation and business successes including “Top 40 under 40” in San Francisco and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Harvard Business Review, Bloomberg Businessweek, Fast Company, TechCrunch, Huffington Post, VentureBeat, CNN, ABC News, FOX, CBS News and Forbes. He has also been involved with several philanthropic organizations including the Nobel Peace nominee SOS Children’s Villages USA where he served on the Board of Directors and the Yale-Goldman Sachs Foundation. Rahul earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

DURBAN MITCHINER is a transformational leader with extensive management consulting experience. In addition to independent consulting, he has worked for Arthur Andersen, Accenture, and Deloitte, as well as for Alvarez & Marsal, a turnaround-focused advisory boutique. He has also served as a senior vice president for the Global Infrastructure Practice of Marsh, a division of global risk advisor Marsh McLennan. Mitchiner earned a BA from the University of Georgia, a master of international affairs from the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

MARIA MOORE is a results-driven catalyst with a record of delivering exceptional client service who has focused on serving large and mid-sized hospitals and corporations. She helps drive issue resolution by fostering collaborative executive relationships and building strong teams. Maria has more than 20 years of experience in healthcare leadership positions in healthcare administration, clinical benchmarking, healthcare technology, vendor management, enterprise-wide implementations, and program and project management. She earned an MPH from Yale University and a B.S. from Dillard University.

APARNA MUKHERJEE (2017-18) is a product strategist and operations leader with experience helming digital and mobile projects for some of the world’s biggest media outlets. At The New York Times, she ran the paper’s education ventures group. Aparna’s other innovation-focused roles include launching social media for McKinsey & Co., serving as director of operations for startup accelerator Grand Central Tech, and relaunching Morgan Stanley’s alumni network. As a reporter, she has written for The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Bloomberg News, and The New Yorker. Aparna earned a B.S. from Bryn Mawr College, as well as an M.S. in journalism and an MBA from Columbia University, where she lectures on business strategy to MBAs.

MARSHA MURRINGTON has more than 20 years of experience in community economic development. She most recently served as a senior program officer at the Local Initiatives Support Corp. in the Bay area. Prior to that, she spent more than a decade with the Unity Council in the Fruitvale neighborhood of her native Oakland, where she developed programs that enhanced equity and helped address the economic needs of the community. During this time, she implemented a façade improvement program, attracted new businesses without displacing local residents and business owners, supported existing businesses in purchasing property, and reduced the commercial property vacancy rate from almost 40 percent to less than 1 percent. Marsha holds a B.A. in psychology from UC Berkeley.

SAMEENA MUSTAFA has spent years advocating for the marginalized as a trusted advisor to nonprofit and business leaders and a critically-acclaimed performer and broadcaster. Following her run for Congress, she launched Silver Lake Advisors, where she most recently led research on violence against AAPI women in politics with the Rutgers Center on American Women and Politics. Originally from Chicago, she graduated from Northwestern University where she studied Philosophy and Poetry.

WESLEY MYRICK is a nonprofit finance and operations executive named one of the “30 Under 30” nonprofit leaders by the Georgia Center for Nonprofits in 2016. He has over 15 years of experience crafting and scaling public-private partnerships for mission-oriented organizations. His most recent roles include advisory board chairman, board of directors chairman, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Wesley holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Georgia State University, a master’s degree in international affairs from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a master’s of legal studies from the Sandra Day O’Connor School of Law at Arizona State University.

MALA NANDA (2016-17) has more than 10 years of executive management experience with Fortune 500 and privately held companies. Having lived and worked in the U.S., China, and India, and having led cross-functional teams across Australia and Asia, Mala brings a multi-cultural understanding to leadership practices. Mala most recently worked with companies to overcome growth challenges and develop senior leaders. Mala holds an MBA from Kellogg School of Management, an M.S. in engineering management from Northwestern University, and a B.A. from Hood College.

SONIA NANDA (2016-17) has more than 15 years of management experience, working for technology companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500s. She most recently served as vice president of operations and customer support for Guidance Software. In her ten-plus years of employment at Guidance Software, Sonia helped scale enterprise systems and processes to support revenue growth from a $10 million business to a $120 million business. Her areas of expertise include customer service strategy and business process re-engineering to optimize operations performance. She holds a B.A. from Smith College.

CHANNING NEARY has 17 years of experience working as a prosecutor and defense attorney, advocating for both survivors and the accused in her criminal law practice in Travis County and surrounding areas. She is passionate about criminal justice reform initiatives, particularly in the areas of harm reduction and restorative justice. Channing has served on the board of directors of the Texas Advocacy Project and the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance. She earned her BA from the University of Arizona in Communication and a Pre-Law Thematic minor. She earned her JD from the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver. She is currently licensed to practice law in Texas and the United States District Court, Western District of Texas.

KAREN NEMSICK is passionate about leading collaborative efforts to create meaningful change in communities. For the past 10 years, she served as the executive director for Rebuilding Together San Francisco, where she was responsible for attracting key corporate sponsors, creating engaging fundraising events, and managing budget and staffing needs for high impact programs. She also served on the boards of directors for Rebuilding Together and Success Centers. Karen holds an M.S. in social work from California State University, Sacramento.

ANDREW NGUI is a visionary systems builder and strategic thinker. He is always seeking new ways to bring people and organizations to work better together. As an innovation catalyst, he engineers solutions to champion inclusivity, unity, and collaboration across silos. He has a proven track record of catalyzing human-centered movements that spur innovation and bridge gaps in complex ecosystems.

His pioneering work with government leaders, startups, academia, and industry has helped cities and regions prosper. His bottom-up approach to building innovative programs has led to worldwide success. He accomplishes this by developing systems and processes that make the complex effortless.

As a deep thinker, Andrew has advised many startups, nonprofits, and governments with their innovation, entrepreneurship, and small business development initiatives. His ongoing mentor roles with MIT SOLVE, gener8tor, and accelerators in Silicon Valley and Washington DC have given him unique perspectives into these fields. He is constantly exploring new ways to solve challenges at the macro and micro scale.

Andrew is a graduate of the Irrational Lab’s Behavioral Economics Bootcamp for Product Leaders, Stanford d.school’s Design Thinking Bootcamp, and the flagship MIT Global Entrepreneurship Bootcamp. He is also a Certified trainer of the Innovator’s DNA framework. He began his career as a designer at York University and Sheridan College in Toronto, Canada, a specialized design program that blends creativity, innovation, academic rigor, and interdisciplinary collaboration. He is also an alumnus of the renowned Product & Industrial Design program at the School of Design, Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore.

VERONICA NJODINIZEH (2016-17) most recently served as the lead Health Benefits Advisor with J. Glynn & Company, focused primarily on public school district clients in Southern California as their exclusive health advisory consultants for the California Education Coalition for Health Care Reform. Prior to joining J. Glynn & Company, Veronica spent nearly a decade at PwC as a Business Development Manager and Healthcare Advisory Consultant serving global and national clients. Veronica holds an MA in Health Administration from the University of Southern California and a BS in Chemistry from Wright State University.

MICHAEL NOBLEZA relies on his two decades of nonprofit executive management, strategy development, and community engagement experience to help teams and organizations achieve greater impact and effectiveness. His experience includes moving two organizations from startup to growth phases. Most recently, Michael was vice president for the Asian Pacific Fund, a San Francisco Bay Area community foundation focused on the needs of the region’s vulnerable Asians and Pacific Islanders. Michael has a B.A. with a focus on diplomacy and world affairs from Occidental College and an M.A. in international relations with a focus on cross-cultural conflict and organizational development from Syracuse University.

ALICE OKALI is an information technologist & organizational change management leader with over 20 years of experience utilizing technology in the delivery of reliable, scalable, and maintainable solutions. She has expertise in large-scale digital transformational initiatives to deploy a consistent and effective change approach that aligns with an organization’s culture resulting in an exceptional experience, desired business outcomes, and adoption for all stakeholders. Alice has worked in the government and private sectors and knows how to cater to the business needs of both organizations. She is customer-focused, data-driven, and takes ownership. Alice earned her B.A. in Computer Science & Quantitative Methods from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

YOLANDA R. OWENS is an accomplished professional with a civil engineering and contract administration background. Most recently, she served as executive director of the Jackson State University Development Foundation and has several years of experience in non-profit fundraising. Her corporate and volunteer service demonstrates her ability to achieve organizational objectives through effective communication, strategic planning, problem-solving, and capacity building. Her corporate, higher education, and non-profit work includes project management, planning, and fundraising, bringing a distinctive skillset to the Farish Street Historic District project.

MARC PALMER is a marketing and operations strategist with more than 15 years of marketing, business development, strategic planning, and operations experience in Fortune 100 companies. He has led acquisition, joint venture, and business development teams in Russia, China, and India. Additionally, he started and managed his own franchise company, building the brand and organization from the ground up. Marc earned a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the University of Michigan. He is currently pursuing an M.S. in divinity from the Moody Theological Seminary at the Moody Bible Institute.

SUNDEEP PATTEM (2015-16) is an experienced data scientist working on applications in public policy and services. With a focus on achieving social impact, he has developed solutions for challenging problems in healthcare, education and energy sustainability. Most recently he served as Head Data Scientist of SkilledUp, where he led efforts to convert large datasets into tools for helping people make career and learning decisions. As an expert consultant for education startup SlideRule, he developed a data science course curriculum and mentored several aspiring data scientists. Sundeep holds a Bachelor of Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California.

TIFFANY PATTERSON has a record of advancing social change involving marginalized populations in partnership with private, public, and non-profit organizations. She is an advocate of the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” and is certified in Sustainable Development programming. Currently, she works closely with Our Turn, an organization aimed at strengthening access to equitable education among historically marginalized and underrepresented youth.  

Tiffany has served as Head of Marketing and Social Enterprise Development for Project Open Hand, a nonprofit focusing on food security and healthcare policy, where her contributions resulted  in the Global Food Security Act of 2016. Prior to her policy advocacy work, Tiffany was the co-founder and Executive Vice President of Social Impact Programming for the OI Agency, a multicultural partner agency to GSD&M, an award-winning advertising and communications firm. In this role, she led community engagement and outreach strategy for Procter and Gamble’s gender and multicultural initiatives. Additionally, Tiffany produced the U.S. Air Force’s diversity and community outreach strategy, supporting the Obama Administration’s “Educate to Innovate” program.  

Tiffany has an M.A.  in global public policy from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). A former field director with Stacey Abrams’ gubernatorial campaign, Tiffany spends much of her  down time advocating for free and fair elections through Abrams’ Fair Fight Action.

VIOLET PEARSON is a catalyst for growth and change whose career includes working as a social entrepreneur, business strategist, master coach, change igniter, and women’s rights activist. She has more than 20 years of experience in organizational leadership and development, strategic business planning and implementation, executive recruitment and coaching, and developing high-performance teams. Violet has worked with clients throughout the United States, Africa, South America, and Asia in several industries, including consumer products, food and beverages, healthcare, utilities, oil and gas, high tech, and professional services. She also has founded and led several nonprofit organizations and served as a consultant to numerous organizations, including the African Women’s Development Fund and National Democratic Institute. Violet earned her MBA from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania.

LEILA PEDERSEN has spent the last decade advocating for better climate, democracy, and economic policies and practices. Most recently, she published original research and provided technical assistance to state policymakers and community partners of the North Carolina Justice Center. Previously, Leila launched and managed programs to help amplify the impact of social entrepreneurs at New America and led statewide campaigns that led to the passage of landmark legislation at Common Cause. 

Leila earned her MPA from the London School of Economics and Political Science and her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley. She remains an active alumnus of the Roosevelt Institute Campus Network and New Leaders Council. 

RONALD PERKINS is passionate about connecting the workforce ecosystem to communities, job seekers, and employers. As the Director of Workforce Innovation, Ron’s position has allowed him to combine multiple facets near to his heart. He has collaborated with local and state governments on workforce and economic development initiatives around programming, training, and implementation. Ron’s understanding and empathy have impacted several communities, allowing him to have a deeper connection with their residents. Connecting with various audiences, including employers, is one of Ron’s biggest strengths. Ron is highly adept at streamlining processes that create opportunities and pathways to desirable outcomes.

LARS PETERS (2016-17) is a strategist and entrepreneur with 10 years of leadership experience in tech and management consulting. Most recently, he was the Director of Global Service Provider Sales at Meraki and Director of Corporate Strategy at Cisco Systems. He has also performed pro bono engagements for International Save the Children Alliance in Boston and London while at the Boston Consulting Group. Lars holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and an MA in Economics from the University of Amsterdam.

Anne Phillips combines her background as an historian and professional planning experience to champion equitable approaches to communication, community engagement, and transportation planning. Most recently, Anne was a principal transportation planner for the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization where she leveraged federal funds, developed policies, and designed engagement strategies to create a more equitable transportation system for the Triangle region. Prior to working in transportation planning, Anne taught history and interdisciplinary courses at Duke University and Dartmouth College. Anne has a BA in history and sociology from Florida State University, and a MA and PhD in history from Duke University.

WILFORD PINKNEY, JR. has nearly three decades of experience in policy development, operations, and organizational development in the criminal justice and education sectors. He has taught public policy at the graduate level, and recently worked with Caribbean government agencies to strengthen criminal justice sector institutions. Wilford holds an MPA from New York University, an M.A. in political science from CUNY and a B.S. in organizational management from Mercy College. He is currently a doctoral candidate in political science at the Graduate Center, CUNY, where he specializes in public policy and American politics.

VALERIE PIPER has 30 years of experience in initiating, developing, and operationalizing new collaborations in housing and community economic development. She served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Development in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where she led interagency efforts to improve results without new federal grants. Among many other roles, Valerie helped lead the Chicago Housing Authority’s Plan for Transformation and initiated a process that delivered thousands of mixed income housing units with strong governance involving residents and neighbors. Valerie has a Master’s of Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania and lives in Virginia with her son Mark.

ALICIA D. POLAK has 15 years of experience driving operations and building and scaling organizations, with a focus on meeting business objectives while addressing such issues as societal change, employability, and sustainable development. She specializes in change and project management, marketing, organizational development, supply chain, and logistics, and has worked for Merrill Lynch and BlackRock. She also teaches social entrepreneurship at The Wharton School, founded Kreate Advisors to advance social entrepreneurship, and founded The Khayelitsha Cookie Co., one of South Africa’s longest, continuously running social enterprises. A Fulbright Scholar, Alicia received a B.A. in journalism from New York University, an MBA from the University of Cape Town, and an MPA and MBA from the New York University Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

RUDA POLLARD has experiences in public and private sectors from the U.S. Legislature to neighborhood associations and has focused on implementing and replicating innovative solutions. Most recently as Senior Community Marketing Manager for PosiGen Solar, Ruda lead a team of impassioned community ambassadors for residential solar across the South and Northeast U.S. Among his commitments to service are his previous experiences as the Civic Engagement Senor Corps Member for City Year Little Rock/North Little Rock, co-founder of a Black Men’s professional network in the U.S. Senate; The Brooke-Revels Society, and his service to the Urban League of Louisiana’s Young Professionals as Parliamentarian. Ruda has earned a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and an International Management MBA from Brighton University, England and all’Università degli Studi di Torino – SAA, Italy.