Alumni of the Emerging Leaders Initiative

The Emerging Leaders Initiative (ELI) is designed to cultivate rising stars and emerging technology leaders in philanthropy in ways that increase innovation and resiliency. Through a series of coaching, mentoring pairings, and educational opportunities, emerging leaders are provided with the expertise and skills needed to further advance their careers and serve the mission of philanthropy.

2023 Emerging Leaders

Keonna Baldwin
Grants System Administrator
Health Forward Foundation

Marcus Davis
IT Manager
The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation 

George Fedchanka
IT Manager
Energy Foundation

Sydney Kopen
Business Analyst
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Laura Kimura
Salesforce GMS Lead 
Hewlett Foundation

Elaine Mui
Grants & Operations Manager
General Service Foundation

Viktoria Palushaj
Senior Associate
The Kresge Foundation

Sarina Raby
Grants Manager
Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles

Rebecca Reynolds Jones
Head of IT
European Climate Foundation

Ana Tamargo
Monitoring and Evaluation Systems Officer
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

Rob West
Identity & Access Management Service Manager
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Lili Weinstein
Data & Research Analyst
Jessie Ball duPont Fund

2022 Emerging Leaders

Antonio Campello
Senior Data Scientist
Digital Science

Karen Herrera
Business Applications Analyst
The J. Paul Getty Trust

Lucy Hollis
Systems & Data Director, Grants and Philanthropic Services
Hillspire

Erin Peterson
Director, Grantmaking Ops & IT
The Klarman Family Foundation

Alkesha Rodriguez
Technical Business Analyst
Communities Foundation of Texas

Elsie Thomson
Client Success Manager
Foundant Technologies

Emily Thorpe
Senior Program Manager
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Adam Vizard
Data Systems Manager
Central Indiana Community Foundation

Allison Wojtowicz
Analyst, Data Management
MacArthur Foundation

Lynne Wiora
Grants Manager
The Joyce Foundation

2021 Emerging Leaders

Van Adams
Grants Manager
Laura and John Arnold Foundation (Arnold Ventures)

Tanisha Davis
Grants Manager
Archstone Foundation

Traci Gangl
Director of Information Systems
Charles K. Blandin Foundation

Tess Hanrahan
IT Analyst
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Lucas Hernandez
U.S. Field Engagement Lead
Microsoft Philanthropies

Jeffrey Jiménez-Kurlander
Senior Analyst, Learning & Grant Operations
Surdna Foundation

Nelson Jarrín
Grants Management Associate, Post Award & Special Projects
Wellspring Philanthropic Fund 

Inez Meim
Business Technology Manager
Kaiser Permanente

Samatha Shain
Data Solutions Manager
William Penn Foundation

Aki Shibuya
Senior Director of Business Solutions
Casey Family Programs

2020 Emerging Leaders

DeAnte Brown
Information Systems and Operations Analyst
Wellspring Philanthropic Fund

Caitlyn Duer
Grants Database Analyst
Rhode Island Community Foundation

Sarah Grady
Program and Grants Manager
Silver Giving Foundation

Rachel Christine Itwaru
Manager, Global Philanthropy
Salesforce.org

Marita Kurian
Vice-President, Technology
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation

Samantha Lee
Director of Technology
Novo Foundation

Rashad Morris
IT/Operations Coordinator
Greater Milwaukee Foundation

Bryant Phillips
Technology Solutions Manager
Rhode Island Foundation

Isabelle Rodas
Assistant Vice-President – Grants Associate
Citi Foundation

Brian Yim Lim
Programme Manager, Digital & Techology
Wellcome Trust

2019 Emerging Leaders

Karen Appelbaum
Operations Director
Northwest Area Foundation

Logan Appel
Director of IT Operations
The Rockefeller Foundation

Carly Benkov
Program Manager, Grants Systems
Ford Foundation

Hugo Castro
Director of Operations
Democracy Fund

Dan Halloran
Program and Grants Manager
Robins Foundation

Mohamed Huque
Philanthropy Consultant
Grantbook

Christopher Jean-Pierre
IT Assistant
Wellspring Philanthropic Fund

Roland Kennedy
Greenwood Initiative
Bloomberg Philanthropies

Jenny Ly
Community Impact Program Manager
Micron Gives/Foundation (Micron Technology)

Trish McNamee
Manager, Grant Administration and Analytics
Community Foundation of Sarasota County

Erica Renstrom
Operations and IT Manager
Austin Community Foundation

Sergey Sinyuts
IT Manager  
The Helmsley Charitable Trust

2018 Emerging Leaders

Fiona Barrett
Vice President of Administration
Pacific Foundation Services

Jason Brzoska
Director of Operations
Newton & Rochelle Becker Trust

Jen Burran
Director of Grants Management
The Lemelson Foundation

Bonnie Gordon
Digital Archivist
Rockefeller Archive Center

 

Shelly Espich
Director of Technology
Greater Cincinnati Foundation

Nathan Gil
Systems & Data Administrator
Healthy St. Petersburg Foundation

Kris LeCorgne
Senior Business Systems Analyst
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Tracie Mooneyham
Grants Manager
Robins Foundation

2016-17 Emerging Leaders

Jose Aron-Diaz
Director of IT
The Rockefeller Foundation

John Bednar
Applications Solution Architect
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Cheryl Kaneshiro
Manager – Business Systems & Data Solutions
Hawaii Community Foundation