Nexus Fellowship Cohort IV
Today, we are thrilled to announce 18 leaders who will make up the fourth cohort of the selective Nexus Fellowship. The newest Nexus Fellows represent 12 organizations and join a growing national coalition of over 50 non-profit, philanthropic, corporate, and civic leaders united by a shared goal of eradicating the inequities that keep all youth from thriving.
“In a time when division and stagnation could easily take hold, it's more important than ever to embrace hope, take bold action, and come together in coalition and community,” said Michelle Molitor, Executive Director of The Equity Lab. “These remarkable individuals have chosen to be catalysts for change. I'm thrilled to guide these courageous leaders from across the nation as they embark on the head and heart work that exemplifies the Nexus Fellowship, driving themselves, their organizations—and our country—toward a future defined by justice and equity."
About the Nexus Fellowship
The Nexus Fellowship is designed for senior social change leaders committed to building and sustaining equitable, anti-racist workplaces to advance principles and practices that celebrate, uplift, and ensure that all youth thrive. This year’s fellowship experience, encompassing two in-person retreat weeks and six virtual two-day sessions, kicks off in Denver, Colorado in late October 2024 and culminates in Indianapolis, Indiana in May 2025.
Nexus Fellows gain essential leadership skills to advance racial equity within their organizations and communities. They receive personalized coaching, engage in a supportive learning community, and access resources that drive systemic change. The program fosters both strategic thinking and emotional intelligence, while connecting Fellows to a powerful network of equity-focused leaders committed to building a more just society.
This year’s Nexus Fellows
Please help us celebrate the Nexus Fellows who make up Cohort IV:
Giselle Allen, Assistant Principal of Math & School Culture, DC Bilingual Public Charter School
Lawrence Burden, Site Director, Hopeworks-Camden
Essence Caleb, Senior Director, Planning and Implementation, KIPP Foundation
Raven Freeman, Chief of Staff, DC Public Charter School Board
Bridgette Ginyard, Managing Director of Talent, Reading Partners
Rosa Gutierrez, Chief Financial & Operations Officer, Reading Partners
Serena Hayes, Principal Consultant, Serena M. Hayes Consulting, LLC
Autumn Jackson, Special Projects Manager, Washington Yu Ying Public Charter School
Onna Jones, Site Director, Hopeworks-Kensington
Stacy Lewis, Senior Director, Human Resources and Operations, Echoing Green
Laura Meili, Chief Impact Officer, Leading Educators
Jeff O’Field, Training Specialist, National Center for Families Learning
Michael Peña, Director, Center for Racial, Social and Economic Justice, Washington Education Association
Curtis Saxton, Curt Saxton, Vice President, Acelero Learning Camden/Philadelphia
Dr. Michelle Walker-Davis, Executive Director, DC Public Charter School Board
Alexis Walls, Managing Director of Executive Office, Reading Partners
Eric Washington, Manager of DE&I, National Center for Families Learning
Marishka Winters, Deputy Chief of Networks, Leading Educators
Through training in leadership and equity, as well as personalized coaching, fellows will learn to apply REDI (Race, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) principles in their work and lead organizational transformation.
To learn more about the Nexus Fellowship and how to apply, visit www.theequitylab.org/nexus.
The Equity Lab is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Your support allows us to continue taking on the biggest challenges of individual, institutional, and systemic inequity.