WARREN, OHIO—DECEMBER 5, 2024—The Raymond John Wean Foundation announced today the 15 members of its inaugural Nonprofit Leadership Cohort, presented in partnership with Gradient, a consulting firm focusing on developing human equity. The 15 mid-career nonprofit professionals were selected from a pool of nearly 40 applicants serving organizations throughout Warren and Youngstown.
Beginning in 2025 and over the course of eight months, the program will provide cohort members with coaching, peer-to-peer learning and opportunities to implement skills learned within their organizations. The dynamic curriculum will focus on cultivating key competencies that are vital for personal and programmatic leadership, including transformation and inclusive leadership skills, strategic thinking and planning, financial management and fundraising, team building and cohesion, and board governance and compliance.
The members of the first Nonprofit Leadership Cohort are:
- Alex Hertzer, Executive Director, Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition
- Angelica Diaz, Executive Director, Organización Cívica y Cultural Hispana Americana Inc.
- Audrey Novotny, CEO, Trumbull Mobile Meals
- Bryant L. Youngblood, Jr., Founder, Evolve Innovation Center
- Christopher Colón, Executive Director, Thrive Mahoning Valley / Northeast Ohio Regional Director, Ohio Environmental Council & OEC Action Fund
- Deon Stubbs, Founder and CEO, Hyer Merit Association
- Elisa Nicole Hosey, Re-Entry Support Specialist, Home for Good Re-Entry Center
- Jalaya Provitt, High School Program Coordinator, Inspiring Minds
- Kevin Stringer, Community Engagement Coordinator, Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership
- Lea Dotson, Co-founder, Warren Forward
- Markisha Parker, Executive Director, Parker Farms
- Melissa Phillips, Executive Director, Sunshine-Warren Homes
- Michaela Write, Mission Officer, YWCA Mahoning Valley
- Norman Carter, Founder and Executive Director, The Carter House Inc.
- Violeta Aguirre, Community Engagement Manager, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp.
“We’re pleased to have an incredible group of leaders who are focused on racial equity, organizational success and enhancing the quality of life here in the Mahoning Valley,” said Fallon Peterson, Senior Director of Programs and Operations at the Wean Foundation.
The Wean Foundation established the Nonprofit Leadership Cohort to expand leadership opportunities for nonprofit professionals, with an emphasis on Black, Hispanic and Latinx individuals, to promote equitable compensation practices and expand the capacity of Mahoning Valley nonprofits. It builds on the success of the Wean Foundation’s former Emerging Leaders program, a collaborative learning exchange that began in 2013 and engaged more than 80 Mahoning Valley leaders. Adjustments were made to ensure continuity and sustainability of the Nonprofit Leadership Cohort and—most importantly—to offer individuals who go through the program the chance to connect to future opportunities for growth.
After completing the Nonprofit Leadership Cohort, which is at no cost to individuals or their nonprofit organizations, participants will have the opportunity to apply for a Wean Foundation Strategic Partners Fellowship. The fellowship enables individuals to grow within their organizations and ensures they are fairly compensated for their advancement. This effectively expands the Strategic Partners Fellowship program, established in 2022, from two to up to 10 fellows working at Mahoning Valley nonprofits that align with the Wean Foundation’s strategic priorities.
About The Raymond John Wean Foundation
Established in 1949, the Wean Foundation is dedicated to community building in the under-resourced communities of Warren and Youngstown in Ohio’s Mahoning Valley. The Wean Foundation leverages a dynamic combination of grantmaking, capacity building, convening and partnerships to provoke new thinking, strengthen communities and disrupt the status quo to achieve its vision: empowered residents creating an equitable Mahoning Valley. Visit weanfoundation.org to learn more.
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