United Way of the Greater Triangle Names Next “10 To Watch” Nonprofit Leaders In The Triangle
United Way of the Greater Triangle today announced its second cohort of “10 to Watch,” leaders selected for their proven impact within their communities and unique potential to shape the future of the Triangle. The inaugural program was launched in 2018 to address racial, gender, and resource disparities in local nonprofit leadership by empowering local communities, amplifying the voices of under-represented and under-resourced nonprofit leaders, and preparing the broader community for these leaders’ continued success.
The initiative invests more than a half million dollars over two years — $25K invested in each leader and organization per year — in ten high-impact organizations in the Greater Triangle led by Black, Latinx, and/or Woman leaders. In addition, United Way is collaborating with Leadership Triangle to offer rigorous leadership development opportunities, including Leadership Triangle’s “Transforming Leaders” program beginning in September and “Transforming Teams” program in spring 2022.
10 to Watch is made possible by generous contributions from corporate partners including Citrix, Coastal Credit Union, Deloitte, Eaton, F.M. Kirby Foundation, Google Fiber, and NetApp.
The 2021-2023 10 to Watch Leaders are:
- Annie Schmidt – NAMI Wake County
- To learn more about NAMI Wake County, visit nami-wake.org.
- Geraud Staton – The Helius Foundation
- To learn more about The Helius Foundation, visit heliusnc.org.
- Jenice Ramirez – ISLA
- To learn more about ISLA, visit laislaschool.org.
- Joy Spencer – Equity Before Birth
- To learn more about Equity Before Birth, visit equitybeforebirth.com.
- Nora El-Khouri Spencer, MSW – Hope Renovations
- To learn more about Hope Renovations, visit hoperenovations.org.
- Ronda Taylor Bullock, PhD – we are
- To learn more about we are, visit weare-nc.org.
- Tameka S. Brown – H.E.A.R.T.S.
- To learn more about H.E.A.R.T.S., visit heartsnc.org.
- Tojan B. Rahhal, Ph.D, LL.M – Engineering World Health
- To learn more about Engineering World Health, visit ewh.org.
- Tolulope Omokaiye – EVOLVE Mentoring
- To learn more about EVOLVE Mentoring, visit mbkwakeco.org.
- Tova Hairston – Boomerang Youth
- To learn more about Boomerang Youth, visit boomerangyouth.org.
“Historically, philanthropy has predetermined what successful nonprofit leadership and organizations look like. This has led to the diversity and equity disparities that we experience today,” explains Nick Allen, United Way’s Chief Program Officer. “10 to Watch seeks to disrupt that structure by intentionally investing in the under-represented and under-resourced nonprofit leaders so that they lead the charge in redefining, for the Triangle, success in community impact and the look of transformational leadership.”
The investment in 10 to Watch is part of United Way’s broader funding strategy. Earlier this year, the organization announced plans to invest $5.075M in more than 85 local nonprofit organizations and collaboratives over the next fiscal year in support of its mission to eradicate poverty and increase social mobility through the power of partnerships. These community investments represent a 43.7% year-over-year increase in funding grants as well as a 64% increase in grants awarded to BIPOC-led organizations. A full list of awarded grantees can be found at United Way of the Greater Triangle’s website.
“Leadership education is long overdue for a shake up. Because our business systems traditionally prioritize hierarchy, biased standards of professionalism, and ‘leader knows best’ mentality, so has our leadership education. And that perpetuates this problem where great, innovative leaders are pushed aside and under-resourced because they don’t match what society has decided is most valuable,” said Kristine Sloan, Executive Director of Leadership Triangle. “In order to see transformational outcomes in the Triangle community, we need to be supporting and investing in leaders who break these norms and lead through new paradigms. The 10 to Watch cohort represents that leadership, and we are excited to collaborate and co-design with them over the next 15 months.”
Local leaders named to the inaugural 10 to Watch list include Maggie Kane (A Place at the Table), Ricky Hurtado (LatinxEd), Dr. Will Jackson (Village of Wisdom), and more.