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December 1, 2022

Program aims for more diverse nonprofit leadership 

PHOTO | Dexter Atlas Photographer Participants of the 2022 Cohort for Nonprofit Leadership Program. (L-R) Top row: Tamara Clayton, Crystal Fernández, Lorrice Grant, Catherine John, Sandra McKinnie. Bottom row: Yakeita Robinson, Hossna Samadi, Keith Smith, Jaquanna Soules, Dina Tareq.
By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven in partnership with the University of Connecticut recently announced the 2022 participants for its Nonprofit Management Program for Emerging Leaders of Color.

The second cohort of members will participate in a two-year leadership and career development program, geared to create new and more diverse leadership in Greater New Haven’s nonprofit community, according to Jackie Downing, senior director of grantmaking and nonprofit support at the foundation.

“We were energized by the first cohort of emerging leaders and learned along with them how to make the program even stronger," said Downing. 

The program, according to Downing, focuses on building leadership and practical skills of people of color who are already part of the local nonprofit workforce and aspire to senior positions. 

“Our intention is to help create a pipeline for new, more diverse leadership in Greater New Haven’s nonprofit community," Downing added.

The program kicked off in September when the 2022 cohort met to attend the first in a series of training sessions by UConn’s School of Public Policy. The lesson plans will include a variety of topics including racial equity and system change, leading and cultivating strategic partnerships, community engagement, strategic planning, budgeting, advocacy, fundraising and communications.

The foundation provides grants to the participants' employers to compensate them for the cohort participants' absence from their jobs during training.

Participants will receive undergraduate or graduate credit and a $1,000 scholarship toward future studies at UConn.

After the UConn training, participants will lead their organizations in an organizational assessment and help implement recommended changes.

The 2022 cohort participants are:  

  • Tamara Clayton, Canal Dock Boathouse, Inc. 
  • Crystal Fernández, New Haven Ecology Project 
  • Lorrice Grant, Haven’s Harvest
  • Catherine John, Diaper Bank of Connecticut
  • Sandra McKinnie, Greater New Haven Business and Professional Association
  • Yakeita Robinson, LEAP
  • Hossna Samadi, Sanctuary Kitchen, CitySeed 
  • Keith Smith, The Country School; Sacred Heart University 
  • Jaquanna Soules, The Connecticut Women's Consortium, Inc. 
  • Dina Tareq, Havenly

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