Meet the Spring 2023 Micron Nonprofit Leaders of Color Fellows
Posted in News Story
Joliz Cedeño, Managing Director, Code Nation
Joliz Cedeño (she/her) is a lifelong advocate for her community and has blended her interest in technology with her passion for youth development as the Managing Director of Code Nation, a New York City-based organization that equips students in under-resourced high schools with the skills, experiences, and connections that together create access to careers in technology. As a nonprofit leader and a Latina from the South Bronx, Joliz has a laser focus to provide equitable opportunity for young people from historically underrepresented groups.
Shonali Ditz, Co-Founder & Co-Director, SparkShop
Shonali Ditz is the co-founder and co-director of SparkShop, a Chicago non-profit that brings engineering into 4th and 5th grade classrooms. She graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Manufacturing and Design Engineering. After working in the automotive and motorsports industry, she and her co-founder launched SparkShop to make engineering more accessible to Chicago students. To date, they have reached over 5000 students.
Dr. Marsha Francis, Executive Director, STE(A)M Truck
Dr. Marsha Francis is an accomplished and nationally recognized educational leader with almost 2 decades working toward educational equity. She is the Executive Director of STE(A)M Truck, a STEM education nonprofit, following her role as the Executive Director of Talent Management at the Clarke County School District in Athens, Georgia, where she leveraged her knowledge of equitable educational practices, stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning to support district initiatives.
Heather Hairston, Executive Director, Girls Inc., Washington Metro Area
Serving public and charter schools in Washington D.C., Prince George’s County, Maryland, and Philadelphia over the past 20 years, Heather Hairston developed a passion for improving outcomes for students and communities, through leveraging innovation and community partnerships to promote advocacy within her community. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Girls Inc. of the Washington Metro Area, advancing programs and new opportunities that focus on inspiring all girls and young women to be strong, smart, and bold.
Dr. Calvin Mackie, Founder & CEO, STEM NOLA
Dr. Calvin Mackie is the Founder and CEO of STEM NOLA, an organization that aims to grow future innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs through inspiration, engagement, and exposure to opportunities in the STEM fields. Since 2014, STEM NOLA has delivered high-quality culturally, environmentally, and developmentally appropriate STEM programs to more than 100,000 children, 20,000 families, and 5,150 schools, across 47 states and five countries. Dr. Mackie’s life’s work is to ensure that students of color from low income communities have the support they need to pursue future education and careers in STEM – and the significant economic and academic opportunity they bring.
Edgar Palacios, Founder, Latinx Education Collaborative & Revolución Educativa
Edgar J. Palacios is the Founder of the Latinx Education Collaborative (LEC) and Revolucion Educativa, nonprofits cohesively working together to increase the representation of Latinos in education. He is also currently pursuing his Doctorate in Education at Kansas State University, and serves as a cohort member of the Deeper Learning and Equity Fellowship and the City Leadership Fellowship.
Kathryn Procope, Executive Director, Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science
As the executive director of the Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science in Washington D.C., Kathryn Procope is responsible for strategically guiding this nonprofit charter middle school ensuring that the students in the 6th through 8th grades achieve academic excellence with a focus on STEM. She facilitates the partnerships with the schools on the Howard University campus, providing middle school students with opportunities to expand their learning in college classrooms. Education is a second career for Kathryn, having spent over 30 years in information technology.
Briana Webster Campbell, Managing Director, No Kid Hungry Center for Best Practices
Briana Webster Campbell is the Managing Director of the No Kid Hungry Center for Best Practices at Share Our Strength. She’s worked for nearly two decades at mission-driven organizations striving to make our nation more equitable and just for all. In her current role, she oversees the Center’s training and technical assistance initiatives and manages a team of child nutrition experts responsible for identifying and sharing best practices in expanding access to federal nutrition programs, developing tools and resources that facilitate program improvement and access, and fostering systems change efforts.