September 5, 2024

I love us!! New Leaders Council alumni are forging progress and change in rooms across the country. We are a Community Leadership Movement built on the relationships of over 13,000 alumni from across identities, industries, and issue areas. As one of our donor partners put it “NLC talks to everyone, everywhere, all the time”. For this, and so many other reasons, I am honored to be the new Acting President & CEO of New Leaders Council.

When I applied to NLC Broward in 2016, I was looking for a way to magnify and multiply my efforts to effect positive change in my community. I was doing it for one of the most basic reasons I believe we all share. I wanted my children and loved ones to be safe and have access to every opportunity they desired. From school massacres, to police involved murders of black people, and the epidemic of fake news, I was looking for a place to trade in my anxiety for action. I found NLC.

Although my titles have changed over the years: Mentorship Chair, LEAD Trainer, Millennial Compact Author, Black Caucus Co-Founder, Spark!Talk Presenter, Coach, Vice President of Programs…my passion and commitment remain the same. The challenges facing us today are complex, but I believe in the collective power of the NLC community to create solutions. My intention for NLC is to be the engine that drives forward the new kind of leadership our loved ones and communities desperately need – leadership that is bold, innovative, compassionate, and, most importantly, grounded in equity.

My vision for NLC is ambitious: to scale our work in a way that deepens our impact while expanding our reach and strengthening our brand. We’ve already begun laying the groundwork for this, with programming that speaks to the urgent needs of today and prepares our Fellows for the evolving landscape of tomorrow. 

We’ll continue refining our flagship NLC Institute, offering thoughtful, equity-centered leadership training that is both accessible and inclusive. But we’re not stopping there. I’m committed to ensuring NLC becomes a lifelong resource for our alumni, offering continuing education, leadership coaching, and networking opportunities so that we become the essential community for progressive leaders. In the coming weeks we will launch new alumni engagement campaigns including NLC100, #IAmNLC, and NLC Tracks. 

To everyone reading this: I invite you to join us on this journey. Whether you’re a current or prospective Fellow, an alumni, a supporter, or simply someone who believes in the power of inclusive leadership, your role in this movement matters. Together, we can create a future where every voice is heard, every community is valued, and leadership reflects the true diversity of our world.

Let’s trade our anxiety for action. Let’s build the future together.

June 16, 2024

Happy Father’s Day! We asked New Leaders Council dads what advice they’d share about parenting in Fathers & The Future: Raising The Next Gen. This special “fatherly” edition of our blog features alumni Brian Nicklas Rosario (NLC Los Angeles 2013), Derrick M. Rainey (NLC Arkansas 2023) and Alan Campbell (NLC Atlanta 2020).

Brian Nicklas Rosario (NLC Los Angeles 2013)

“Every morning I ask my kids, What does greatness require? And they answer (E)nergy, (A)ttitude, and (T)oughness, using the acronym GREAT: Greatness Requires Energy Attitude Toughness.

I believe it’s important that we teach our kids the attributes to be successful while normalizing failing. Failing is creating the opportunity to respond to the journey towards mastery.”

Derrick M. Rainey (NLC Arkansas 2023)

“Parenting is not biological. As I’ve had countless “parents” guiding me throughout my life. Being a father is an honor and a choice. I’m grateful to my father and seek to be the best man and father I can because of his example. My daughter brings life, structure and even greater meaning to my life.

Choose to father not only biological children but those placed in your life as mentees by parenting them to greatness. As I expressed to the graduates of NLC Arkansas ‘24, if we do this right, then we’ll cultivate generational legacy for NLC ‘44 and beyond. Being a father has the same, if not greater impact.”

Alan Campbell (NLC Atlanta 2020)

“Being a father has taught me to listen , adapt and understand. Fatherhood isn’t so much a title as it is a journey to becoming everything that your child needs and more.”

May 12, 2024

Happy Mother’s Day! We asked New Leaders Council moms what advice they’d share about parenting in Moms & Movers: Shaping Our Future Leaders. This special “motherly” edition of our blog features alumni Tamira Samuel (NLC Houston 2021), Brittany Cook (NLC Kentucky 2015) and Melissa Rift (NLC Kentucky 2021), Heather Hudson (NLC Rhode Island 2013), Maxine Rebeles (NLC South TX Frontera 2021), and Madison Louis (NLC Boston 2019).

Tamira Samuel (NLC Houston 2021)

“I teach my kids to see every moment as a valuable teacher rather than a failure or success. It’s very important that children are not only resilient, but learn humility and grace to be their best and take the right lessons forward in life.”

Brittany Cook (NLC Kentucky 2015) and Melissa Rift (NLC Kentucky 2021)

“Our greatest lesson in leadership to share with Little E is to build your community! We are grateful for ours as they have already gathered around us with tremendous joy and care.”

Heather Hudson (NLC Rhode Island 2013)

“I have the honor, joy and responsibility of raising two little girls (Cora, 4 and Junie, 2). While the day to day can often be a relentless grind, there are distinct moments in which the life of a mother and my profession of advocating for state policies to increase access to postsecondary education come together. The other night I took my 2-year-old to a fundraiser for Senator T’waina Nobles, the first Black female legislator in a nearby district. Start them young!”

Maxine Rebeles (NLC South TX Frontera 2021)

Being a single mother, teacher, veteran, and activist is never easy. I wish I would’ve read “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz sooner than I did, but when we know better we, do better, and we MUST continue to do better WHEREVER we can. I may not be a perfect mother, but I did the best I could with what I knew at the time. Teaching our kids to love themselves and do better than we did is all we can do when our babies have lives of their own. They may not see what we are trying to do, but neither did most of us when we were their age. Some cycles won’t be broken, and we may end up creating more, but that is life; We live, learn, win, lose, laugh, cry, and so much more. Never give in to the war within!”

Madison Louis (NLC Boston 2019)

“We often hear about how challenging it is to be a working parent because, of course, it is true – it is hard! You have at minimum two full time jobs where you are required to give your 100% (irrespective of what you need to do for you) and, at the very least, one of those jobs is always dynamic.

But there is a positive side too.

Of course, there is the role modeling for your kids (which work is but just one of many ways parents can lead by example), but I believe that by being required to have heavy investments in two different areas – whether that is parenting and working, or volunteering and being an aunt extraordinaire, or whatever your two hats may be – affords us the opportunity to work to be the best versions of ourselves at an accelerated rate because every day you work on both.

The juggling act of parenting has made me approach work differently; I work with greater empathy, greater efficiency, refined prioritization, and less fret. And my work shapes what I talk about with my kids, what experiences they may have because of what I do, and can at times be – just as is parenting toddlers – a test in patience. It’s how we react in those moments of stress or difference that can be character defining, that can leave a lasting impression, whether positive or less so, on your child or coworker.

With two full time jobs, one is given the opportunity for a whole lot of practice in patience, listening, and understanding. This whole lot of practice can be exactly that – a lot – but through it, new opportunities come, new synergies blossom, and a person, constantly working to be the best they can be, emerges too.

Happy day to everyone caring for others and investing in different areas of their lives. Go You Go :)”

April 5, 2024

The review team assessed each application carefully and made the difficult decision to select only six NLC Facilitators based on their level of experience and alignment with ELP participant backgrounds. The Facilitators are joined by two NLC Program Consultants who support NLC HQ with facilitator support, program design and implementation.

The team of eight alumni span seven different NLC chapters and a variety of backgrounds including the public sector, nonprofit, advocacy, and education. Combined, they have over 70 years of experience beyond their NLC Fellowship, with many having served in leadership roles with their local chapter and nationally with NLC, including serving on the National Board of Directors.

Facilitators play a crucial role in guiding ELP participants through a transformative learning journey designed to enhance their executive leadership experience, expand their professional network, and foster personal growth.

“This is such an exciting moment in time for NLC where we get to provide a valuable service to an external group of really great nonprofit professionals, partner with the amazing folx from The Allstate Foundation, and open up an incredible paid opportunity for our NLC alumni to utilize their extensive skills in an impactful way,” says Karen Pandy-Cherry, NLC VP of Programs.

While this pilot program is the first of its kind, it will not be the last. New Leaders Council is excited to be able to offer more opportunities to NLC alumni in the future.

About the Program:

The Elevate: Spring Pilot Program for ELP Alumni is a virtual-only program that will run April – June 2024. Participants in the program are nonprofit executives who are alumni of The Allstate Foundation’s Executive Leadership Program designed to help ELP alumni (The Allstate Foundation alumni):

• Build meaningful relationships and form ongoing support networks
• Realign / reinvigorate their leadership journey
• Facilitate best practice sharing

We invite you to meet our facilitators:

Daniel Edelman (NLC New York City 2017)

Daniel Munczek Edelman (he/him) builds organizations, improves government performance, and creates effective climate and economic policy. He currently works at a policy implementation consulting firm, Delivery Associates, where he co-leads Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities with a coalition of national nonprofits to help 25 U.S. cities take action at the intersection of climate change and racial wealth equity. He has managed policy and programmatic portfolios across climate and energy, economic and workforce development, criminal justice reform, transportation, and government innovation in several state and local governments, and he helped build a startup think tank that engages directly impacted communities in policy development and advocacy. He has written on the above issues and DEI in the policy sector in The Nation, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Yale Environment 360, and elsewhere. A native New Yorker, Daniel began his career working as a teacher and in a social services agency.

Yuh Wen Ling (NLC Washington DC 2013)

Born in Singapore and raised on the Jersey Shore, Yuh Wen Ling (she/her) has a profound appreciation for air conditioning and Bruce Springsteen. After working in public finance investment banking in Chicago and then in public health NGOs across Europe and Asia, Yuh Wen has served in the Federal civil service since 2009. She currently leads operations for the Division of Research, Monitoring & Regulations at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Yuh Wen is energized by service – particularly as a Volunteer Tax Preparer, a national volunteer for the New Leaders Council, and as a leadership coach to first-generation professionals. She is a graduate of the University of Chicago (BA)  and Princeton University (MPA). Yuh Wen enjoys yoga and meditation, travel, and is always game to eat her way through the DC suburbs or philosophize over sports. Her proudest achievement to date is to be her parents’ daughter.

David Rini (NLC Boston 2014)

Dave Rini is a facilitator, public speaking trainer, sexual violence activist, and attorney. His training work focuses on helping non-profit and mission-driven organizations communicate their values and purpose with conviction and clarity. During his 16 years teaching oral communication and facilitating groups, Dave has worked with groups like Boston University, the New Leaders Council, the Asian-American Women’s Political Initiative, The Boston Foundation, and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights. In his full-time role, Dave is the Systems Advocacy Senior Director at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, where he is responsible for managing high-level relationships with institutional actors in the Boston area. He holds a B.S. in communication from Boston University and a J.D. from Northeastern University. He lives in Watertown, Massachusetts, with his partner, daughter, and Maltese dog.

Sonia Sarkar (NLC Boston 2015)

Sonia Sarkar is the founder of Healing Capital, an initiative that advises community-based and systems change organizations on health systems transformation through a racial and economic equity lens. Previously, she served as Chief Policy and Engagement Officer for the Baltimore City Health Department.

Sonia is a Truman Scholar, and in 2017 she was named one of forty Culture of Health Leaders by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for her commitment to approaching the multidisciplinary work of health through an equity lens.

She holds B.A. degrees in public health and international studies from Johns Hopkins University, and an MPH and DrPH from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She is also a published poet and author, with work appearing in Health Affairs, Slate, the American Journal of Nursing and the Bellevue Literary Review, among others. Sonia is from Austin, TX and currently resides in Baltimore, MD.

Nicole Aghaaliandastjerdi (NLC Kentucky 2014)

Nicole Aghaaliandastjerdi (she/her) is a Social Justice Practitioner with a background in litigation and corporate law, information security, strategic planning, campaign management, political consulting, and executive coaching. Nicole has used her experience to help organizations, nonprofits, candidates, and individuals realize their full potential while keeping equity, justice, and fairness at the core of all they do.

Nicole is a proud alumna of New Leaders Council, Emerge Kentucky, the National Democratic Training Committee Staff Academy, and the Kentucky Survivors’ Council. Nicole also founded Building Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to serving women who experienced intimate partner violence, and Meta Collective, a political consulting firm. Currently, she serves on the Jefferson County School Board Policy Committee and as Co-Director of New Leaders Council Kentucky.  

Nicole obtained her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Louisville and remains in Louisville where she was active in the Breonna Taylor movement.

Lucerito Ortiz (NLC Los Angeles 2016)

Lucerito is: the proud daughter of immigrant parents from Guatemala and Mexico, native Angeleno, data nerd, foodie, Lime Hot Cheeto connoisseur, escape room lover, and very easily distracted by dogs. Lucerito has always been incredibly passionate about issues of social justice, access and equity, and she currently serves as a Partner at Promise54, a non-profit talent and DEI consulting organization. Her previous experiences include Senior Manager of Data and Impact and Escalera Manager at UnidosUS, Education Pioneers Fellow at The Broad Center for the Management of School Systems, and Senior Admissions Officer at Harvard College. She also served as co-director and board member of the New Leaders Council, Los Angeles. Lucerito holds a BA in Social Studies with a focus on race and education from Harvard College, and an M.Ed. in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Gabriel Tanglao (NLC New Jersey 2017)

Gabriel A. Tanglao (he/him) is an educator at heart, activist in spirit, and organizer in practice, who is deeply committed to advancing racial, social, and economic justice throughout our social change ecosystem.

He started his career as a passionate public educator in a culturally rich community, and quickly became active in his union at the local, state, national, and global levels. This work led to a powerful multiracial, multigenerational, movement-building journey as Associate Director with the New Jersey Education Association. Gabriel’s activism extended cross-sector to the dynamic New Leaders Council community having served on the National Board of Directors and as Chair of the National Diversity Committee.

Gabriel now serves as Manager in the Human and Civil Rights Department with the National Education Association, the largest labor union in the country, to advance racial and social justice throughout our public school system and ultimately change the world.

Adela Ghadimi (NLC Tallahassee 2016)

Adela Ghadimi is the Executive Director of United Faculty of Florida. She recently completed her doctorate in Public Administration and Policy from the Askew School at Florida State University. Adela is in the inaugural cohort of the Obama Leaders USA program.  

The proud daughter of immigrants, Adela has always wanted to serve others in any way she can. She is the Chair of the Tallahassee/Leon County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls (CSWG). Adela served on the Tallahassee Affordable Housing Commission and completed service on the 2020 Leon County Complete Count Census Committee. Prior to relocating to Tallahassee, Adela lived in Washington, DC and worked in education policy and government relations, with prior professional experience in nonprofits, grassroots organizing and political campaigns. Adela has a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and completed undergraduate studies with a triple major at the University of Miami.

March 5, 2024

Our community needs a different kind of leader – NOW – people with the same challenges we face on a daily basis. New Leaders Council believes that to create the equitable country we aspire to be, we must build power among the leaders closest to their communities’ lived experiences. These leaders do not remain complacent in a world full of injustice and inequality and, although they have immense potential, they have been historically excluded from leadership pipelines. These leaders are the people who change the world! These leaders are NLC!

NLC Fellows and alumni are the kind of people our world needs: those committed to promoting inclusion, diversity, and equity; those who center their values; those who work collaboratively with diverse groups of people. They engage, inspire, and motivate others. They are a new kind of leader.

In 2023, NLC’s Programs and Operations team expanded its procedures to create deeper and more intentional support for volunteers and alumni in chapters all across the country. Support came in the form of better financial tracking, improved resources for chapter boards to run the NLC Institute, one-on-one conversations that supported chapters in local board management, and streamlining a variety of processes to increase sustainability.

In 2023 NLC HQ also prioritized rest and denounced systemically oppressive hustle culture by shifting our programs to meet chapters at their level of capacity. The unofficial theme for the Programs and Operations team for the year was “go small, to grow big”. We made the strategic decision to create new categories for chapters, including energize (chapters in a year of rebuilding) and legacy (chapters with alumni, but no active board)*.

The NLC Programs and Operations team is excited to continue building programs and systems that put our leaders first. We thank our amazing volunteers, alumni, and supporters who continue to give their time and resources to further NLC’s mission. With the problems our country faces, our community doesn’t have the luxury of waiting for one type of leader – some hero – to save us. So we stopped waiting for a hero, and we built a movement.

Together we will continue to build a new kind of leadership.

March 5, 2024

New Leaders Council Fellows and alumni are amazing and brilliant leaders, and I’m grateful to have met so many of them during my NLC journey. As a 2013 NLC Atlanta Fellow who became Finance Co-Chair of my chapter, a Convention speaker, and most recently Vice Chair of NLC’s National Board of Directors, I’ve been able to learn, serve and develop in so many ways.

Today, I am taking all of those lessons with me as I continue to advance the mission of our organization as NLC’s first alumni, first woman, and first Black woman to serve as the National Board Chair. We acknowledge through 2023, that never before have we had such a ripe opportunity to make an impact through NLC and we are moving forward in growing our network with a bold, bright vision.

As I reflect on the state of our country and our future, I also remember that locally and across the country, NLC alumni are on the frontlines strategizing and implementing solutions to ensure gender-affirming health care; voter access; the work of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility; and environmental justice.

As they have been in previous years, NLC alumni were everywhere, advancing progress in every industry and issue-area across the country in 2023.

Our model is deep-rooted as a community leadership movement and we know it’s not about lifting up the singular, charismatic individual, but the work of each of us that ensures a world with opportunity for all. As the new NLC Board Chair, I look forward to our continued collective impact.

March 5, 2024

New Leaders Council (“NLC”) is on the cutting edge of shaping democracy and bringing a new kind of leadership to communities all across the country. We train the people who change the world!

2023 marked another year of intentional, strategic growth for NLC. In my fourth year as President and CEO, I am excited to report that we continue to invest in building the infrastructure and professional scaffolding that is allowing us to increase support for our Fellows and alumni networks for increased impact nationwide. The work we do in NLC is needed now more than ever because our community’s challenges are wider and deeper than the current civic leadership pipelines can reach, especially as our rights and freedoms continue to be stripped away. Now is the time for radical collaboration!

In 2023, NLC focused its efforts on continuing to cultivate ecosystems that collaborate for change, and serve as the connective network and infrastructure that spans different types of civic missions and leaders. I am proud to say that 2023 also laid the foundation for a new era in NLC, with the welcoming of a new National Board Chair, Candace Stanciel (NLC ATL ‘13), first alumni, first woman, and first Black woman to hold the position.

New Leaders Council alumni are in every room, across every corner of our country. In state capitals, leading their own organizations, opening doors wide for their communities, and building spaces that haven’t been designed yet. With over 18 years of training and connecting leaders in cross-sector industries, New Leaders Council has built a movement of proximate leaders that center equity and create positive impact in local communities across the country. For this year’s Annual Report, we reflect back on how NLC continues to advocate for change where change is needed.

February 12, 2024

We interviewed four New Leaders Council spouses about how they serve as Partners in Leadership and Love! This special “love” edition of our blog features couples Alessandra Biaggi (NLC New York City 2015) and Nathaniel Koloc (NLC New York City 2015) and Ciji Townsend (NLC Louisiana 2015) and Travis Townsend (NLC Atlanta 2010).

Alessandra Biaggi (NLC New York City 2015) and Nathaniel Koloc (NLC New York City 2015)

Alessandra and Nathaniel met during their NLC New York City Fellowship in January 2015. They have been married since 2019 and just welcomed a new baby boy.

Celebrating Achievements

How do you celebrate each other’s successes, both in your personal and professional lives?

We make it a point to have a special dinner together to celebrate anything major. On a day to day basis, we have a habit of asking each other what we can do to support the other one, especially during crunch times or busy weeks. We make gratitude a daily feature. At career crossroads moments, we always consult each other and make each other’s inputs the last thing we consider before making a big decision. 

Can you share a memorable moment where you both felt particularly proud of each other?

When our baby boy Hart was born, we both felt very proud of how the other had shown up for each other during a difficult pregnancy.

NSK: Alessandra had been through so many physical symptoms while pregnant, but she had nothing but positive and determined energy for the entire labor and birth. 

AB: Watching Nathaniel become a father and an equal parent is very rewarding and supportive of having a strong marriage and partnership, which is so important.

Advice for Future Leaders

What advice would you give to aspiring leaders about maintaining a strong and supportive marital relationship?

You need to internalize that your partnership is the bedrock supporting everything else, and prioritize it as such. Aside from personally staying healthy, investing intention into your partnership is the best way you can set yourselves up for a better future. It doesn’t mean that every day or week you have to spend the majority of your time together, but it means you always do make time for coming back together and re-centering your relationship.

How important do you think it is for leaders to have a supportive partner?

AB: I would never have accomplished what I did in the New York State Senate without Nathaniel’s constant support. I would literally call him multiple times a day for advice and consultation, and he showed up to it every time. He also chaired my campaign and helped lead the team I put together, which made a big difference in our ability to win.

NSK: When it comes to my career, having a partner who always earnestly encourages me to take the risk vs. play it safe has made a huge difference in what I’ve been able to do, and reinforces the instincts that have led to successes in entrepreneurship and business.

Ciji Townsend (NLC Louisiana 2015) and Travis Townsend (NLC Atlanta 2010)

Ciji and Travis met while volunteering and serving with the Urban League of Greater Atlanta Young Professionals. They have been married since 2017 and are a family of four.

Balancing Roles

As a leader and a spouse, how do you balance these demanding roles? Are there strategies you’ve found particularly effective? What challenges have you faced in managing your time and commitments between your leadership responsibilities and your marriage?

We’ve continued to participate in community driven activities and voluntaryism even after we’ve been married and started our family. In navigating the dual roles of leadership and marriage, it’s been crucial for us to continuously engage in discussions, sometimes over-communicating, to stay aligned with our packed schedules. Weekly check-ins have become a cornerstone for us, a time when we can dive into our commitments and how they might affect our approach to keeping our household running smoothly. It’s a lot about talking things through to ensure we can fulfill our responsibilities while also respecting and honoring our individual passions and pursuits outside the home.

Shared Leadership

Do you and your spouse take on leadership roles in your community together? How does this shared experience impact your relationship?
How do you balance power and decision-making in your relationship?

Absolutely, we have embraced leadership roles in our community together. This has been a vital part of our relationship, helping us remain connected through shared goals and activities. One standout experience has been our participation in Leadership Georgia. We went through the program together, graduated side by side, and now serve as trustees. It’s been an incredible journey. Additionally, we’ve both engaged in similar leadership programs at different times, like LEAD Atlanta and then Travis graduated from Leadership Atlanta.

We both graduated from Leadership Buckhead, are both Outstanding Atlanta honorees, and of course we have participated in New Leaders Council in two different chapters (Louisiana and Atlanta).

This array of experiences, whether shared or individual, has deepened our understanding and appreciation for what each program demands. It has also given us unique insights into balancing power and decision-making in our relationship, as we both have a profound respect for the other’s dedication and achievements in these areas.