Our Leadership
NLC’s staff, board of directors, and senior volunteers provide support to our local chapters and direct the strategy for the organization.
Meet our Team
Our staff – the overwhelming majority who are alumni of the New Leaders Council Institute – supports our chapters, caucuses, senior volunteers, and Fellows across the country.
Board of Directors
Representing a wide-range of industries and experiences, our board of directors supports our national network of local changemakers.
Karen Pandy-Cherry
(She/Her/Hers)
Acting NLC President and CEO
NLC Broward ’16
NLC Broward ’16
Michael Toland
(He/Him/His)
Interim NLC Board Chair
NLC Columbus ’18
Sr. Product Management,
Test Double
Founder of Converge Consulting LLC
NLC Columbus ’18
Sr. Product Management,
Test Double
Founder of Converge Consulting LLC
Rhianon DeLeeuw
(She/Her/Hers)
Interim NLC Vice-Chair
NLC Arkansas Co-Founder
Sr. Vice President, Enterprise Strategy and Innovation, Walmart
NLC Arkansas Co-Founder
Sr. Vice President, Enterprise Strategy and Innovation, Walmart
Ty Lim
(He/Him/His)
NLC Board Treasurer
NLC San Francisco ’18
Chief of Staff & Head of Legal Ops, Lyft
NLC San Francisco ’18
Chief of Staff & Head of Legal Ops, Lyft
Sherry Merfish
(She/Her/Hers)
NLC Executive Committee Member
Community and Political Activist
Community and Political Activist
Mark Walsh
(He/Him/his)
NLC Executive Committee
NLC Board Chair Emeritus
Managing Director, Ruxton Ventures, LLC
NLC Board Chair Emeritus
Managing Director, Ruxton Ventures, LLC
Chris Kelly
(He/Him/His)
NLC Executive Committee
NLC Board Chair Emeritus
Founder of Kelly Ventures
Co-Owner at Sacramento Kings
NLC Board Chair Emeritus
Founder of Kelly Ventures
Co-Owner at Sacramento Kings
Justin Braz
(He/Him/His)
NLC Board Member
NLC New Jersey Co-Founder
Managing Director, MAD Global Strategy
NLC New Jersey Co-Founder
Managing Director, MAD Global Strategy
Raymonde Charles
(She/Her/Hers)
NLC Board Member
Vice President of Communications, Education & Venture, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Vice President of Communications, Education & Venture, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Wendy Davis
(She/Her/Hers)
NLC Board Member
Sr. Adviser, Planned Parenthood Texas Votes
Former TX State Senate
Sr. Adviser, Planned Parenthood Texas Votes
Former TX State Senate
Robert Abernethy
(He/Him/His)
NLC Board Member
Chairman, American Standard Development Company
Chairman, American Standard Development Company
Donnie Fowler
(He/Him/His)
NLC Board Member
Director, Innovation Campaign, Meta
Director, Innovation Campaign, Meta
Adela Ghadimi
(She/Her/Hers)
NLC Board Member
NLC Tallahassee ’16
Executive Director, United Faculty of Florida
2023 Obama Leader USA
PhD, Public Administration & Policy
NLC Tallahassee ’16
Executive Director, United Faculty of Florida
2023 Obama Leader USA
PhD, Public Administration & Policy
David Lee
(He/Him/His)
NLC Board Member
President & Co-Founder, Texas Signal
President & Co-Founder, Texas Signal
Derrick Lewis
(He/Him/His)
NLC Board Member
Global Head of Cyber Advisory Services, Liberty Mutual
Global Head of Cyber Advisory Services, Liberty Mutual
Tim Mason
(He/Him/His)
NLC Board Member
NLC Broward Co-Founder
Director, Energy & Mitigation, Energy & Environment Program, The Aspen Institute
NLC Broward Co-Founder
Director, Energy & Mitigation, Energy & Environment Program, The Aspen Institute
Liz McElroy
(She/Her/Hers)
NLC Board Member
Vice President, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
Vice President, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
Charisse Price
(She/Her/Hers)
NLC Board Member
NLC Atlanta ’15
Senior Project Consultant, Philadelphia Water Dept
NLC Atlanta ’15
Senior Project Consultant, Philadelphia Water Dept
Nick Rathod
(He/Him/His)
NLC Board Member
President of Impact, People of Culture Studios
President of Impact, People of Culture Studios
Gabriel Tanglao
(He/Him/His)
NLC Board Member
NLC New Jersey ’17
Manager for Human and Civil Rights Department, National Education Association
NLC New Jersey ’17
Manager for Human and Civil Rights Department, National Education Association
Kellan White
(He/Him/His)
NLC Board Member
NLC Philadelphia ’13
VP Campaigns, Policy and Strategy, Groundwork Strategies
NLC Philadelphia ’13
VP Campaigns, Policy and Strategy, Groundwork Strategies
Advisory Council
Our Advisory Council is made up of cross-country, cross-sector leaders who bring their experience and perspectives to NLC and expand our network.
Raul M. Alvillar
(He/Him/His)
Executive Vice President at Resolute; Chair of the Sixteen Thirty Fund Board
Laphonza Butler
(She/Her/Hers)
President, EMILY’s List
Sandy Clark
(She/Her/Hers)
CEO of StoryCorps
Caroline Fayard
(She/Her/Hers)
Managing Member, Fayard Law Firm LLC
Suneel Gupta
(He/Him/His)
Author of “Backable”
Errin Haines
(She/Her/Hers)
Editor at large and founding mother of The 19th
Hari Kondabolu
(He/Him/His)
Comedian and Activist
Hanh Le
She/her
Vice President of if, A Foundation for Radical Possibility
Nasir Qadree
(He/Him/His)
NLC Boston ‘12; Founder of Zeal Capital Partners
Debra Schifrin
(She/Her/Hers)
Lecturer, Stanford Graduate School of Business
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