Rx Kids Advisory Circle
Goals of the Advisory Circle:
- ADVISE: To advise Rx Kids leadership on fund development, program design, state and national policy, communications, and dissemination.
- PROMOTE: To serve as national ambassadors and buzz generators for Rx Kids and to support connections to donors/funders, media, policymakers, and more.
- LEARN: Advisors will have access to program updates, early research findings, and policy work to learn alongside the Rx Kids team.
Funders & Friends
Natalie Foster, Co-Chair
President, Economic Security Project
Natalie Foster is a leading architect of the movement to build an inclusive and resilient economy that works for all. She’s president and co-founder of the Economic Security Project, a senior fellow at the Aspen Institute Future of Work Initiative, and the author of The Guarantee: Inside the Fight for America’s Next Economy. Natalie speaks and writes regularly on economic security, the future of work, and the new political economy. An unstoppable builder, Natalie previously founded the sharing economy community Peers, co-founded Rebuild the Dream with Van Jones, and served as Digital Director for President Obama’s Organizing for America – a leading partner in winning transformative healthcare reform. A daughter of a preacher from Kansas, Natalie draws on the values of community, dignity, and optimism to build a better America. She lives in Oakland, California, with her husband and two kids.
Neal Hegarty, Co-Chair
Vice President – Programs, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Neal Hegarty is the Mott Foundation’s VP of Programs. He oversees grantmaking in the Foundation’s four program areas and works closely with both senior management and program staff in designing and implementing the Foundation’s grantmaking strategies. Neal joined the Mott Foundation in 2000 and was promoted to program officer three years later, managing grant portfolios in the Flint Area and Pathways Out of Poverty programs. In 2008, he took over as director of the Flint Area program. He was named VP and associate director of Programs in 2011 and the following year, he became Mott’s VP of Programs. Throughout his career, Neal has been an active and enthusiastic participant on many committees and boards, both in service to philanthropy as well as in Mott’s hometown of Flint. Currently, he serves as a trustee of Candid, a nonprofit organization formed as a result of the recent merger of the Foundation Center and GuideStar. He also is a member of the Michigan State University Political Science Advisory Board and the Michigan Office of Foundation Liaison Advisory Committee.
Dorian Warren
Co-President, Community Change
Dorian Warren is Co-President of Community Change & Community Change Action, and co-chair of the Economic Security Project. A progressive scholar, organizer, and media personality, Dorian has worked to advance racial, economic, and social justice for over two decades. He previously held the position of vice president at Community Change. He taught for over a decade at the University of Chicago and Columbia University, where he was co-director of the Columbia University Program on Labor Law and Policy. He also worked at MSNBC, where he was a contributor and host, as well as the executive producer of “Nerding Out” on MSNBC’s digital platform. He serves on the boards of Working Partnerships USA, the Leadership Conference Education Fund Board, the National Employment Law Project, and The Nation magazine, among others.
Aisha Nyandoro
CEO, Springboard to Opportunities
Poverty disruptor Aisha Nyandoro is the Chief Executive Officer of Springboard To Opportunities, which houses the Magnolia Mother’s Trust project in Jackson, Mississippi. In her work, Aisha uses a “radically resident-driven” approach that is designed to improve the quality of life and end the generational poverty trajectory. She is a storyteller whose work and words have been featured in The New York Times, Essence, CNN, MSNBC, and Fast Company. She is a trailblazer and dream chaser who’s been recognized with fellowships at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network and Ascend at the Aspen Institute.
Kimberly Roberson
Flint Area Program Director, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Kimberly Roberson had helped to guide Mott’s hometown grantmaking since 1997 when she joined the Foundation as a consultant with the Flint Area program. She soon became an associate program officer, followed by a program officer in 2003. From 2002 to 2011, Kimberly split her time with the Foundation’s Civil Society program, managing portfolios in race relations and philanthropy, before being named director of the Flint Area program in October 2011. Prior to her career at Mott, Kimberly worked with the Salvation Army, serving in Flint; Albany, New York; and the United Kingdom. Her educational background includes a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College in Ohio, a master’s degree from Yale University, and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Ridgway White
President and CEO, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Ridgway White became president of the Mott Foundation in 2015 as the Flint water crisis was still unfolding. Ridgway led the Foundation’s swift approval of a $4 million grant to help the city reconnect to the Detroit water system and begin the process of bringing clean water back to the community. He subsequently led the charge on Mott’s commitment in 2016 to provide up to $100 million over five years to help the city recover and rise from the crisis — a commitment that was fulfilled in just over four years and subsequently exceeded. Ridgway is a vocal champion of the Foundation’s support for a “one-water” approach to managing the nation’s drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater systems. He is an ardent believer in the power of community foundations to be local leaders of positive change, both in the U.S. and around the world.
Indi Dutta-Gupta
President and ED, CLASP
Prior to joining CLASP, Indivar “Indi” Dutta-Gupta was the co-executive director of the Georgetown Center on Poverty & Inequality (GCPI), where he led work to develop and advance policy recommendations that alleviate poverty and inequality, advance racial and gender equity, and expand economic inclusion for all people in the United States. While at GCPI, he grew the organization’s staff from 1 to 19 and its budget from around $240,000 to $2.75 million. Indi serves as a board member for two nonpartisan groups, Indivisible Civics and the National Academy of Social Insurance, and as an advisor for the Aspen Institute’s Benefits 21 Initiative. Previously, he was a member of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Healthy Children and Families Research Advisory Group, the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Poverty Reduction (Canada), the Research Task Force for the Gates Foundation’s Post-Secondary Value Commission, and the Poverty, Employment, and Economic Self-Sufficiency Network (United States).
Lorella Praeli
Co-President, Community Change
Lorella Praeli is the Co-President of Community Change & Community Change Action. Lorella is passionate about building collective power to win transformative policy change at all levels of government so that people can thrive. Until she joined CC/A in 2019, she was a Deputy National Political Director at the ACLU, where she fought to defend and expand the rights of immigrants and refugees. Prior to joining the ACLU, Lorella mobilized the Latinx vote as Hillary Clinton’s National Latino Vote Director. Lorella moved from Peru to Connecticut with her family at the age of ten. Her life was transformed after coming out as “undocumented and unafraid” and organizing undocumented students to step into their power in Connecticut. She then served as United We Dream’s Director of Advocacy and Policy, where she led the campaign to implement DACA and was part of the team that persuaded the Obama administration to protect four million undocumented Americans through DAPA.
Desmond Serrette
Deputy Chief of Programs, Community Change
Desmond Serrette has worked in the labor movement fighting on behalf of working people for almost his entire career, except for two years as a Community Outreach Representative for Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards (MD-04). Prior to working at Community Change, Desmond was the Strategic Campaigns Director at SEIU and the Deputy Political Director at Unite Here Local 25. He was the Campaign Director for the Statehood ballot initiative campaign, which successfully passed the Statehood referendum with 86% of the vote in 2016. Desmond grew up in Prince George’s County and holds a BA in African American Studies from Wesleyan University and a master’s in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Dana Linnane
Director of Research & Planning, Council of Michigan Foundations
Dana Linnane is director of research and planning for the Governor’s Office of the Foundation Liaison (OFL). In this role, she identifies and brokers innovative funding partnerships and strategic collaborations between the state and grant makers. Prior to joining the OFL in February 2022, Dana served as policy and communications officer for more than a decade at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) where she successfully managed an array of policy, advocacy, and communications strategies, working to raise the profile of WKKF and its grantees with policymakers, community influencers, business leaders and with national and local media outlets. Her work was to establish credibility, gain influence, build awareness and understanding, and ultimately advance policies that give children, families, and communities increased access to opportunity. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She has a master’s degree in public policy from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan.
Karen Aldridge-Eason
Council of Michigan Foundations
Karen Aldridge-Eason was the first foundation liaison to a governor’s office in the United States, a position she accepted in 2003 as a loaned executive from the foundation. Established through a joint agreement between Michigan foundations and the governor’s office, Karen assumed responsibility for the development of the new position, and brought together state policymakers and foundation leaders to explore and identify solutions to issues affecting Michigan’s children and their families. Karen joined the Mott Foundation in 1993 as a program officer for the Flint Area team, becoming program director the following year. A graduate of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she received a bachelor’s degree in education, she also earned a master’s in public administration from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. In addition to serving as an administrator for a mission boarding school in Liberia, West Africa, she also held several governmental positions prior to becoming part of Mott’s staff. She served as budget director for the city of Flint and director of the Office of Health and Human Services.
Jooyeun Chang
Program Director, Doris Duke Foundation
JooYeun Chang is the program director for child well-being. In this capacity, she oversees the program’s grantmaking to promote children’s healthy development and protect them from abuse and neglect. Prior to joining the Doris Duke Foundation, JooYeun served as acting assistant secretary and principal deputy assistant secretary for the Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where she was the top federal official overseeing the implementation of national child welfare policy. She also led the State of Michigan’s child welfare system as executive director of the state’s Children’s Services Agency, developing a new comprehensive child welfare technology system, anti-racism initiatives, place-based prevention pilots and a front-end redesign of the child protective service system to reduce racial bias in decision making. Prior to her work in the Michigan state government, JooYeun was a managing director at Casey Family Programs. JooYeun earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from North Carolina State University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law.
Meeghan Prunty
Advisor, Doris Duke Foundation
Meeghan Prunty’s career has been dedicated to advancing economic mobility and social justice with a focus on children and families in poverty. She spent 4 years as a Managing Director of the innovative philanthropic collaborative, Blue Meridian Partners, before launching a philanthropic advisory practice in early 2020. Meeghan is a veteran of the Clinton presidential campaign and Clinton White House and is a long-time senior adviser to former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin. With him and others, she helped develop and lead The Hamilton Project, where she serves as an Advisory Council member. She previously served on the national boards of Year Up, Power of Two, and Zero to Three. She has a BS in International Economics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Harish Patel
Vice President of Build the Field, Economic Security Project
Through organizing, leadership on racial and gender justice, and a commitment to connecting on-the-ground perspective to policy, Harish I. Patel moves big ideas forward that have the power to transform our economy. Previously Harish founded and served as the director of Economic Security for Illinois. Harish started his career working in community organizing and then shifted to craft policy at innovative nonprofits such as New America Chicago and Accelerate Change. He co-founded Chicago Votes, a non-profit organization that has played a critical role in the passage of a few landmark voting rights laws in recent years in Illinois. Harish is a Crain’s Chicago 2022 40 Under 40 honoree, a former small business owner, and a proud immigrant. Harish holds a master’s degree in urban planning and policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Sheldon Neeley
Mayor, City of Flint
Sheldon Neeley is a lifelong resident of Flint. He is a father, small business owner, and a man of God with an enduring commitment to serving his neighbors and his community. His commitment to public service started in 2002 when he joined the Flint Civil Service Commission. In 2005, he was elected to the City Council, the first African-American councilperson elected from the 6th Ward, a racially diverse area serving Flint’s central west side. Re-elected in 2009 and 2013, Neeley successfully passed ordinances to curb truancy and establish University Avenue by renaming the main corridor between the University of Michigan-Flint and Kettering University. In 2014, the residents of Flint elected Sheldon to the state House of Representatives serving the city’s 34th District. He went on to win re-election victories in 2016 and 2018. In the state House, Sheldon fought on behalf of the residents of Flint during the Flint Water Crisis. In 2019 and 2022, the residents of Flint elected him mayor based on his pledge to bring transparency and fiscal responsibility to Flint.
Dustin Palmer
Country Director, U.S., GiveDirectly
Dustin Palmer is the Country Director, U.S. at GiveDirectly. Previously, he was the associate Program Director for the Integrated Benefits Initiative, working to improve access to social safety net programs, and a Senior Associate at Third Sector, a nonprofit advisory firm that supports governments in using data and innovative financing structures to improve outcomes in social services. He has worked in international development, focusing on governance, policymaking, and justice challenges in Asia. Dustin holds a BA in Political Science from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from Princeton University. In his spare time, he volunteers as a Crisis Counselor with Crisis Text Line and explores the world by bicycle.
Laura Keen
Senior Manager, Give Directly
In her role at GiveDirectly, Laura Keen oversees Rx Kids, government-guaranteed income projects, and emergency relief and disaster response. Previously, she has worked in smallholder agricultural development at Fair Trade USA, on good governance and anti-corruption efforts at Results for Development, and on anti-human trafficking initiatives at Not For Sale. Laura holds a Master of Public Policy and a BA in Philosophy, Political Science, and Economics.
Dr. Dave Chokshi
Founder, Health and Political Economy
Dave A. Chokshi — a practicing physician and public health leader — is currently the Sternberg Family Professor of Leadership at the City College of New York. He is also Chair of the Common Health Coalition and Co-Chair of the Health and Political Economy Project. He previously served as the 43rd Health Commissioner of New York City. From 2020-2022, he led the City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including its historic campaign to vaccinate over 6 million New Yorkers. Earlier, he was the inaugural Chief Population Health Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H), the largest public healthcare system in the nation, where he also served as CEO of the H+H Accountable Care Organization. He has practiced primary care internal medicine at Bellevue Hospital since 2014. He has held successive senior leadership roles that span the public, private, and nonprofit sectors and is currently a board member for Community Solutions, Rock Health, and Yuvo Health. A Rhodes Scholar and White House Fellow, he is nationally recognized as a transformational leader, a clinical innovator, a policy expert, and an advocate for a stronger and more equitable health system.
Karima Amlani
President, Hurley Foundation
Karima Amlani is president of the Hurley Foundation. She previously was vice president of development for the Community Foundation of Greater Flint and was awarded through the Flint and Genesee Group’s first “40 under 40” recognition program. Amlani has worked alongside her team and with community partners to further the organization’s goals as the former Hurley Foundation director of events and fundraising from 2017-2019. Recently, she exceeded strategic goals as vice president of development for the Community Foundation of Greater Flint in raising endowed and non-endowed funds, growing grant revenue, transformational gifts, and planned giving. Her expertise has been utilized as committee co-chair for the Council of Michigan Foundations and as an expert panelist at a national conference on resource development and diversifying donor bases.
Amy Zaagman
Executive Director, Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health
In August 2009, the Board of Directors welcomed Amy Zaagman as the new MCMCH Executive Director. Prior to joining the Council, Amy served as Associate Director of the Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Boards. Before that, she was Chief of Staff for State Senator Beverly Hammerstrom. Amy has both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western Michigan University.
Neel Hajra
CEO, Michigan Health Endowment
Neel Hajra is an accomplished champion of community health and the nonprofit sector in Michigan. Neel’s appointment comes as the Health Fund enters a new five-year strategic plan, which calls for a continued commitment to the health of Michigan residents, especially children and older adults, along with an expansion of grantmaking and non-grantmaking activities. After obtaining his JD from the University of Michigan Law School, Neel started his professional career as a corporate attorney at Ford Motor Company. It was during a one-year sabbatical from Ford that Neel developed his passion for supporting communities through the nonprofit sector. That passion first came to professional fruition through a nine-year tenure at Nonprofit Enterprise at Work (NEW), including two years as NEW’s president and CEO. He joined AAACF in 2011 and became CEO in 2015, where he developed and executed a successful five-year strategic framework, helped the foundation become the largest grant maker for older adults among Michigan community foundations, launched a scholarship program that doubled graduation rates for underserved students, and established robust capacity-building and operating support for nonprofits in Washtenaw County.
Jayme Vosovic
Community Engagement Director, Michigan League for Public Policy
Jayme Vosovic joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in January of 2019 and is the Community Engagement Director. Jayme leads the League’s work with organizations around the state to connect the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is committed to partnering with stakeholders to amplify constituent voices so that all Michiganders have the opportunity to thrive. Prior to joining the League, Jayme served as the West Michigan Regional Coordinator for U.S. Senator Gary Peters and interned with Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss. Jayme has worked with survivors of sexual assault, families experiencing homelessness, the Mayor’s Greening Initiative, affordable housing, and sits on the board of directors for Girls on the Run of Kent and Muskegon Counties. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Grand Valley State University and a master’s in social work—with a macro focus—from Michigan State University.
Dr. Aron Sousa
Dean, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University
Dr. Aron Sousa is the dean of the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Prior to being dean, he had responsibility for the college’s educational programs beginning in 2005. Most of his work has been in medical education including doubling the college’s class size, creating new campuses, and developing new curricula, degrees, and certificates. The results of the team’s work are visible in the Secchia Center, the Grand Rapids Research Center, and the MSU Innovation Park on the Grand Rapids Medical Mile. One of his major projects has been the creation and expansion of the college’s public health division based in Flint. He was PI on two Charles Stewart Mott Foundation grants totaling $36M plus support for spaces in downtown Flint. The support of the university and local hospitals has helped the division reach $100M in federal awards in the last seven years. The college’s community partners and faculty have been outstanding! Clinically, he is a general internist and round with residents and students, which keeps him grounded and anchors his priorities in the care provided to people in the community.
Raquel Thueme
President, Ruth Mott Foundation
Raquel Thueme was the Foundation’s vice president of programs and played an integral role in gathering input from hundreds of community members in developing its north Flint focus. She succeeds Handy L. Lindsey, Jr., who retired Nov. 2 after four years as president. With nearly 30 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Raquel was enthusiastically appointed by the Board after a national search. Born and raised in the city of Detroit in the shadow of an automobile factory, Raquel witnessed firsthand the challenges facing post-industrial cities and considers the Foundation’s focus on revitalizing north Flint a personal endeavor. Raquel’s executive experience includes four years as president & CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit as well as seven years in vice president roles at Trinity Health in Novi. As president, Raquel also oversees community programs delivered at and by Applewood, the historic Flint estate of automotive pioneer Charles Stewart Mott, which the Ruth Mott Foundation owns and operates as a place of learning, gathering, and community outreach in accordance with the wishes of its founder.
Jenny Montoya Tansey
Senior Program Officer, Just Democracy, Skyline Foundation
Jenny Montoya Tansey is inspired and energized by the work of organizations advancing justice and equity. She sees her work as redistributing power and resources and feels blessed to support movements that inspire social change. As Senior Program Officer for Just Democracy, she leads grantmaking to advance economic security policies, increase democratic participation, and ensure access to news and information, especially for communities that have historically been excluded. Jenny earned a law degree at Stanford University and studied English Literature and Latino Studies at Columbia University. Prior to Skyline, she worked to advance criminal justice reform, workers’ rights, and civil rights through leadership roles in nonprofits and government and served in the Obama Administration. In her previous roles, Jenny focused on criminal justice reform, including building support for sweeping criminal sentencing reform at Californians for Safety and Justice, as well as increasing access to those reforms through creating a model for automated record change at Code for America. At Public Rights Project, she developed a legal case that helped return millions of dollars in stolen wages to house cleaners in California.
Tanya Khemet Taiwo
Senior Program Officer, Birth Justice, Skyline Foundation
A social justice activist, researcher, and midwife with over 20 years of experience, Tanya Khemet Taiwo is dedicated to eliminating the disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes. She is devoted to expanding maternal care, especially midwifery, and the field’s ability to successfully reach those who need support most. As Senior Program Officer for Birth Justice, Tanya supports and deepens the program’s strategy and activities, including working with the Skyline board and team to ensure a strong focus on equity. Within her role, she continuously surveys the landscape to identify emerging innovations, policy opportunities, and trends in maternal health to further partnerships. Most importantly, Tanya works with grantees in all aspects of the grantmaking process, including assessment of impact, shared learning, and capacity building. Tanya is a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). She holds a Master of Public Health from San Jose State University and a PhD in Epidemiology from UC Davis. Concurrently with her role at Skyline, she is an Assistant Professor of Midwifery at Bastyr University.
Alana White
Program Officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Alana White applies her strong community and economic development skills to help us continue partnering with Michigan communities to improve the health, education, and well-being of all children. Alana was named as one of the program officers supporting the foundation’s Michigan portfolio statewide, with particular emphasis in Battle Creek. She joined the foundation in April 2013 as a program manager after working with the Living Cities investment in Detroit.
Dr. Marijata Daniel-Echols
Program Officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Dr. Marijata C. Daniel-Echols is a program officer for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan. In this role, she works in the foundation’s priority place of Michigan to support thriving children, working families, and equitable communities. Serving under the direction of the vice president for program strategy, Marijata is responsible for identifying and nurturing opportunities for effecting positive systemic change within communities, executing programming efforts that are aligned with the organizational direction, and works closely with other staff to ensure the integration and coordination of efforts as it relates to the mission of the foundation. Specifically, Marijata supports the foundation’s efforts in health equity. Marijata brings nearly 20 years of experience in research, program evaluation, and consultation to state departments of education, facilitation, and strategic planning. She has content expertise in poverty policy, the intersection of race and class, health equity, early childhood education, and nonprofit management.
Monica Beltran
Program Officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Monica Beltran is a program officer for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Michigan. In this role, she supports the foundation’s systems change efforts to promote thriving children, working families, and equitable communities. She focuses on systems impact and health equity. She brings maternal and child health expertise, professional experience working directly with public health agencies to address inequities in birth outcomes, experience in philanthropy, and a passion for social justice.
Leatrice Fullerton
Resource & Relationship Partner, Stryker Johnston Foundation
Leatrice Fullerton was born and raised in Kalamazoo. She serves as a Resource & Relationship Partner at the Stryker Johnston Foundation. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Social Work from Western Michigan University. Leatrice has spent over a decade serving the Kalamazoo community in the nonprofit sector as a volunteer and employee. She believes that everyone should be given the opportunity to thrive in accessible and inclusive communities where diversity is embraced, valued, and respected. Leatrice says, “I proudly reside at the intersection of several different marginalized groups; my race, my disability, and my gender.” She has made it her goal to positively represent and advocate for these communities in all that she does.
Becca Graves
Executive Director, Perigee Foundation
In leading a young philanthropic organization, Becca Graves’ role has been to build the early partnerships and team that makes up Perigee Fund. She finds joy and challenge in forming connections and partnerships, in bringing visibility and resources to the intersectional issues that impact the well-being of caregivers and babies, and in making sure that the organization operates in a way that fuels partners’ progress. Becca spent over 15 years as a founding staff member and managing director at FSG. She learned a lot working alongside philanthropic leaders in diverse communities across the U.S. – listening to partners, weighing hard choices, and exploring different pathways toward meaningful social change. She is also a mother and began her career toggling between corporate work and grassroots community service. She thinks that both of those things help me look at how change happens from a lot of different perspectives.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed
Director and Health Officer, Wayne County Department of Health,
Human & Veterans Services, Wayne County Health
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is a physician, epidemiologist, public health expert, and progressive activist. He ran for governor of Michigan in 2018 on an unapologetically progressive platform, advocating for universal healthcare, clean water for all, debt-free and tuition-free higher education, a pathway to 100% renewable energy, and to rebuild the barrier between corporations and government. He would have been the first Muslim-American elected governor had he won, and the youngest governor since Bill Clinton. His bid was endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Nation, and Current Affairs and attracted coverage on CNN, MSNBC, and in the New York Times, Washington Post, the Guardian, Vogue, and The Atlantic. He has been called “The Next Obama” by the Guardian, and the “Real Deal” by Current Affairs. And though he earned over 340,000 votes, he did not win the Democratic primary.
Tyonka Perkins-Rimawi
Program Director, Families & Workers Fund
Tyonka Perkins Rimawi is a program director with the Families and Workers Fund. In her role, Tyonka sources, assesses, and manages grants and works closely with grantee partners to help them leverage their impacts through funding and relationship building. She also works closely with a council of essential workers to uplift and center their expertise and ground the Fund’s efforts in real, lived experience. Tyonka has a track record of leading innovative philanthropic initiatives focused on economic security, including a public-private partnership that launched the first fully funded Mayors for a Guaranteed Income pilot in the nation and an emergency cash assistance fund that supported over 2,600 families at the onset of the pandemic. She previously led economic opportunity initiatives at Goodwill Industries International, including a program to increase the accessibility of market-valued credentials for youth and adults and a sector-based initiative to advance qualified yet often overlooked frontline employees into leadership positions.
Joshua Rivera
Benefits Access & Equity Initiative Program Fellow, Families & Workers Fund
Joshua Rivera supports FWF’s efforts to increase family economic security through the equitable modernization of government safety net programs. Before his role at FWF, Joshua was a researcher at the American Institutes for Research (AIR). His work at AIR focused on promoting the use and generation of evidence within federal workforce agencies to improve program outcomes. Before joining AIR, Joshua served as the Economic Stability Administration Policy Director at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), where he led strategic planning and COVID-19 emergency response for public assistance programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Joshua also provided data analysis, policy research, and program implementation assistance to the City of Detroit as the senior data and policy advisor at Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan. Josh is a proud alumnus of the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) fellowship and is a first-generation Saluki and Wolverine with a BA in Economics and Political Science from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Public Policy from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.