WOMENINEXECUTIVEPOSITIONS

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For Renee Ligon, Adversity Can Be a Catalyst for Positive Change

By Spark Point / June 23, 2021

After a successful 20-year career in commercial banking, Renee Ligon moved from Florida back to her native Ohio and pivoted to community-centered work. In a perfect melding of her banking experience and her desire to make a difference, she served as the Regional Director of the Urban League of Greater Cleveland’s Minority Business Assistance Center.…

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Muriel Smith’s Love Letters to St. Louis Families

By Spark Point / June 9, 2021

In many ways, Muriel Smith always knew she’d find her way to a career in nonprofit — in her ideal world, even leading one. Now, as Executive Director at the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank, she’s not only realizing her dream, but working with an incredible team and community to ensure local families’ basic needs…

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Ryan Palmer is Accelerating Community Change, One Grant at a Time

By Spark Point / February 3, 2021

With an eye on diverse, sustainable grantmaking, Ryan is redefining how funding — and change — happens  “I have certainly had a zigzag of a career,” says Ryan Palmer, Director, Washington, D.C. Community Initiatives at the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Ryan worked in early childhood…

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Karen Venable-Croft’s Innovative Charter School Elevates the Next Generation of Innovators & Entrepreneurs

By Spark Point / October 14, 2020

This passionate educator took a leap of faith and created a truly unique learning environment for young women  For more than two decades, math teacher Karen Venable-Croft was focused on bringing big ideas and unique paths to learning to her students. Then, two years ago, she and her partner took the ultimate leap, founding Girls…

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Valerie Rochester’s Passion for Public Health Helps Thousands Gain Understanding and Support

By Spark Point / October 7, 2020

AIDS United’s VP shares her personal journey from a decades-long career in public health Indiana native Valerie L. Rochester has always been committed to service. “I actually had a very circuitous route to get to where I am today,” she says. “I had no idea I’d wind up in the nonprofit world because that was…

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For Koube Ngaaje, helping others is in her DNA

By Spark Point / September 30, 2020

Battling double pandemics—COVID-19 and the resulting increase in domestic violence—has tested the mettle of this Executive Director and the organization she leads. Since taking the reins of District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH) in 2017—10 years after the ground-breaking organization launched—35-year-old Executive Director Koube Ngaaje has doubled the organization’s capacity to shelter victims of domestic…

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