Articles

“In order for us as poor and oppressed people to become a part of a society that is meaningful, the system under which we now exist has to be radically changed.” -Ella Baker

What I know for sure:
-We all do better when we all do better;
-No institutions, traditions, people, or beliefs are so sacred they are beyond questioning;
-What we believe is possible is shaped by our thinking, whether narrowly-informed or expansive and critical; and
-Sustained progress is dependent on our commitment to truth-telling about ourselves and others.

Art that inspires me: Robert Shetterly’s Americans Who Tell the Truth

A creative problem solver with an entrepreneurial spirit, Alona brings over a decade of experience amplifying movements for freedom, justice, and economic inclusion for all to her operations manager role. As a member of the Partner Services Team, she builds bridges between our partners and the vital resources and relationships necessary to sustain and broaden their impact.

Prior to joining Possibility Labs, Alona developed a passion for empowering marginalized communities while working to advance civil rights, LGBTQIA protections, justice system reforms, and workers’ rights in a diverse range of digital communications, project management, and fundraising capacities. She has held positions at several legal advocacy organizations, including the National Employment Law Project, the ACLU of Missouri, and the MacArthur Justice Center, as well as several mission-aligned for-profit communications companies.

Alona is a proud graduate of Howard University (B.A. Sociology).

“We are all implicated when we allow other people to be mistreated. An absence of compassion can corrupt the decency of a community, a state, a nation.” – Bryan Stevenson

When we begin to center compassion- in the way we interact with others, the way we make decisions, the way we live our lives, then we can effectively talk about what it takes to break down the systems that have been built to oppress and work towards equity and justice.

Randall has made it her mission to utilize her professional expertise in support of mission driven work that centers both people and our planet. She is thrilled to serve as part of the Partner Services Team as a primary point of contact for partners, and to work in collaboration to further work being done to advance economic, social, and environmental justice.

Randall brings extensive experience in both the for-profit and nonprofit spaces, serving in operational, finance, and relationship-building capacities with a commitment to marginalized communities. She comes to PL after nearly four years in climate and social justice work, supporting grassroots initiatives across the country. Randall holds a B.S. from Old Dominion University in Speech Language Pathology & Audiology.

As performance artist Taylor Mac says, “we are dreaming the culture forward,” and this work must happen now, informed by the past, holding space for the future, and rooted in respect for and care of people and planet.

Donna is deeply engaged with the challenge of building liberatory frameworks that enable all people to thrive. Trained as a cultural anthropologist, she has traveled a fruitful path from higher education through venture capital, market research, social entrepreneurship, and philanthropy to her current work as CEO at Possibility Labs. Donna draws on a history of success at developing and executing initiatives that advance racial and economic justice. At Possibility Labs, she is excited to grow the community of innovative projects, community-focused resourcing initiatives, and progressive donors. Known as a creative and agile leader, Donna leans into collaboration, thoughtfulness, honesty, and humor as she guides teams, advances missions, and facilitates growth. Before joining Possibility Labs, she served as vice president of integrated capitals and communities at the Heron Foundation and vice president of philanthropic services at RSF Social Finance. Donna currently serves as a Just Economy Institute advisor and a member of the investment committee at World Education Services. Donna holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from Stanford University, an M.A. in African American Studies from Yale University, and a B.A. in sociology from Haverford College.

Tim is an experienced financial professional with over two decades of experience in the nonprofit sector. Tim currently serves as the chief financial and investment officer for the Weingart Foundation, a private foundation committed to achieving racial, social, and economic justice. Prior to Weingart, Tim served as Vice President for Finance at the Kaiser Family Foundation and as Treasurer for the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Prior to joining the PL Board, Tim was on the board of Sierra Nevada Journeys and the University of Nevada Reno Foundation. He currently serves on the Global Advisory Board of Nomi Network and was previously an Advisor to the Investment Committee of the Loma Linda University Health Foundation. Tim holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Southern California and is a Certified Public Accountant.

leo is a thinker and a tinkerer with a musician’s brain and an activist’s heart. for the past eight years, leo has worked inside of the financial services industrial complex as an advisor (learning the master’s tools), then as a social justice financial advisor with adasina social capital (wielding and re-molding the master’s tools in service of social justice movements), and most recently as the director of fund development with seed commons (building new tools to channel non-extractive capital to community). a passionate advocate for intersectional justice, leo brings a systems approach to his work with philanthropic orgs, institutional and individual investors and financial advisors.

leo is not big on academia, but he does hold a few degrees from csu sacramento in jazz performance and pedagogy. he is an accredited investment fiduciary analyst and holds a series 65 license. leo lives in berkeley with their dog, friend. leo is an anticapitalist, abolitionist, vegan, feminist, activist, non-zionist, anarcho-utopianist who reads a ton of queer theory and liberation lit and is focused on building and deepening community relationships and dreaming the world to come.

Khalid’s role within the Possibility Labs’ Board of Directors focuses on fostering restorative and regenerative funding opportunities for BIPOC movements and community-driven organizations. He brings 15+ years of teaching, research, and work experience focused on leveraging social justice and environmental sustainability to address the needs of underserved communities. He is currently a Continuing Lecturer at UC Berkeley teaching courses focused on political economy, poverty, and the intersection of engineering and social justice. Khalid holds a Masters and Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley, and a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

This belief serves as my guiding light in all endeavors. Recognizing the intrinsic worth of individuals, I strive to cultivate environments that prioritize human connection, empathy, and mutual respect. By intertwining the values of people, compassion, and understanding, I aim to contribute to a world where meaningful relationships flourish, fostering a collective spirit of harmony and support.

Drawing on her wealth of past professional experiences, Ashley takes great pleasure in the art of supporting companies as they blossom, eagerly contributing to their growth from the ground up. Passionate about becoming an integral part of the journey, she is driven by the excitement of seeing it flourish and advance. Committed to the mission and vision of Possibility Labs, Ashley is excited to utilize her varied experience and knowledge supporting workplaces in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors.

Giving BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ visionaries hidden deep into our communities their power. Communities thrive when we begin to learn from each other and grow in understanding. The first approach to change is building and creating resources that help knock down the barriers that are built in our society. I truly feel empowered witnessing others find their voice and move towards a call to action.

Jasmin is part of the Partner Services team as the Operations Manager and her primary role is to diligently support our partners. With a background in human resources spanning over five years, she is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where diversity is not just recognized, but celebrated. Jasmin’s approach is rooted in the development of fair practices and initiatives that promote a sense of community and belonging. She has a unique blend of work experience in healthcare, education and technology which contributes to her diverse operational knowledge.

Jasmin holds a B.S. in Business from the University of Nevada, Reno.

As the Board treasurer of Possibility Labs, Jeff works with the Board and staff to ensure smooth finance and accounting operations, ensuring the Board fulfills its fiduciary responsibilities.

Jeff is currently the Head of Finance for Oceans 5, an international funders collaborative dedicated to protecting and preserving the world’s oceans. Prior to joining Oceans 5, Jeff was the Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer of the Heising-Simons Foundation and its related Action Fund, Director of Finance and Administration for the James Irvine Foundation, General Manager of American Conservatory Theater, and a Senior Auditor with Price Waterhouse. He also serves on the Boards of the Foundation Financial Officers Group and National Arts Strategies.

Jeff holds a B.S. in Accounting from Rider University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” – Ryunosuke Satoro

Institutional racism and white supremacy underlie many, if not all, of the social and health crises that exist today, whether it be the racial wealth gap, homelessness, or climate change. I believe that we all have a role to play in dismantling these deeply engrained ideologies and practices. Together, we can make a change by consistently engaging and listening deeply to those who are most impacted, educating ourselves, acknowledging and using our privileges to advocate for change, reflecting on and challenging our biases and assumptions and those of others, and supporting BIPOC organizations that are leading the movement.

Anika works closely with the Operations and Partner Services teams to implement strategic business initiatives. She serves as a thought partner by offering data analysis and perspectives, identifies improvement opportunities and formulates solutions, and provides communication, research, and administrative support.

Anika brings five years of expertise in evidence-based program development, implementation, and evaluation, grant writing, strategic planning, contract management, and project management to this role. A passion for advancing equity for BIPOC through systems change underlies her career trajectory.

Previously, she worked as a Performance Management Analyst, Project Manager, and Manager of Special Projects for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). During this time, she played a key role in the active contract management of a $44 million portfolio of homeless service programs in Los Angeles County. Prior to this role, she worked as a Health Equity Fellow for the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), during which she developed recommendations for organizational leadership on how they can improve their research and evaluation approach to issues affecting tribal communities. Anika holds a B.A. in Public Health Policy from UC Irvine and an M.P.H. in Community Health Sciences from UCLA and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

“Diversity is a fact, equity is a choice, inclusion is an action, and belonging is an outcome.” – Arthur Chan. Every person has the ability to take on the action of inclusion. As community members, it is our responsibility to be inclusive and demand inclusive action. Although systemic change takes time, it is through inclusive action that community members and organizations can move our society to one that everyone can feel like they belong. Being inclusive is not about race, gender, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Inclusivity is about seeing people as people and treating them with the dignity and respect personhood calls for. Being inclusive is being compassionate, having empathy, and respecting a person’s right to simply be themselves.

Jill possesses over a decade of distinguished experience in serving historically underrepresented communities through the development of systems and programs. With a robust background in nonprofit program management and operations, she has been at the forefront of launching several initiatives aimed at enhancing data collection and analysis, bolstering grant and donation revenue, expanding volunteer engagement, and refining operational processes. Her professional ethos and personal values are deeply rooted in principles of equity, empowerment, and a steadfast commitment to supporting every member of the community.

At Possibility Labs, Jill is instrumental in managing the day-to-day operations, administration, partner service operations, and human resources. She holds an M.B.A. from National University and a B.A. in Political Science and African American Studies from California State University, Northridge.

Help build a platform to confront capitalist financing mechanisms and operational systems that are driving worker exploitation and planetary destruction and help community-driven, BIPOC-led initiatives to operate with the scale and agility of white-led enterprises, without capitalistic values.

That uplifts traditional knowledge, disrupts extractive practices, and creates a regenerative and just economy that meets the needs of communities and the planet.

Communities support us. See us. Hold us accountable. And contain our collective wisdom.  In developing our communities we add richness to the commons. And in working in solidarity with our communities we enable sustainable and long-lasting progress.

As the African proverb goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Agility is critical to be responsive to the needs of communities. And so is having strong, accessible, transparent systems that operate with integrity so that we can move towards a more equitable form of capitalism.

None of us are seeds cast into the wind. We were lovingly planted in the rich fertile soil of family, friends, and culture. We cannot forget where we come from and act as if we have done it all on our own. We acknowledge the collective and ancestral contributions to our success and act accordingly by paying those efforts forward to our chosen tribe.

… to help people find meaningful narratives and forge emotional connections to those with different lived experiences. Humans are born storytellers, it’s how we make sense of the world. Some of the earliest examples of human stories date back to cave networks over 30,000 years old. I think storytelling has the power to help humans see our infinite connectedness.

To guide social justice leaders and take care of the back-end services that inhibit their work, so these leaders can focus on fundraising as a nonprofit.

Mark Watson is the President of Potlikker Capital, a nonprofit charitable loan fund and integrated capital fund supporting BIPOC farmers at the intersection of racial and climate justice. Having started his career as a banker at the First National Bank of Chicago, then JP Morgan, Mark has had a 30-year career managing investment portfolios for foundations, endowments, and institutional pension funds. Mark was formerly the Managing Director and now serves as a Senior Investment Strategist of the Fair Food Fund. He founded Keel Asset Management LLC, a financial advisory firm providing socially responsible financial planning and investment advisory services to nonprofits, corporations, and the public on pension plans. Mark is an investment committee member of the Boston Impact Initiative Fund; an advisory board member of MIT/Health Innovation Systems Inc.; Director of Transition of The Institute of Educational Leadership; board president of Sustainable Cape, Inc.; and a former board member of the Social Venture Network. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois Champaign -Urbana, and a Master’s in Business Administration from the Booth School, University of Chicago.

Rosemary’s role within Possibility Labs’ Board leverages her expertise in nonprofits and board operations, governance, and law. She brings 30+ years of legal, teaching, advising, and leadership experience around nonprofits and social justice. Rosemary is currently a Principal at Adler & Colvin, a law firm focused on nonprofit and tax-exempt organization representation,​​ and served until recently on its inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. She holds a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School, and a BS in economics, summa cum laude, from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Khalid’s role within the Possibility Labs’ Board of Directors focuses on fostering restorative and regenerative funding opportunities for BIPOC movements and community-driven organizations. He brings 15+ years of teaching, research, and work experience focused on leveraging social justice and environmental sustainability to address the needs of underserved communities. He is currently a Continuing Lecturer at UC Berkeley teaching courses focused on political economy, poverty, and the intersection of engineering and social justice. Khalid holds a Masters and Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley, and a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.