We're excited to announce the 12 phenomenal individuals that make up the third cohort of the National College Attainment Network (NCAN)’s Leading for Equity Fellowship Program! NCAN is thrilled to introduce the following college attainment professionals
who represent our member organizations from across the country. This year-long program is designed to increase the number of leaders of color represented in the C-suite within organizations in the college attainment field. This program is possible
with the generous support of UBS.
From January to December, these rising leaders of color will participate in virtual meetings two times a month to identify and grow their leadership strengths; build skills in key executive leadership competencies, such as fundraising and strategic planning;
grow their supportive network of peers and mentors; and strengthen their capacity to address systemic issues of power, privilege, oppression, and equity within their organizations and respective communities.
The inaugural cohort benefitted from personal and professional growth, with 10 of 12 having been promoted during their fellowship experience. Fellows from both cohorts reported that they felt more confident, more self-aware, and had a greater understanding
of their need for self-care. We know this next cohort will have an equally successful experience as President and CEO of The Crockett Collective, Kristen Crockett, leads the cohort
through a series of curricula focused on growing each individual along their leadership journey.
Without further ado, here are NCAN’s 2024 Leading for Equity Fellows!
Clara Baron-Hyppolite is an accomplished, mission-driven leader who serves as the Executive Director of College Beyond. She holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor
in Neural Computation from Carnegie Mellon University and a master's degree in Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine from the Boston University School of Medicine. With a specialization in selective college admissions and college persistence
for students who are from low-income backgrounds and first generation, Baron-Hyppolite brings a comprehensive and holistic approach to her work with students and staff. She has a strong background in community-based mental health care, enabling her
to understand and address the diverse needs of students. Her commitment to empowering students extends beyond academics, as she recognizes the importance of holistic support in ensuring their success. Baron-Hyppolite's passion for the New Orleans
community and her dedication to democratizing student potential drive her work. Outside of her professional pursuits, she enjoys dancing, traveling, and spending quality time with her family.
Dorothy Vasquez was born and raised in East Austin (TX) and was lucky enough to participate in the Young Scientist program at Zavala Elementary, which later led to magnet feeder schools until college. Vasquez holds a bachelor’s from Texas
Lutheran University and a master’s in Organizational and HR Development from Abilene Christian University. Before working at Breakthrough Central Texas, she worked in out-of-school-time learning
for Austin ISD and wore many hats at the Boys & Girls Club of Austin. Her toolbox includes: Youth Program Quality, family engagement, career development, post-secondary advising, and advocacy work surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Elizabeth "Lizzy" Smith is the Director of Programs at College Track New Orleans. In her tenure at College Track, she has spent the past seven years developing
and delivering trauma-informed, culturally responsive college access curriculum to youth from low-income communities. She has presented at various conferences on critical analyses of the graduation rates of Historically Black Colleges and Institutions
and post-affirmative action college admissions. Further, she is a current member of the College Advisory Board at the University of Miami. Smith is a graduate of Willamette University and is currently pursuing her Master's in Business Administration
at Louisiana State University.
Emmanuel “Manny” Moses currently serves as the Director of College Access and Success at The Opportunity Network (OppNet), a New York City-based community based organization
that works to ignite the drive, curiosity, and agency of underrepresented students on their paths to and through college and into thriving careers, powered by a commitment to access and community. While he’s been at OppNet for more than a decade,
Moses first started out in the access space as a part of the inaugural cohort of advisers in the New York University chapter of the College Advising Corps. Throughout his career, Moses has also engaged in this work outside at OppNet by sitting on
various advisory boards, eBoards (CACNY and NYSACAC), and is currently serving his last year (of a three-year term) as one of the Co-Chairs of NYSACAC’s Coming Together Conference.
Fabián García is the Director of Recruitment at Aims Community College where he oversees recruitment, outreach, and other pre-collegiate initiatives. In addition to working at Aims,
he has been involved in supporting historically underrepresented and underserved populations across northern Colorado in various capacities with his work in financial aid. Informed by his lived experience as a first-generation college student, as
well as working with students, families, and advocacy groups across northern Colorado, he is passionate about addressing systemic barriers that prevent educational access and empowering those who are looking to pursue post-secondary education. García
received his master’s degree in Higher Education Student Affairs Leadership and bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of Northern Colorado.
Felicia Medellin is an accomplished college access professional with a 23-year track record in exceptional people management, adept at driving successful projects and fostering strategic partnerships to pilot innovative program models
for student impact. As the Director of Partnership Programs at Roadtrip Nation, she fosters cross-team collaboration to manage the organization’s extensive portfolio of 50± partnerships, delivering
engaging human-centered storytelling and career exploration content. Three words that best describe her are: loyal, compassionate, and diligent. She is a proud Midwest Latina based in Kansas City (MO) and enjoys yoga, taking care of her indoor plant
collection, and spending quality time with her dog, family, and community. Medellin is a first-generation graduate with a MA of Higher Education Administration earned as an ENLACE Leadership Institute Fellow.
Kaysi Holman is an intentional community builder dedicated to equity and social justice. For the past 20+ years in nonprofits and higher education institutes, her role has been to bring people together who have varying positionalities,
interests, and expertise, to accomplish the unthinkable. Currently serving as Director of People and Culture at 10,000 Degrees, Holman previously worked for the ACLU of Arizona, Alameda County
Bar Association, Duke University, and City University of New York, among other positions. She holds a JD focused on International Human Rights and Alternative Dispute Resolution from Arizona State University and a BS in Cognitive Psychology from Vanderbilt
University Peabody College. She’s also a dog lover, fantasy and board game nerd, crafter extraordinaire, and loves to dance and cook.
Mikaela Crank is a citizen of the Navajo Nation and has directed College Horizons' Scholars Pathway Program for the last seven years. She received her BA from Arizona State University
and Ed.M from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Crank’s professional experience has varied between public school districts, private boarding schools, universities, and tribal education departments in the states of Arizona, California, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, and New Mexico. Before returning to the southwest, she was the Assistant Director at Stanford University’s Office of Undergraduate Admission. Her area of specialization is Native outreach, college access, and student support.
Niña Frances Abonal graduated from Loyola Marymount University with her bachelor’s in Business Administration and a MA in General Education. She has dedicated over a decade working for educational nonprofit organizations focused on providing
enrichment opportunities to youth ages 6-18 years old and developing impactful programs for young adults centered on college access and early career development. Her work with students has fostered a deep and passionate fervor for empowering students
to succeed and serving her community by continually seeking innovative ways to improve the quality of and access to educational opportunities and resources for all students. As SoCal CAN’s
Program Director for Project SOAR, Abonal provides direct coaching and support to the SOAR team, oversees all program operations and partnerships, develops programming that meet the community’s needs, and spearheads the program's outreach and expansion
efforts across HACLA public housing site.
Rene Jimenez Moreno is a San Francisco (CA) Bay Area native. Born in Mexico, he has a deep-rooted passion for first-generation communities and supporting the academic, personal, professional, and financial development of scholars from
underserved communities. Moreno is the Director of College Programs at Peninsula Bridge, a nonprofit organization supporting first-generation students in the Bay Area. On a personal level,
he loves traveling and spending time in Lake Tahoe, hiking, exploring, and sharing beautiful moments with his dog, Koa, and his wife.
Shanita Nichols serves as the National Managing Director of Development at Bottom Line. In her role, she oversees the national fundraising portfolio by cultivating and stewarding
institutional partners for Bottom Line through building mutually beneficial and revenue-producing partnerships. A Bottom Line alumnus and Boston native, Nichol earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and African American Studies from Smith College
and a Master of Business Administration with a focus in Corporate Social Responsibility from Simmons University. Nichols is inspired daily by her family, her husband and two sons and is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
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