As a Special Projects Manager, Rowan leads a variety of projects and initiatives across Accelerate Change.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Rowan worked for six years at a small law office specializing in criminal defense, estate planning, domestic relations, and a number of other areas.

As a Chatbot Experimentation Manager, Kiley builds and maintains Chatbots across digital media platforms in support of our network of partners.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Kiley worked in banking/finance, IT, and utilities industries. In each of his roles, Kiley had the opportunity to develop chatbots in order to streamline customer service and develop lead generation solutions.

As an Operations Associate, Bisrat supports our finance and operations processes and projects.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Bisrat worked as a Policy Aide for the Minneapolis City Council and as an Analyst for the City’s Health Department. He has served in local government at the state, county, and city levels. His passions include dismantling structural inequities among disenfranchised communities and making long-term positive impact.

Bisrat graduated from the University of St. Thomas in the Twin Cities with a B.S. in Neuroscience and Public Health.

As an Executive Assistant, Adna supports the work of Peter Murray and Lea Madry.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Adna provided administrative support to executives in the healthcare and fashion industries.

Adna graduated with a BS in Mass Communications, with an emphasis in Public Relations.

As Vice President of Content, Kim leads our Content Studio team and catalyzes content experimentation across our networks.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Kim spent two decades in digital media, including 11 years at Nickelodeon, where she focused on digital programming and social media. Kim also has a deep start-up background, having developed digital content in the earliest stages of companies like Upworthy, WebLab, and About.com.

Kim made the transition from corporate to nonprofit work in 2017, after the state of racial justice in the U.S. ignited her desire for more purpose-driven work. She spent 2 years as a digital strategy consultant for nonprofits just prior to coming to Accelerate Change. 

As Vice President of Finance and Operations, Luis oversees our finance, operations, network operations, and special projects functions.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Luis was (and still is) obsessed with innovative ways to create strategies and systems that are absurdly useful and effective. He honed his craft in various nonprofit organizations across Houston working with hunger relief and food deserts, homeless youths, and closing the digital divide, among others. Most recently, Luis served as Executive Director, Gulf Coast Region for Compudopt.

 As a Mexican immigrant, first-generation college student, and Texas A&M University graduate,  Luis works to change the world, one person at a time, while trying to plan for his first ultramarathon in England.

As Vice President of Media Investments & Acquisitions, Darrell oversees our investments in and acquisitions of cultural media properties, accounts, and networks.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Darrell was co-founder and CEO of PushBlack, the largest non-profit media platform for Black Americans. Earlier in his career, he ran racial equity trainings and served as a fellow with the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.

As Head of Network Operations, Taura leads the operational infrastructure we use to collaborate with and support our networks of partners. 

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Taura enjoyed a long career working in nonprofit organizations providing leadership for mission-related programs and overall operations.  Taura recently started providing consulting services to small and medium nonprofit organizations focused on humanitarian initiatives to help streamline operational systems and make service delivery more efficient.

As Director of Program Operations, Jaya leads our tech and chatbot team and advises on tech-enabled experimentation across our networks.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Jaya provided marketing and advertising services to small businesses across the Southeast. She has a degree in English: Creative Writing at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. During their time at university, they launched a social justice program that connected university students with community activists to deepen the relationships between the campus and the city of Chattanooga.

As a Special Projects Associate, Jasmin supports a variety of projects and initiatives across Accelerate Change.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Jasmin was a Digital Advertising Specialist at Accelerate Change in 2020 for the voter’s registration campaign. She continued her work in digital marketing at other organizations, which led her back to AC.

As Content Production Manager, Robbie manages content experiments and leads production for our Content Studio.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Robbie worked in various editorial, social media, and content optimization roles at several progressive media outlets, including HuffPost, Upworthy, and Versa Media.

As Director of Operations, Mohammad leads our operations team.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Mohammad managed engineering, finance, HR, and operations for numerous organizations.

As a Content Experimentation Manager, Maria manages content experimentation with the Central Team and in collaboration with our network.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Maria was an entrepreneur and owner of an Austin-based vintage clothing store, Passport Vintage. Since 2016 Maria has volunteered and worked with nonprofits that focus on civic engagement and Latino-focused issues. She has worked as a digital media consultant for Jolt Texas and a Texas Federal Senatorial campaign. Maria is a Texas A&M University-Commerce alumn.

As People Operations Manager, LaShonda oversees performance management processes, guides staff on professional development, facilitates team celebrations, manages human resources matters, and works with staff and managers to ensure that we have a workplace where our team can thrive.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change,  LaShonda spent over a decade in multiple HR-based management roles with a focus on personnel management, employee development, talent acquisitions, and employee relations and thrived as a change champion. 

LaShonda holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a specialization in HR Management and holds both PHR and SHRM-CP certifications.

As Content Studio Managing Producer, Jill manages content experimentation and Content Studio production with the Central Team and in collaboration with our network.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Jill worked in a number of creative fields: the entertainment industry, advertising, and marketing. As both a project manager and a creator, she’s worked on a wide number of platforms from TikTok, to podcasting, to Facebook messenger. Ultimately, she loves that her career with Accelerate Change allows her to explore the intersection between liberatory politics, culture, and media. And, as Content Studio Managing Producer, Jill has the honor of working with some of the most talented creatives in producing podcasts, social media, and so much more.

As a Content Production Associate, Richie runs content experiments and contributes his video production and scriptwriting skills to our Content Studio.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Richie had roles in marketing and events with Truth, a non-profit aiming to end Big Tobacco and teen smoking. Richie also worked freelance on various short film and episodic film sets in the D.C. area as a producer, production assistant, and camera grip. After college, Richie worked at credit unions in the mortgage lending field, before transitioning to his current role with Accelerate Change.

As a Special Projects Manager, Christine leads a variety of projects and initiatives across Accelerate Change. 

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Christine founded and led a digital-native nonprofit organization and related online support community for 8 years, which serves families striving to feed their babies human milk, managing a team of volunteers, and spearheading several training and scholarship programs.

As President, Peter co-leads Accelerate Change with our Chief of Staff, Lea Madry. In their shared leadership model, Peter leads our network of media partners and Lea leads our digital media lab.

Peter has spent over 20 years at the intersection of entrepreneurship, digital innovation, and progressive impact. He created one of the first digital fundraising platforms, led a progressive training institute, was part of the founding team of CrowdTangle, a leading social media monitoring platform, was a Tides Foundation Fellow researching large-scale citizen organizations, ran a community-based construction company, and was previously selected for Fast Company Magazine’s “Fast 50,” which honors 50 leaders from around the world who are reshaping their sectors.

As Chief of Staff, Lea co-leads Accelerate Change with our President, Peter Murray. In their shared leadership model, Lea leads our digital media lab and partners with Peter in his leadership of our network of media partners.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Lea held leadership roles overseeing the business, people, fundraising, and strategy functions at nonprofits focused on food systems, education access, power building, and anti-racism. Most recently, Lea served as Chief of Staff at the Trevor Project. Earlier in her career, Lea was a transactional attorney at a large national law firm before leaving the legal profession to pursue her commitment to social impact.

An Ohio native, Lea is a proud first-generation college graduate with a BA from the Ohio State University and JD from the University of Chicago Law School.

As Director of Talent, Vanessa leads our talent acquisition and people operations team and manages our values work.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Vanessa worked in the educational non-profit sector in various direct services roles, supporting Black and brown students from marginalized and underserved communities.

As Director of Growth, Jarrel leads our growth experimentation team and advises on growth-oriented experimentation across our networks.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Jarrel held leadership roles at progressive nonprofits overseeing areas such as marketing, paid media, and fundraising. Additionally, from 2018 – 2021, Jarrel served as a Human Relations Commissioner for the City of Riverside California.

As the Head of Finance, Yectlie oversees our finance and accounting functions.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Yectlie had her own accounting firm and led administration, operations, and finance at law firms and tech startups.

Yectlie holds a BBA in accounting from Texas Southern University and an MS in accountancy from University of Phoenix. She has also earned her PHR certification.

As an Operations Associate, Mel supports finance and operations processes and assists staff with their operations questions.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Mel worked in various roles as an operations associate, eCommerce manager, and bookkeeper. Outside of work, Mel is an active volunteer in their community, helping run fundraisers and organize diversity and inclusion training for majority-white organizations.

Though their role at Accelerate Change is primarily focused on operations and finance, Mel has found working with and for BIPOC folks within a culture that fosters growth (not only for its partners, but also for its people) to be a continuously fruitful, transformative experience.

As a Finance and Operations Manager, Candace manages our finance and operations processes and supports corporate governance.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Candace was Director of Operations and Finance at Faith in Texas, a nonpartisan, multi-racial, multi-faith grassroots movement focused on achieving economic, racial, and social justice for everyone. Before Faith in Texas, Candace served as a Program Coordinator for Foundation For C.H.O.I.C.E., which assists low-income high school students with college preparatory activities.

Candace graduated with a BA in Communication, with an emphasis in Mass Communications, and an MA in Nonprofit Administration from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri.

As Talent Manager, Sterling oversees and manages the full life cycle of recruiting and hiring across Accelerate Change.

Prior to joining Accelerate Change, Sterling worked in project management for nonprofits, real estate acquisitions, business operations, and the legal field. Sterling earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati.