Carolina is a PhD candidate studying Anthropology at the George Washington University (GWU). She earned her BA in International Affairs and MA in Anthropology as a Presidential Fellow at GWU. Her research focuses on Salvadoran migration patterns, community-building, and identity formation in the DMV area. She has worked as an Editorial Assistant at Anthropological Quarterly, where she read and edited articles from around the world. At HumanitiesDC, she hopes to learn more about the different community-led initiatives that increase participation in the humanities while also supporting the oral history community of practice in the nation’s capital. Outside of work, Carolina is part of the Yellow House Collective, producing Las Muertes Más Bellas del Mundo/ The Most Beautiful Deaths in the World, a film about Salvadoran artists in Washington, DC.
Mark Boss
Mark Boss has lived in Washington, DC since he moved from Los Angeles, California, and enrolled at Howard University in August of 1985. He married a native Washingtonian; bought a house in Ward 1; raised two exceptional children and sent them both through DCPS. And he pays local and federal taxes, without representation. Still, these bona fides do not make him a Washingtonian (as his wife and children like to remind him). But he loves DC and the native Washingtonians that make up this incredible little southern town none the less. He has worked in the non-profit, for profit and federal sector, throughout his career, and each position he has held has in some way supported children and families. Mark is also a reader, and loves supporting all the local independent bookstores in the city. On any given day, you can find Mark commuting to and from work on his bike (rain or snow), and on any given weekend, you will find Mark, his wife, and their dog on long walks throughout the city on the search for the perfect croissant.
Sojin Kim
Sojin Kim is a curator at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, where she works on multifaceted, collaborative projects addressing migration, music, and public history. Her work spans public programs, exhibitions, workshops, as well as research and documentation initiatives. She serves as an advisor for the 1882 Foundation and on the board of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation (APIAHiP).
Rubie Coles
Rubie Coles was the Program Director of the Diverse City Fund from 2020-2022 and currently serves on the Steering Committee of its Board of Instigators. Before joining the DC Fund staff in 2020, Rubie was Deputy Director of the Moriah Fund where she was responsible for directing and managing the foundation’s economic justice and reproductive justice grantmaking for twenty years. Past board service includes the African Continuum Theatre Company, which she chaired for seven years, the YWCA of the National Capital Region and the Safe Spaces Project. Rubie was a founding board member of the Black Philanthropic Alliance and the Black Benefactors Giving Circle.
Robert Berger
Robert Berger is an attorney and has worked in the area of attorney ethics for over 20 years. He is employed at the Securities and Exchange Commission and is an adjunct professor at George Washington University Law School. Robert is passionate about history and art and has served on multiple nonprofit boards, including the Ohio History Connection, Stonewall Columbus and the Rainbow History Project. Robert received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Ohio State University and a JD from Capital University Law School.
Ayanna Smith
Ayanna Smith is an innovator, an ecosystem builder, and an executor who is passionate about her commitment to uplifting, amplifying and supporting marginalized people. Smith is an award-winning entrepreneur, startup enthusiast, social impact leader and longtime executive communications strategist. She opened the first live escape room for children in the country, voted best new business of the year in Capitol Hill and “Best of DC” every year until closing. Smith is an advocate in her Washington, DC community, mother of two and spouse to a US Air Force Officer.
Daryl Smith
Daryl Smith serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for KETTLER. With over 20 years of multifamily marketing experience, Daryl brings a wealth of knowledge and strategic leadership to KETTLER’s marketing department. He specializes in digital media, marketing operations as well as brand strategy. Daryl is known for his innovative next-generation marketing strategies. He received a masters’ degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin before moving to Washington, D.C., where he now lives. Prior to entering the multifamily market, Daryl worked in Public Television for 10 years in broadcast operations and station relations for Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in Alexandria, Va., WETA-TV, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin Public Television, Madison, Wisconsin.
Leah Gage
Leah has over a decade of experience in the non-profit sector working in a variety of causes, from international microfinance to coordinating youth programming to grantmaking to support animal rights activism. What connects her varied experience is a commitment to community development while amplifying and learning from underrepresented groups. Leah holds a B.A. from Oberlin College and an MSW from Catholic University. Though she spent most of her youth in Indiana, Leah was born in DC and is proud to have called the city home for over 12 years. She is thrilled to join the HumanitiesDC team to combine her grantmaking experience and commitment to community empowerment with her passion for using art and creativity to convey the human experience. Outside of work, you may find Leah playing drums for different DC bands or out sampling the city’s vegan dining options.
Nicole Schenkman
Growing up between a small family farm in New Jersey and her mother’s art studios in New York City, Nicole developed a passion for place-based learning from a young age. Since moving to DC in 2016, Nicole has focused her career on creating engaging and accessible community-centered celebrations and programming opportunities for residents of all ages to connect. Before joining HumanitiesDC, she worked as a Volunteer Coordinator and, most recently, a Communications and Outreach Manager for a DC-based nonprofit, City Blossoms. Schenkman received a BA in Individualized Studies from New York University, where she led her senior colloquium on Narrating the Cultural Politics of Social Spaces. In her free time, Nicole enjoys knitting, practicing cello, experimenting in the kitchen, and spending time with her senior corgi, Larcey.
Hillary Steen
Hillary co-manages HumanitiesDC’s grants portfolio supporting cultural and educational programming and projects. A DC resident since 2014, Hillary has worked at RespectAbility, the Association of Public Health Laboratories, and the Greater Washington Community Foundation. Her roles have primarily focused on fundraising and federal grants management, and she is excited to apply these key experiences to grantmaking. With an understanding of the importance of intersectionality and collaboration in the nonprofit sector, Hillary looks forward to strengthening partnerships with DC organizations. Hillary holds a Master of Public Management with a specialization in nonprofit management and leadership from the University of Maryland, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from New York University. In her free time, Hillary enjoys reading, watching movies, playing tennis, and experiencing everything related to music and theater.