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.
Gabriella Jones
Gabriella has been active in the nonprofit world since 2013. She has communication and leadership experience working with the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Program, CISV international youth camps, and local churches. Before starting with HumanitiesDC, she worked as a 5th grade math teacher and filmmaker, helping produce a 2021 Tribeca film festival official selection. As a native Washingtonian, Gabriella has a passion for the city and her local community and is excited to work on the communications team of HumanitiesDC. Gabriella holds a B.A. in Communications and Chinese from the University of Maryland, and, outside of work, she loves reading, writing, and producing short films. Her favorite TV show is currently Money Heist.
Malgorzata (MJ) Rymsza-Pawlowska
MJ Rymsza-Pawlowska is Associate Professor of History at American University, where she researches and teaches U.S. cultural history and public history theory and practice. MJ is also very active in DC’s history community, collaborating with a number of local organizations on research initiatives and public programming–she loves seeing how history and the humanities can help people– both natives and newcomers—connect with the city and with each other in new ways. MJ grew up in Ward 5 and now lives with her husband in Ward 3.
Chinedu Felix Osuchukwu
Alison Johnson
Alison lives in Glover Park and can be found wandering the wooded trails with her dog, Winston, when not traveling for her role as Associate Vice President of Content and Program Strategy at the National Multifamily Housing Council. At NMHC, Alison partners with business executives, researchers, and industry advocates to implement and maintain industry knowledge programs in a variety of subject matters, including corporate citizenship, leadership, market trends, technology and innovation, and housing affordability. The starting point for Alison’s professional role began in her early academic career, studying Political and Economic Philosophy at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, WV. Through her continued studies and interactions about the history, thoughts and culture that make up the record of our modern community, she has learned the practical application humanities have in everyday life. The humanities give voice to how we make sense of the world. And the humanities belong to us all.
Cole Fiala
Cole Fiala is a connector of people and dots with expertise in cross-cultural collaboration, relationship building, and project management. He is currently looking toward 2026 and the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States while cultivating federal and international partnerships for the America250 Foundation. His previous work spans more than 50 countries, first with U.S. Department of State public diplomacy programs at Meridian International Center and, more recently, with National Geographic traveling exhibitions. On the local level, he enjoys serving on the Board of HumanitiesDC and volunteering with the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
Cole earned his MA in Museum Studies from Marist College and the Instituto Lorenzo de’ Medici and his BA in Art History and International Studies from Loyola University Chicago. He can often be found taking his dog on long walks, trying new recipes in the kitchen, and traveling with his husband to destinations near and far.
Heather Clark
Jimmy Watkins
Jimmy was born and raised in Washington DC’s Ward 8 and has spent the past eight years working for and supporting local nonprofits. A graduate of Bates College, Jimmy obtained his bachelor’s degree in English before completing a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Georgetown University. Most recently, Jimmy served on the Board of Directors for Words Beats & Life, taught playwriting at the Young Playwright’s Theater, and joined the Black Swan Academy as their administrative assistant. Outside of work, Jimmy can be found writing a screenplay, quoting lines from his favorite TV shows (What? There’s no blook club?!) and raising his cat, Ghost, who he secretly thinks is his direwolf.
Rebecca Joseph
Rebecca believes that strong public humanities collaborations are essential to addressing our biggest questions as we navigate the complexities of living in an interconnected, rapidly changing world. A relationship builder and resource mobilizer, she leads development growth in individual and institutional giving, as well as public funding, drawing on more than three decades of experience as an applied ethnographer, non-profit professional, grant maker, and consultant. Becky listens deeply. Her natural curiosity often wonders, “What else can this be?” She holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of California – San Diego, a BA from Swarthmore College, and has been a post-doctoral research fellow at UC – Berkeley and a Fulbright scholar. She finds special joy experiencing the city through the senses of her young grandson, a DC native, studying ancient texts in their original languages, and hacking recipes old and new in kitchens of all sizes.