Karen believes that numbers help tell stories and that solid systems can allow HumanitiesDC’s community to thrive and grow. As Director of Operations her responsibilities include finance and accounting, human resources, operations and administration, and supporting a strategy to build a stable internal structure to support the growth of our programs. Karen’s diverse experience includes more than 10 years in nonprofit management, as well as a short stints in local politics, education board service, management consulting, and technical marketing. She holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from UCLA and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Swarthmore College. You can spot her out and about around DC in the many great public libraries or playing soccer in local rec leagues.
Lois Nembhard
Lois brings twenty+ years of experience in the nonprofit and government sectors including management positions with AmeriCorps and the Social Innovation Fund. Her expertise includes program design and implementation, program operations, nonprofit capacity building and all phases of grantmaking. Most recently she has been a nonprofit consultant, providing capacity building support. She looks forward to being part of HumanitiesDC’s efforts to document, strengthen and amplify DC’s history, culture and arts through its residents. You might find Lois listening to reggae or a random assortment of podcasts, procrastinating about gardening, and plotting when to next visit Jamaica.
Rebecca Lemos Otero
Rebecca is a native Washingtonian who has served her community as an executive leader in the non-profit sector for more than two decades. Rebecca grounds her work in social justice and community driven programming. Before starting at HumanitiesDC in 2021, Rebecca co-founded and served as Executive Director for City Blossoms an organization dedicated to fostering community well-being through providing safe, accessible kid-driven green spaces. Lemos Otero is a graduate of Fordham University, received an M.F.A from the Maryland Institute College of Arts and holds a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Georgetown University. Whenever she gets a chance, Rebecca can be found trekking somewhere new in the world while listening to her endless list of history podcasts.
Jasper Collier
Jasper manages all aspects of the DC Oral History Collaborative program. Jasper has previously worked in curatorial and collections management at the Dittrick Medical History Center and President Lincoln’s Cottage. He has also held positions with the National Building Museum and the Western Reserve Historical Society and has worked as an independent consultant in historical research. Jasper holds a Master of Arts in Public History from American University and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Case Western Reserve University. Jasper attributes his skills in the Trivia arena to the late Alex Trebek (and generally watching too much TV as a kid).