Denzell Spencer is a Humanities teacher at Rocketship Public Charter Schools. As an educator and previously a nonprofit fundraiser, he has a decade of experience in the public sector. Denzell began his career as a DCPS English teacher and then taught at a charter school in Brooklyn, NY. He holds a BA in English from Howard University and earned his MPA from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Denzell lives in Ward 6 where he enjoys attending art and culture events in his community.
Dawn Fong
Dawn Fong is the Program Manager for 202Creates, where she oversees initiatives that nurture and spotlight the creative economy in Washington, D.C. She previously served as the Managing Director of The Ujiri Foundation, which operates Giants of Africa, where she contributed to the growth of a nonprofit that uses basketball as a tool to educate and empower African youth. Dawn also held a key role at BET Networks as an Executive Assistant, supporting C Suite executives and managing complex projects. With a passion for creativity and community, Dawn continues to make a significant impact in every role she takes on.
Nia Crawford
Nia Crawford, a Washington, D.C. native, is deeply passionate about creating dynamic, community-driven programs. Currently serving as the Outreach Coordinator at the African American Civil War Memorial Museum, Nia brings her expertise in fostering inclusive and engaging programming to her work. With a background in Women and Gender Studies and a master’s degree in Museum Studies from George Washington University, Nia has developed a strong expertise in crafting engaging, inclusive programming that brings people together. She excels in leading educational and cultural initiatives that inspire growth and foster collaboration, with a focus on developing impactful, accessible experiences for diverse audiences.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.