Alexis Rodríguez brings 10+ years of nonprofit management experience to HumanitiesDC. As Director of Operations, his responsibilities include finance and accounting, human resources, and operations and administration. Prior to joining HumanitiesDC, he served as Managing Director to the Edlavitch DCJCC’s Film and Music programs; as well as working in communications at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at Strathmore. He holds an MA in Arts Management from American University and a BA in Marketing from the University of Puerto Rico.
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, and her MA in Museum Studies from George Washington University. 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.
Phillip Gragg
Hailing from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Phillip is an artist inspired by the educational and enriching qualities of the arts & humanities.
He is the current DCOHC Fellow and will support the program through grantmaking, trainings, archiving, events, and more. As a recent Theater Manager for the DC/DOX Film Festival, Phillip is always moved by the vibrant stories of others. He hopes to similarly make a space for all-inclusive dialogue on the human experience. Phillip enjoys Afro-Surrealism, biking around the city, and listening to Bob Dylan. He holds a B.F.A in Theatre Arts from Howard University.
Jimmy Watkins
James “Jimmy” Watkins is the Public Programs Manager at HumanitiesDC, a role he has held for the past three and a half years. A native of Washington, DC’s Ward 8, Jimmy has spent the last decade working with and supporting local nonprofits. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Bates College and later completed a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Georgetown University. At HumanitiesDC, he leads the monthly Culture Series. Outside of work, Jimmy can be found writing a screenplay and raising his cat, Ghost, who he secretly thinks is his direwolf.
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).