Born in Lima, Peru, and raised in western North Carolina, Maglyn is a dedicated advocate of the humanities and the arts. She is a graduate of Emory University (B.A, Music & Latin American and Caribbean Studies), UC Berkeley (M.A., Ethnomusicology), and New York University (M.A. Latin American and Caribbean Studies & Advanced Certificate in Museum Studies). Her experience writing about South American musicians with Indigenous heritage, working in cultural institutions with missions focused on BIPOC artists and communities, and managing programs for K-12 immigrant students of Queens, NY, have strengthened her commitment to developing relevant, educational, and culturally rich public programs and initiatives. In her spare time, Maglyn enjoys playing the music of the Great American Songbook on her keyboard, attending live music performances, and watching mystery shows.
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.
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.
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.
Beth Sadler
Beth has 10+ years of experience working behind the scenes to support movements for racial and social justice in DC and nationally. Before joining Purpose Possible as a consultant, she was the Development Director at Building Bridges Across the River, the non-profit that runs THEARC in Ward 8. She also served as the field associate at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and then as donor relations manager at Higher Achievement. Originally from Savannah, Georgia, Beth has called DC home since 2011. She spends her free time gardening, hosting friends, and seeing live music.
Karen Oliver
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).