Diana Lee, National Community Development Institute

Diana Lee, a native of Oklahoma, has worked for equal access to health, education, social and legal services for youth and adults living with sickle cell and other special health care needs for over fifteen years. One of California’s first state-certified sickle cell counselors, Diana served as the co-founder and past Executive Director of the Sickle Cell Community Health Network of Northern California. Prior to joining NCDI, she was an active advocate on behalf of children and adults with a broad range of disabilities and special health care needs, serving as a consultant-trainer for the California Department of Education, assisting parent groups, schools, and professionals around California to build effective partnerships through trainings, one-on-one consultation, technical assistance, and publications. An alumnus of the LeaderSpring (formerly Eureka Communities) Fellowship for non profit directors, Diana holds a B.S. in Health Science with an emphasis in Community Health Education from San Francisco State University.  Since joining NCDI in 2003, Diana has served on many projects, including coordinating the training programs for consultants and organizational leaders serving in communities of color both in California and North Carolina.

Patricia St.Onge, Seven Generations Consulting

Brigette Rouson, Alliance for Nonprofit Management

Brigette Rouson is Program Director for Alliance for Nonprofit Management, the premier national organization of capacity builders devoted to improving nonprofit management and governance capacity. Brigette brings more than 20 years’ experience as a consultant, public policy attorney, grantmaker, board member and scholar-activist. Her leadership signature is advancing social transformation through attention to cultural identity. Brigette directs the Alliance Cultural Competency Initiative and is also primary staff for the groundbreaking Standards program. Brigette formerly directed a $4 million collaborative fund at Ms. Foundation for Women that provided grants and technical assistance to girls’ and young women’s programs. She has consulted on the Management Assistance Group staff and independently. She serves the Washington Area Women’s Foundation as a giving circle donor-organizer and member of its review committee for capacity-building grants. A graduate of Howard University (B.A.) and Georgetown University Law Center (J.D.), she studied culture and communication at University of Pennsylvania, where she received the M.A. and completed Ph.D. coursework.