Board of Directors

Dannielle Thomas (she/her), raised in the US South in a deep Black history and activism tradition, has vast experience in philanthropy and fundraising, program strategy and management, and equity and relationship-building practices within nonprofit and direct service networks. Dannielle has lived in various communities around the world to learn, grow, support, and advocate for community needs and issues surrounding Women’s health and empowerment, social and political power, and child advocacy. Her career has spanned from working in client services to fundraising and stewardship efforts for various organizations including International nonprofit organizations.

Previously, Dannielle founded and led a global Gender Justice Collective and fund, mobilized gender justice staff and leaders in 6 countries to launch the first multinational incentive competition with over 90 applicants from Iraq, Egypt, N. Syria, Turkey, and Jordan with locally-led Gender-Based Violence prevention and response organizations. Dannielle is a co-founder of MAMA Fund, a mutual aid and alternative economies’ collective. As a facilitator, Dannielle has supported organizations and foundations locally and nationally to develop visions, strategy, and create deep and meaningful relationships via in-person and virtual engagements.

Julian Hill (he/they) is an assistant professor at Georgia State University College of Law. Hill is a teacher, lifelong learner, community organizer, artist, and attorney who knows that the world we deserve, though both possible and necessary, is one for which we must fight with radical love. Julian regularly advises worker cooperatives, collectives, nonprofits, and small businesses on various matters, including formation, governance, compliance, and contracts. He has co-facilitated workshops, in English and Spanish, on worker cooperatives and the solidarity economy with Law 4 Black Lives, the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives, Democracy at Work Institute, the New York City Network of Worker Cooperatives, and other community-based organizations. Raised in Kankakee, Illinois, Julian taught high school Spanish in Compton, Calif. with Teach for America. That experience inspired them to launch a business called Yo Hablo, which uses hip-hop to teach Spanish to youth and adults.

Ms. Betru has worked as a community organizer and attorney committed to the advancement of human and civil rights since receiving her Bachelor of Arts from Spelman College and later her Juris Doctorate from New York University School of Law.

Ms. Parks is an Atlanta-native that advocates and activates the use of food as an organizing tool for healing and liberation. A child of the south, she is the granddaughter of educators and sharecroppers.