Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism: Leadership After OSU

Jennifer N. Broome, CFRE, has over 20+ years of fundraising experience across the non-profit sector, having worked at organizations with economic development, higher education, environmental, and international development and security missions. With experience in major and principal donor solicitation, foundation and corporate relations and cause marketing, annual fund, direct marketing and planned giving, government grants and contracts, and earned revenue, she has successfully built several sustainable comprehensive revenue-generation programs, resulting in a career fundraising total of over $100M+. 

Jennifer currently serves as the Vice President of Philanthropy at Prosperity Now, where she leads a team working to support efforts to build an economy that is just, fair, and free from structural racism. Previously, she led fundraising efforts for American Forests, the nation’s oldest forestry restoration non-profit, the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a nonpartisan think tank working to reduce threats from nuclear, biological, chemical, radiological, and cyber weapons, and the George Washington University Libraries, a multi-library system of rich academic resources and unique Special Collections serving four campuses.

 

Jennifer is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from The Ohio State University with dual undergraduate degrees in French and Comparative Studies of religion. Her senior thesis, written in French, focused on the origins and evolutions of the nonprofit sector, and she was a recipient of a President’s Leadership Citation for Promotion of Community Growth & Social Awareness. After college she served in the Peace Corps in Madagascar, where she taught English, health, and environmental education. She also holds a master’s degree in Philanthropic Studies from the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and is actively involved in the Association of Fundraising Professionals, where she served as the 2017 president of the local D.C. chapter. She lives in the Washington, D.C. area with a Youth For Understanding exchange student from France, and is an avid traveler, reader, and hiker.

 

Marvin C. Brown IV is an attorney with Earthjustice in Washington D.C. where he focuses on air quality and climate adaptation cases. Marvin graduated from The Ohio State University in 2011 with a B.A. in French and Comparative Studies: Ethnic and American Studies. While at OSU, he completed a senior thesis on the rise of antisemitism and islamophobia in France through the lens of literature and music. OSU generously funded his research at Bibliothèque nationale de France. After undergrad, he spent a year in Paris, France as an English teaching assistant with the Teaching Assistant Program in France. He graduated from Yale Law School in 2016. Marvin began his legal career at a civil rights law firm in Cleveland, Ohio, where he focused on police brutality and employment discrimination cases. He then clerked for a year with Chief Judge R. Guy Cole Jr., on the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. He practiced in environmental law at a big law firm before joining Earthjustice in 2021.

 

Natasha C. Jiménez Marchany (she/her)  was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Natasha moved to Columbus when she was 18 to attend OSU, where she graduated from in May ’21 with a BS in Psychology with Minors in Italian and Cognitive Science. Natasha currently works at The James Comprehensive Cancer Center for the Department of Patient Experience and is completing her DEI Certificate. Natasha will be returning as an official Buckeye in the Fall to complete her MA in Educational Psychology. 

 

Massarah Mikati is an award-winning journalist who has dedicated her professional and educational careers to amplifying the experiences of communities of color. She currently covers communities of color on the Philadelphia Inquirer's Communities & Engagement Desk, and has previously worked at the Houston Chronicle and the Times Union. Massarah graduated from OSU in 2017 with a B.A. in journalism, Middle East studies and Francophone studies. In 2016, she conducted field research in France for her honors thesis on how the 2015 Paris attacks impacted the lives and identities of French-Maghribis and Muslims. She received the OSU Board of Trustees Student Recognition Award as a result of her work.

 

Johnae Spain is a Project Coordinator at TRANSIT ARTS, a program of Central Community House, where she provides creative programming for youth, ages 12 to 21, across Central Ohio. By providing a safe and encouraging space where youth can express themselves and take positive risks, Johnae has been able to focus on helping youth build their social capital and social-emotional skills. Since joining TRANSIT ARTS, Johnae has helped develop and run its Black Girls Glow program, a special program that focuses on the social, mental, and emotional needs of Black girls. In addition to being a young professional, Johnae is an artist whose experience spans over 10 years as a classically trained violinist and professionally trained hip-hop dancer. She has traveled and performed with TRANSIT ARTS throughout Columbus as a hip-hop dancer; and as a violinist, Johnae has an extensive history performing throughout the Columbus community. Her passion for the arts goes beyond performing, leading her to develop a pop strings workshop offered through TRANSIT ARTS where she hopes to motivate and inspire young people to express themselves through music.