leadership council

The Fight For Children Youth Sports Collaborative Leadership Council is a group of nonprofit and youth development leaders from across Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Representing organizations within the Youth Sports Collaborative network, council members bring expertise in youth sports, education, mentoring, and community engagement to help strengthen opportunities and outcomes for young people throughout the region.

SARAH CRYDER

City Kids Wilderness Project

Bio

Sarah Cryder is the Executive Director of City Kids Wilderness Project. Since joining the organization, she has applied her extensive background in community engagement, education reform, partnership management, organizational management, strategic business planning and Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) to accelerate City Kids missional impact and lead the organization through new stages of nonprofit maturity. Prior to joining City Kids, Sarah started her career in the private sector and transitioned to consult for education related entities with a mission focused on improving life outcomes for youth and resourcing underinvested communities.

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donald curtis

SOUL Programs

Bio

Donald Curtis was born in Washington, D.C., raised in Palmer Park, Maryland. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration, Marketing from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga and a M.A. in Strategic Communication from American University. He completed his Executive Education in Innovation Management at the University of Maryland, College Park. He has completed a Nonprofit Management program via Northwestern University and the Allstate Foundation. In 2019, he was selected by Ashoka and American Express as an Emerging Innovator in 2019. In 2020, Donald completed the Nonprofit Executive Management Program at Georgetown University.

He also completed his Executive Education in Social Impact Strategies at the University of Pennsylvania. Donald has always had a passion for youth development and has worked to empower youth in various capacities from mental health institutions and foster care to coaching and teaching.

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glenda fu smith

So Kids SOAR

Bio

Glenda serves as Executive Director of So Kids SOAR.

So Kids SOAR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides life-changing programs that empower youth with physical and developmental disabilities to Strive, Own, Achieve and Realize their potential.

So Kids SOAR programs target youth with physical and developmental disabilities between the ages of 4 and 24. Siblings are welcome and encouraged to share the experience.

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kahina haynes

The Dance Institute of Washington

Bio

Kahina Haynes, Executive Director (2016-Present), is a passionate arts activist and the visionary architect behind DIW’s strategic revitalization following the significant loss of its Founder/Artistic Director, Fabian Barnes.

Prior to her appointment to the Executive Director role by the DIW Board of Directors, Ms.Haynes served as DIW’s School Director. Before that, she worked in program and process evaluation for a number of philanthropic and non-profit organizations including the United Nations (Bureau for Development Policy at UNDP), the Annie E. Casey Foundation, SafeKids Worldwide, and the World Bank Group. Ms. Haynes holds a B.A. from Princeton University with a Minor in African American Studies and a concentration in Dance; as well as, a MSC from Oxford University in Evidence-based Social Intervention. She was recently recognized by the Black Voices for Black Justice Fund as a 2022 National Awardee and is also the recipient of the David Bradt Non-profit Leadership award (2021).

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amir lowery

Open Goal Project

Bio

Amir Lowery is the Executive Director for Open Goal Project. Amir is a DC native who played for Wake Forest University before playing professionally for nearly a decade in Major League Soccer and the United Soccer League.

After returning to his hometown of DC to coach, Amir decided immediate action was needed to bring more diversity to the youth soccer landscape in the District and started developing Open Goal Project as a means to do just that.

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tommy park

Alexandria Soccer Association

Bio

As Executive Director at ASA Tommy oversees the overarching strategic direction at the club. He works closely with the board of directors, executive staff and community stakeholders to push ASA towards defining and achieving its outcomes and vision of being the gold standard community based club. His responsibilities include managing the organization's resources and leading advocacy for the greater #ASACommunity needs.

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charlie sperduto

Washington Nationals Philanthropies

Bio

Serving as the Senior Director of Civic Partnerships & Operations, Charlie Sperduto has been an integral part of the Academy since its beginning in 2013 and manages all community partner relationships for Nationals Philanthropies and operations for the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy. He leads Washington Nationals Philanthropies food access efforts, too, overseeing the Academy’s farmers market, organic garden, and food distribution programs. He also created and has grown YBA PLAY, the Academy’s grassroots baseball experience, increasing enrollment from 40 children exclusively at the Academy facility to over 1,300 in four sites across the city in just a few years. He has a decade of experience managing Academy programs and program budgets. Focused on ensuring the Academy is a pillar of the community, Charlie has built relationships with neighborhood school leaders, local advocacy groups, and community stakeholders across Wards 5-8.

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tierra stewart

DC SCORES

Bio

Tierra Stewart serves as Chief Program Officer at DC SCORES where she develops strategy, leads innovation, and is primarily responsible for the highest-quality program implementation and expansion. Tierra, a 40 under 40 Excellence in Leadership Honoree, brings 12+ years of experience in youth development, program design, community organizing, and non-profit work to DC SCORES. She is also a Transformative Justice Facilitator and Anti-Racist Political Scientist and Analyst featured in publications in over 25 countries.

As a dedicated public servant, Tierra believes society can only thrive when it has invested resources in the youth and has provided them with opportunities to realize their potential and dreams. She has engaged thousands of youth and families across D.C. and nationally in her programs, and is determined to continue to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline.

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jane wallis

Grassroots Health

Bio

As Executive Director at Grassroots Health, Jane Wallis, MPH (she/her) leads the team to advance health equity in DC middle schools by providing high-quality health education programming taught through sports and games.

GRH has a robust network of thousands of collegiate athlete volunteers who have conducted these programs for more than 10,000 youth in the past decade. Jane was a student-athlete volunteer during her time on the GW Women's Soccer team and has subsequently worked as a Program Coordinator, Director of Programs, Associate Director, and now as the Executive Director. She is passionate about the organization’s continued commitment and involvement in the DC communities and also advocating for innovative, youth-centered health education on a national stage.

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