Monique Jefferson is the Chief Human Resources Officer at New York Public Radio. She is in charge of setting strategy and developing a human resources agenda that supports and aligns with NYPR’s mission, strategy and goals. She also is helping to lead the work outlined in New York Public Radio’s newly-developed Race Equity Action Plan. Jefferson has 20 years of experience in human resources helping organizations develop and execute employee-centric strategies across all areas, from talent management and recruitment to DEI and organizational culture. Throughout her career, she has driven transformational change across organizations, most recently as Head of HR for Business Services across the Americas region and Head of the Global HR business partner function at Hogan Lovells, one of the top 10 international law firms. Prior to Hogan Lovells, Jefferson was Vice President of Human Resources for New York Life Insurance Company in New York City. As a Senior HR Business Partner, she led a team that provided strategic HR client support to all corporate functions. Before that, Jefferson spent over seven years with Merrill Lynch in the Global Markets & Investment Banking division, where she piloted the company’s first Diversity Mentoring Program. Earlier in her career, Jefferson worked at Bristol-Myers Squibb and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Jefferson graduated from Bentley University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and holds a Master of Science in Human Resources Management from The New School. Jefferson is a recipient of the Harlem YMCA Black Achievers in Industry recognition, The Network Journal’s 40 under 40 achievement and Get5 HR Hero award for outstanding volunteerism.

Executive Director of Cool Culture since 2007, Candice has devoted her career to improving the wellbeing educational opportunities and life outcomes for children and families from historically marginalized communities. Previously, she served as Director of Child Care and Head Start Collaboration at the NYC Administration for Children’s Services, and as Senior Policy Associate for Child Care, Education and Youth Development at Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York, NYC’s premier child advocacy organization. Candice has received the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Extraordinary Women award, has an MS in Urban Planning from the New School for Social Research, received her B.A. from Oberlin College and in 2010 became a graduate of the Executive Level Program at Columbia Business School’s Institute for Not-for-Profit Management. In October of 2015, she was appointed by NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio as a member of the Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission and also sits on the NYC Department of Education’s Arts Committee to the Panel of Educational Policy.

Ms. King serves as the chief executive officer for Leadership Newark, Inc., a non-profit organization in the State of New Jersey. Her responsibilities include the overall management and oversight of numerous leadership development programs, which has an emphasis on public policy enrichment and civic engagement for both adults and youth. Celia is responsible for ensuring each program is of high quality & relevant based on the state of affairs nationally, regionally and statewide. In her role, she strives to expand and improve the network of civic and community leaders in the greater Newark area. As an advocate of civic participation, Celia takes her role seriously in engaging the public to be informed and involved. Ms. King feels community building as well as a commitment to social and civic responsibility requires the development of servant leaders through community leadership programs. Prior to assuming her current position, Celia worked in the field of healthcare as an administrator for more than 10 years, as a senior level executive with oversight in behavioral health services, substance abuse and ambulatory care. Celia M. King is a former Councilwoman from Maplewood, New Jersey, serving for 8 years. During her tenure she served in the capacity of Deputy Mayor 4 years. 

In February 2020, Francisco Tezén became President and CEO of A Better Chance, a national nonprofit that places talented young people of color into the leadership pipeline through increased access to academically rigorous secondary schools. Throughout his career, Francisco has created and managed growth, visibility and partnership strategies for educational and social service organizations with community-based, national, and global reach. Tezén, a first-generation Peruvian-American, leads the nonprofit when racial equity, educational opportunity, diversity, access and inclusion are at the forefront of our nation’s collective conscience. “My parents, an immigrant father and a black mother from rural North Carolina, stressed the importance of education to climb out of poverty and realize our American dream,” Tezén said. “As an alumnus of a college preparatory program, I have experienced firsthand the transformative effect of efforts that open pathways of opportunity for people like me. I am honored to lead A Better Chance in writing the next chapter in its venerable legacy.”

He joined A Better Chance from the Food Bank For New York City where he served as the Chief Development Officer.  Prior to the Food Bank, he held positions at Year Up, The New School, and Columbia Business School. Francisco earned his B.A. in History and Latin-American Studies at Wesleyan University and his M.S. in Nonprofit Management at The New School.