Melissa Peña

Jill Smith

I Believe in the Value of

inclusion

“Diversity is a fact, equity is a choice, inclusion is an action, and belonging is an outcome.” – Arthur Chan. As we tackle issues of white supremacy and economic inequity founded in systemic racism and the classism that is the “American Dream”, we face a world where acknowledging diversity is not enough. The road to equity is a long one, considering we have yet to enact true equality across sectors and systems, nor have we acknowledged the historical and systemic wrongs that have led to the need for equity over equality. That said, every person has the ability to take on the action of inclusion. As community members, it is our responsibility to be inclusive and demand inclusive action. Although systemic change takes time, it is through inclusive action that community members and organizations can move our society to one that everyone can feel like they belong. Being inclusive is not about race, gender, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Inclusivity is about seeing people as people and treating them with the dignity and respect personhood calls for. Being inclusive is being compassionate, having empathy, and respecting a person’s right to simply be themselves.

Jill Smith

Senior Director of Partner Service Operations | she/her

An innovator and entrepreneur, Jill brings over a decade of experience serving historically disenfranchised community members through systems and program development. Bringing over 10 years of experience in nonprofit program management and operations, Jill is thrilled to lead Possibility Labs’ partner service operations. Throughout her career, Jill has pioneered multiple initiatives to efficiently collect and analyze data, generate grant and donation revenue, increase volunteer pipelines, and create and streamline operational systems. Her professional and personal core values are grounded in a firm belief in equity, empowerment, and a responsibility to support all community members. Jill holds a M.B.A. from National University and a B.A. in Political Science and African American Studies from California State University, Northridge.

“At some point, someone decided that this hyper-capitalist society is how our society should operate, despite its harm to the masses. Although it should be a choice to disconnect from a culture that values commerce over community, doing so would mean embracing a level of disenfranchisement that most people are not comfortable with. Before people can make the choice to disengage with dignity, we must create a society that allows community members to live a life that aligns with their own values without sacrificing basic needs and freedoms. We can do this in a variety of ways, including separating the acquirement of basic needs from capitalist ventures. People should not be able to capitalize on another person’s need to survive.”

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For media inquiries: [email protected]

I Believe in the Value of

collective excellence

As an intermediary partner, the shared focus in humility, integrity, and setting and achieving the highest bar in what we set out to do is critical to our contribution to strengthening communities and movements — and ensuring the responsive and scalable partnership that bold and game-changing BIPOC entrepreneurs most need.

Keiko Murase

Co-CEO | she/her

Keiko co-leads Possibility Labs’ strategy and team. As a former management consultant, Keiko brings 20+ years of experience as strategic partner to C-Suite teams in helping them envision strategic goals and bringing their visions to life. She worked with clients, ranging from startups to Fortune 500 firms, to develop business infrastructure and operational excellence for rapid and sustainable growth.

Keiko transitioned to the non-profit sector in 2017. Her commitment to social justice was sealed after witnessing the harsh working conditions that people experienced in the factories and warehouses in remote areas overseas. She brings to the work her expertise in challenging the norms and creating innovative solutions for systemic change.

Previously, she worked as Deputy Director of Operations for Movement Strategy Center and Operations Director at Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation. Keiko holds a B.A. in Latin American Studies from Nanzan University in Japan, and an MBA from Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College.

“By challenging the norms and discovering opportunities for creating innovative solutions to social finance, I hope to accelerate the work of entrepreneurs from BIPOC communities solving the most pressing issues of our time.”

Learn More

For media inquiries: [email protected]

Learn More

For media inquiries: [email protected]

Learn More

For media inquiries: [email protected]

Learn More

For media inquiries: [email protected]

I Believe in the Value of

community care

For all people to thrive, not just survive, through concurrent modalities of individual therapy, interdependent care systems, and advocacy, and movement organizing to help rebuild community care.

Jaimee Estreller

VP of Marketing and Communications | she/they

Jaimee leads Possibility Labs’ marketing and communications, serving as an integrated brand planner, tactical executor, and creative storyteller through the lens of culture and empathy. She brings to the team valuable skill-sets from cross-functional roles such as: community manager, copywriter, researcher, and integrated strategist. Their approach is simplifying the complex by focusing on both the big picture while executing in the micro, a combination of strengths from her 11 years in restaurant operations and consumer marketing. Previously, Jaimee was a Director of Strategy at VaynerMedia for 8 years, leading the development of brand, content, and go-to-market strategies for Fortune 500 brands and start-ups. Jaimee holds a B.A. from Cornell University in Hospitality Administration.

“Being on a BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ team of curious problem solvers means changing systems that have previously kept us small. I am excited to work towards the liberation and self-determination of marginalized groups so that they are no longer on the outskirts of access, impact, and attention.”

I Believe in the Value of

intergenerational & intersectional healing

Building wealth and community care is not just about leveling the proverbial playing field. This work is about healing generational trauma, building coalitions across multiple intersections, and uplifting all communities through radical, restorative, regenerative justice. As a group of people who have experienced first-hand the impacts of systemic oppression, PL’s team is co-creating a new economic reality with our communities. This isn’t about saving others. This is about healing ourselves and caring for one another. This work must be done in community and is just as much about us as it is about you.

Anjna Swaminathan

Marketing and Communications Manager | they/them

Anjna works closely with the VP of Marketing and Communications and cross-functionally to strengthen the brand, content, and external communications at Possibility Labs. After over 10 years as a freelance multi-disciplinary artist, activist and justice-oriented communications consultant, Anjna brings intuitiveness, intentionality, and innovation to the team. Their approach is highly empathetic and borrows from their years of experience as a queer, non-binary, disabled, neurodivergent changemaker of color. With an academic background in Critical Race, Gender and Queer Theory, Anjna is committed to making unrestricted restorative wealth and abundant community care accessible to all people, regardless of their circumstances. At Possibility Labs, they bring together their versatile skills in creative strategy, copywriting, storytelling, design, digital illustration, public speaking, and community-building. Anjna holds a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Maryland School of Theatre, Dance and Performance studies and spends most of their time using art to heal communities around the world.

“As a child of immigrants, I have always antagonized the concept of wealth-building. Money has held people back and created rifts in communities. I am learning from the likes of thought leaders like Edgar Villanueva (Decolonizing Wealth) that “Money is medicine.” Our work stems from that core principle that wealth has the capacity to heal multigenerational traumas and foster true abundance. I am healing alongside you and together, we will build a system that will heal us all.”

Melissa Peña

I Believe in the Value of

philanthropy as justice

Philanthropy has the potential to restore balance by serving as a tool for achieving economic, environmental, racial, and social justice.

Philanthropy Manager | she/her

Melissa drives Possibility Labs’ fundraising processes, including philanthropic partnership creation and stewardship. Her focus is on overseeing the pipeline of funding opportunities, establishing moves management processes, and tracking goals for engaging individual and institutional partners. Melissa brings to the team a background in major gifts, fundraising strategy, and grant management from nine years of experience at nonprofit institutions ranging in size and scope. Previously, Melissa served as Development Director for La Leche League International and as Director of Development for the University of Florida. Melissa holds a B.S. in Public Relations and a minor in Spanish from the University of Florida.

“For generations, philanthropy has unintentionally caused harm by upholding privilege for a relative few. By investing assets to be completely mission-aligned and putting decision-making in the hands of BIPOC community leaders with the best solutions for healing and progress, we can create a system that will continually benefit future generations. I am honored to work towards a fair economy in collaboration with the dynamic Possibility Labs team, donors, and partners.”

Keith Beverly

I Believe in the Value of

collaboration

We face vast challenges as mission-driven individuals and organizations committed to affecting positive societal change on a massive scale. It is vital that we work collaboratively with those with shared values and objectives whenever possible.

Keith Beverly

Social Investment Consultant | he/him

Keith Beverly is the Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer for GRID 202 Partners, an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) firm. GRID focuses on achieving attractive financial returns in a manner fully aligned with the personal or organizational mission of its clients.

Keith brings over 15 years of investment management and financial planning experience to the firm. His responsibilities include building customized investment portfolios to implementing sophisticated financial planning strategies – primarily for medical professionals, attorneys, and professional athletes. Keith is passionate about financial education, particularly in underestimated communities. He has delivered numerous seminars and workshops to groups ranging from elementary school students to retirees.

Keith graduated from Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business with University and College Honors and obtained his MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler’s Business School where he was a Dean’s Fellow. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Financial Planner designations, the most respected credentials for investment management and financial planning, respectively.

“Narrowing and ultimately closing the racial wealth gap requires a multi-disciplinary approach with a host of actors: organizers and activists, elected officials, impact investors and their advisors, ecosystem builders and the philanthropic community. I’ve grown more hopeful recently that these constituents recognize the urgency of the problem and will increasingly act boldly and swiftly in directing resources where they are most needed.”

I Believe in the Value of

community

None of us are seeds cast into the wind. We were lovingly planted in the rich fertile soil of family, friends, and culture. We cannot forget where we come from and act as if we have done it all on our own. We acknowledge the collective and ancestral contributions to our success and act accordingly by paying those efforts forward to our chosen tribe.

Anna N’Jie-Konte

Interim Chief Investment Officer | she/her

Anna N’Jie-Konte, MBA, CFP® is a proud Puerto Rican, Gambian-American entrepreneur who is committed to shifting the inequitable wealth distribution in our society. Anna spent eight years working in wealth management advising ultra-high net worth families and institutions how to grow and secure their wealth for longevity and impact. She currently serves as a financial advisor and investment consultant to individuals and institutions who wish to build wealth in an intentional and values-aligned fashion.

Anna is among a small, but impactful group of BIPOC CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certificants who are trained to give comprehensive, holistic financial advice. She has won Investment News’ “Top 100 Influential Financial Advisors” twice and has been featured in well-known publications such as Bloomberg, CNBC, VICE News, The New York Times, Telemundo, Financial Planning, RIA Intel, Think Advisor, and Next Advisor.

“More than anything, my desire is to see a reimagined paradigm where BIPOC people are fully free to step into the national promise of self-determination. I believe that economic power, liberation, financial literacy, and group economics will play a crucial part in this pursuit. I am honored to play a small part in this movement for change.”

I Believe in the Value of

collaboration

Collaboration within communities and the field is based on hearing the needs of movements and efficiently solving for the new economy together.

Kelsey Baker

Chief of Staff | she/her

Kelsey serves as a strategic partner to support the co-CEOs with effective decision-making, project management, research & design, and execution of key strategic initiatives across the organization. Kelsey brings five years of expertise working to increase equitable access to funding, community and funder relationship building, participatory grantmaking, and capacity building for grassroots organizations. Previously, she worked as a Senior Program Officer at The New York Women’s Foundation’s NYC Fund for Girls and Young Women a collaborative fund supporting organizations led by girls, young women, and transgender/gender non-conforming youth of color. Prior to this role, she worked in the Office of the President at the Ford Foundation supporting grantmaking in the arts, civic engagement, disability inclusion and policy advocacy. Kelsey holds an M.S. in Nonprofit Leadership and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania.

“It’s important to see BIPOC community leaders as experts and amplify their work. We must trust and support their thoughts and approaches. With our backend infrastructure and funding, BIPOC movements and communities can focus on on-the-ground needs and build, scale, and sustain their work.”

I Believe in the Value of

creating community-driven economic power

Help build a platform to confront capitalist financing mechanisms and operational systems that are driving worker exploitation and planetary destruction and help community-driven, BIPOC-led initiatives to operate with the scale and agility of white-led enterprises, without capitalistic values.

Raymond Pettit

Director of Field Building | he/him

Raymond leads Possibility Labs through philanthropic partnership building and fund development, shifting funders to make decisions in relationship with communities and to resource transformative work at scale. He brings 14+ years of experience working in philanthropic innovation, fund development, social justice strategy, grant writing, project development, and research. Previously, Raymond worked as Fund Officer at Movement Strategy Center, Director of Development for Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, and as consultant for the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team. Raymond holds a B.A. in Anthropology from CUNY Hunter College and a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the CUNY Graduate Center.

“I’m looking forward to building systems and collaborations with philanthropic partners, embedding democracy in decision making, and developing equitable resourcing strategies that push back on exclusionary development practices. To move philanthropy to deploy its full charitable portfolios towards a platform where Black/Brown folks build power and economic might, rather than accepting old limitations of grant making models.”

I Believe in the Value of

Intergenerational Co-creation

Our work is not just by and for this generation; it’s guided by the experience, wisdom, and freedom dreams of all who have come before us — and it invites us to new ways of co-creation with and for all those who have yet to come.

Vanessa Huang

VP of Partnerships | she/they

Vanessa leads Possibility Labs’ partnerships and field building with BIPOC innovators and donors co-designing and leveraging integrated capital infrastructure to co-create a just economy. Vanessa’s approach is informed by two decades as a strategist and operative partnering with visionary leaders across civic, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors to advance racial, gender, economic, and environmental justice. Previously, Vanessa was Chief Strategy and Partnerships Advisor for Movement Strategy Center, leading Advancement and philanthropic services; Development Director for Restaurant Opportunities Centers United and One Fair Wage; and Policy and Communications Director leading California decarceration campaigns. Vanessa holds a B.A. from Brown University in Ethnic Studies and was a Women’s Policy Institute Fellow with the Women’s Foundation of California.

” Designing ways to support and learn from collaborations stewarding the creative flow of regenerative capital expands the possibilities for not only what our communities and movements can imagine, but what we can tangibly catalyze and co-create for generations to come. In this way, we contribute to the transitional infrastructure needed to partner across sectors and networks in moving from envisioning an economy that centers the margins as well as whole communities — to empowering the full range of integrated capital necessary to build it, and learning — and/or remembering — how to govern it.”

I Believe in the Value of

collective good & progress

Health, safety, a clean environment, economic security, well-being and quality education for all communities must be valued and prioritized over excessive individual gain and accumulation of wealth.

Masako Kalbach

VP of People Operations | she/her

Masako leads Possibility Labs’ culture and people development strategies, including organization-wide values alignment and integration. Masako’s expertise comes from 18+ years in creating Human Resources, Finance, and Operations infrastructure, policies, and processes that center the needs of BIPOC and low-income communities. Most recently, she served as Senior Director of People Operations at Movement Strategy Center, with 150+ employees across 20 states and 26 fiscally sponsored projects, leading its People Operations Team. Previous to MSC, Masako was Finance & Operations Director and Interim Executive Director at the Museum of Children’s Art in California. Masako is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and holds a B.A. in International Relations and French Studies from Mills College and L’Université de Paris.

“I envision a world where every person’s life is valued regardless of color, ethnicity, gender, class, or immigration status and where we shift the current paradigm towards community wealth and regeneration. That each of us understands that we are part of a deeply connected ecosystem that provides and sustains our lives.”

I Believe in the Value of

drive & ambition

To guide social justice leaders and take care of the back-end services that inhibit their work, so these leaders can focus on fundraising as a nonprofit.

Daniel Zhou

Operations Research Analyst | he/him

Daniel supports Possibility Labs as an Operations Research Analyst, helping with business intelligence, system integration, process automation, operations research and planning, sourcing vendors for the Possibility Labs’ portal, and helping drive the platform’s back-end services. He brings 6+ years of expertise working as a data analyst within operations, engineering, finance, process automation, and research experience. Previously, Daniel worked with ABM Industries. He supported strategic and operational planning for the corporate finance teams, developed an automation ecosystem using custom Python scripts and automated new customer creation processes. Daniel also has experience in financial reporting and process engineering. He holds an M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Iowa State University and a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Purdue University.

“I want us to use data and artificial intelligence to build outreach models that help BIPOC community members, leaders, and nonprofits to find the right target markets, compatible donors, and more efficiently connect the right pieces together.”

I Believe in the Value of

making the impossible, possible

As we take on the challenging work of navigating, disrupting, and transforming complex financial and information systems, leading with integrity is what can keep us grounded and accountable to what we are trying to accomplish. This means leading from our personal and shared values as much as encouraging the integration of our whole selves and holding a view of our whole communities.

Lem White

Co-CEO | he/they

Lem has spent the past 12 years as a growth executive in startups, philanthropy, and non-profits supporting executive teams to develop high-growth strategies. He brings a breadth of expertise in leading teams to solve highly complex challenges with impactful solutions. Lem’s early work in community development taught him that shifting decision-making power to communities most impacted by development policies is the most impactful way for them to thrive. He has worked across social justice philanthropy and witnessed the power that storytelling has to activate people towards progressive social change. Additionally, he has worked alongside Black and Brown organizational leaders in gaining traction and funding by getting to the heart of an organization’s mission in its strategies and storytelling.

Lem co-leads Possibility Labs’ strategy and team. His focus is on understanding the needs of our partners and translating those into effective, impactful programs and platforms. Previously, Lem was Executive Director of Strategy at Movement Strategy Center, Chief Growth Officer at Refound, and Marketing and Communications Director at North Star Fund. Lem received his Bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University. He studied Philosophy in the Master’s program at the New School and still enjoys diving into books on philosophy and his other love, theology.

“Movements are designing and prototyping the futures we need and want — from civic infrastructure; to how the economy works; to what the practice, policies, and systems for “justice” looks like when harm is done. The investments needed to make this new world fully possible extend well beyond charity, and the legal structures extend well beyond the 501c3. I’m excited to co-create the structures we need to move these investments.”

Rosemary E. Fei

Board Member | she/her

Principal at Adler & Colvin

Rosemary’s role within Possibility Labs’ Board leverages her expertise in nonprofits and board operations, governance, and law. She brings 30+ years of legal, teaching, advising, and leadership experience around nonprofits and social justice. Rosemary is currently a Principal at Adler & Colvin, a law firm focused on nonprofit and tax-exempt organization representation, and served until recently on its inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. She holds a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School, and a BS in economics, summa cum laude, from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Khalid Kadir

Board Member | he/him

Continuing Lecturer at UC Berkeley

Khalid’s role within the Possibility Labs’ Board of Directors focuses on fostering restorative and regenerative funding opportunities for BIPOC movements and community-driven organizations. He brings 15+ years of teaching, research, and work experience focused on leveraging social justice and environmental sustainability to address the needs of underserved communities. He is currently a Continuing Lecturer at UC Berkeley teaching courses focused on political economy, poverty, and the intersection of engineering and social justice. Khalid holds a Masters and Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley, and a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

I Believe in the Value of

solidarity

Standing in alliance with marginalized BIPOC communities and celebrating diversity with the intent to innovate antiquated systems and shift to a more inclusive collective narrative.

Amy Nguyen

Partner Services Manager | pronoun flexible

Amy nurtures and builds relationships with Possibility Labs’ partners and serves as their primary point of contact. Amy brings over 8 years of professional experience spanning a wide range of industries from music to cryptocurrency to two-sided marketplaces. Amy specializes in operations, administration, and customer success. Prior to Possibility Labs, Amy worked as an Advisor Advocate for an established tech company overseeing procurement, onboarding, and quality assurance. Amy has a B.S. in Business Administration and a Minor in Media & Culture Studies from the University of California, Riverside.

“I hope we establish a community and develop an ecosystem where our BIPOC partners are seen, heard, uplifted, and inspired by the common goal of imparting positive change and making the world a more equitable place.”

I Believe in the Value of

Community-controlled capital

That uplifts traditional knowledge, disrupts extractive practices, and creates a regenerative and just economy that meets the needs of communities and the planet.

Kelley Buhles

Donor Advised Funds Consultant | she/her

Kelley supports Possibility Labs as a Consultant for the DAF program design, focusing on creating a transparent, values-aligned program that offers integrated capital deployment. Kelley brings 15+ years of expertise working with integrated capital, DAFs, philanthropy, and participatory grantmaking. Previously, she worked for RSF, where she implemented trust-based practices and community-led decision making, ran the DAF program and supported organizational culture. She is a 2020-2021Fellow for the Just Economy Institute and a founding member of the Participatory Grantmaking Community. Kelley holds a B.A. in Anthropology from San Diego State University – California State University.

“I want every aspect of our infrastructure to be both simple and in alignment with the values of our clients, so that movement leaders and organizations have a smooth path towards building a new economy that is joyful, exciting, and hopeful.”

I Believe in the Value of

listening to communities

At the grassroots level, and following the leadership and visions of BIPOC leaders, change-makers, and grassroots movements to bring us closer to the world we envision

Morgan Prentice

People Engagement Manager | she/her

Morgan supports Possibility Labs’ People Operations Team in building a people engagement strategy and organizational culture that is BIPOC-centered and values aligned. She brings experience in stakeholder relationship management, fostering cross-team relationships, and process management focused on creating thriving and productive environments. Previously, she worked at Movement Strategy Center as Investment Partnership Coordinator and at Restaurant Opportunities Centers United as Executive Assistant and Donor Organizer. She holds a B.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies and a minor in Public Policy from the University of California Berkeley.

“By building infrastructure that centers on the stories and needs of BIPOC communities, we ensure that traditionally excluded voices and perspectives are at the forefront of our collective power-building work. These efforts will bring us closer to the equitable future we strive for.”

I Believe in the Value of

philanthropy as justice

Melissa Peña

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I Believe in the Value of

inclusion

Jill Smith

Learn More

I Believe in the Value of

collective excellence

Keiko Murase

“By challenging the norms and discovering opportunities for creating innovative solutions to social finance, I hope to accelerate the work of entrepreneurs from BIPOC communities solving the most pressing issues of our time.”

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Contact Us

Learn More

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I Believe in the Value of

community care

Jaimee Estreller

“Being on a BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ team of curious problem solvers means changing systems that have previously kept us small. I am excited to work towards the liberation and self-determination of marginalized groups so that they are no longer on the outskirts of access, impact, and attention.”

I Believe in the Value of

intergenerational & intersectional healing

Anjna Swaminathan

I Believe in the Value of

philanthropy as justice

Melissa Peña

I Believe in the Value of

collaboration

Keith Beverly

I Believe in the Value of

community

Anna N’Jie-Konte

I Believe in the Value of

collaboration

Kelsey Baker

“It’s important to see BIPOC community leaders as experts and amplify their work. We must trust and support their thoughts and approaches. With our backend infrastructure and funding, BIPOC movements and communities can focus on on-the-ground needs and build, scale, and sustain their work.”

I Believe in the Value of

creating community-driven economic power

Raymond Pettit

I Believe in the Value of

Intergenerational Co-creation

Vanessa Huang

I Believe in the Value of

collective good & progress

Masako Kalbach

I Believe in the Value of

drive & ambition

Daniel Zhou

“I want us to use data and artificial intelligence to build outreach models that help BIPOC community members, leaders, and nonprofits to find the right target markets, compatible donors, and more efficiently connect the right pieces together.”

I Believe in the Value of

making the impossible, possible

Lem White

Rosemary E. Fei

Principal at Adler & Colvin

Khalid Kadir

Continuing Lecturer at UC Berkeley

I Believe in the Value of

solidarity

Amy Nguyen

“I hope we establish a community and develop an ecosystem where our BIPOC partners are seen, heard, uplifted, and inspired by the common goal of imparting positive change and making the world a more equitable place.”

I Believe in the Value of

Community-controlled capital

Kelley Buhles

“I want every aspect of our infrastructure to be both simple and in alignment with the values of our clients, so that movement leaders and organizations have a smooth path towards building a new economy that is joyful, exciting, and hopeful.”

I Believe in the Value of

listening to communities

Morgan Prentice

“By building infrastructure that centers on the stories and needs of BIPOC communities, we ensure that traditionally excluded voices and perspectives are at the forefront of our collective power-building work. These efforts will bring us closer to the equitable future we strive for.”