On Thursday, May 22, 2025, the Do Good Institute celebrated the 19 students who completed the Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership (CNML) program in the 2024-2025 academic year. These 19 outstanding students make up the largest cohort of students in the program’s history!
The CNML program is designed to prepare mission-driven professionals to excel in management, strategy, finances and fundraising. The program attracts a diverse array of students, some with deep knowledge and experience in the nonprofit sector and others ready to transition to mission-focused work. The students in this cohort have backgrounds ranging from higher education to philanthropy to youth development. As Faculty Director Ebonie Johnson Cooper remarked during the ceremony, “we celebrate these students, not just for completing the program, but for doing so while running organizations, running families, managing teams, leading change and still showing up to class with questions, ideas and that beautiful nonprofit grit”.
Demonstrative of this grit are Melen Hagos and Freeman Thompson, the two student speakers selected by the students themselves. When reflecting on her time in the program, Hagos,
Chief of Staff at the Community Foundation of Greater Washington and a Do Good YBGB Fellow, remarked on how the program helped her grow as a leader. She shared, “participating in the program gave me laser focus on how my skills and abilities can translate to real impact”. Thompson, a Marriott Fellow, expressed how participating in the CNML program after a career transition was vital to his personal and professional development: “by allowing myself to step out of my comfort zone and do this program…it allowed me to meet other bright, innovative people that care deeply about the people they serve and in turn, re-energized me about the sector and how I fit into it.”
The evening’s keynote moment was delivered by Nancie Lynch, CEO of the Richard E. and Nancie P. Marriott Foundation. Lynch and the Foundation have long supported the certificate program through programming and fellowships, offering an opportunity to advance the professional development of nonprofit professionals across the DMV. In her address, Lynch emphasized that participation in this program is vital to the health of the sector: “Mission without management is momentum without direction. That’s why this training matters because leadership in our sector can’t be reactive, it must be proactive, strategic, and data-informed.” Afterwards, Lynch joined Johnson Cooper for a one-of-a-kind fireside chat that rested on critical issues facing the sector and nonprofit leaders, from how to lead amidst uncertainty and with influence, no matter one’s role.
As the CNML classes are virtual, the night was a special opportunity for students to connect with their classmates in person for the first time. Students came from as far away as Texas to celebrate. The night was filled with laughter and shared memories, making for an unforgettable evening.
We are proud to have these leaders join our alumni community of over 100 leaders across the country. We are excited to see the deep impact these leaders will have in their communities.
Fall 2024 - Spring 2025 CNML Certificate Recipients
Katherine Bulla
Susan Byrne
Annie Cole-Koffa
Dawn Collins
Catherine Curtis
Dakota Goldfarb
Francia Ximena Marin Gutierrez
Melen Hagos
Brandon Hawley
Isha Kamara
Jennifer Kilberg
Alexiss Kurtz
Latanya Farrish Robinson
Andrew Schindling
Matthew Talley
Freeman Thompson
Takiyah Wallace-McMillan
Nekesha Whitaker
Jack Wren