Announcing the 2023 SVP Pittsburgh Fellows

2023 SVP Fellows | (left to right) Markeya Lowry, Lindsey Aquino-Robles, Shanae Phillips, Christine Gameos, Kaceme Djellouli

We’re excited to announce the fellows for our SVP Pittsburgh program! The 2023-2024 cohort of SVP Fellows were selected from an impressive pool of applicants. This year’s fellows will bring unique expertise and diverse experiences to SVP and the Full Circle Nonprofit Accelerator Program, along with a passion for social justice, equity, and community engagement.

The SVP Fellowship is an 18-month-long program designed to provide the opportunity for those interested in civic engagement to bring their knowledge, skills, and expertise to nonprofit organizations in the region. The program offers professional development, increases knowledge on social issues and inequities that affect our community, and allows participants to build an expanded network within the nonprofit and corporate sectors.

Read about our 2023 Fellows below and learn more about SVP Pittsburgh program!


2023 SVP Fellows

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Markeya Lowry – Markeya, born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, started her journey with writing just a short time ago. After graduating from Cal U of PA in 2009, with a BA in Sociology, Markeya went off to do her due diligence in social service working with high school students, troubled youth, homeless families, and individuals diagnosed with mental health and substance abuse. It was shortly after the birth of her lovely daughter, Navi Ahavah, that she was inspired to write her children’s book series, On a Mission, and created Birth of Ahavah LLC which provides trained birth doula and life coaching services. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lindsey Aquino-Robles – Lindsey, originally from Santa Cruz, CA, currently works in the Mayor’s Office as a Community Liaison, supporting the 90 neighborhoods in the city. After graduating from Saint Mary’s College of California with a BA in Politics and a BA in Spanish Linguistics, Lindsey moved to Pittsburgh to complete the year-long Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs. She serves on the board of ALPFA, and continues to support Senderos, a nonprofit organization in Santa Cruz that teaches Latino culture and history through dance and music. In her free time, she enjoys going on runs, volunteering, and finding new places to eat!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shanae Phillips – Shanae has served as the Managing Director at Radiant Hall since 2018. She has a background in the visual arts and nonprofit administration and holds a Master’s Degree in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Management. Since moving from Austin, TX, in 2010, Shanae has worked in Pittsburgh’s nonprofit arts sector for organizations including the Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry at CMU, The Andy Warhol Museum, Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, The Denis Theatre Foundation, and City of Asylum. She also currently serves as a board member for the Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christine Gameos – Christine is currently the Program & Community Engagement Coordinator with Strong Women, Strong Girls, where she builds community partnerships and opportunities for youth. Christine’s career matches her passion for youth development and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence, trauma, and displacement. After earning her Master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh (GSPIA), she conducted postgraduate research on Education in Emergencies (EiE) in Greece’s largest refugee camp. She also supports the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Girl Scouts of Western PA, and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) initiatives, while striving for equitable access to advocacy, education, and opportunity for all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kaceme Djellouli – Kaceme currently serves as the Director of Operations at The Education Partnership where he distributes school supplies to local under-resourced schools. He earned a business administration degree in Supply Chain Management from Duquesne University in 2018 and a Certification in Planning and Inventory Management in 2019. Kaceme leverages his expertise to build an infrastructure that serves Pittsburgh’s communities in need. Previously, he served in the US military from 2006-2011 and was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal for his work in Haiti. The experience inspires him to continue helping communities in need where the impact is greatest in the US.

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Announcing the Spring 2021 Full Circle Cohort!

 

Full Circle: Unleashing Nonprofit Potential

 

The five organizations selected represent a diverse group of nonprofits making an impact on, and meeting the needs of, our community. The selected nonprofits will engage in the intensive 14-week program that combines consulting, workshops, networking, and a pitch event. The program is designed to enhance each nonprofit’s programming impact, financial sustainability, and communication and storytelling. The nonprofit leaders in the cohort will work with teams of coaches with various areas of expertise skills, and experience to develop strategic solutions to their growth challenges. The Full Circle program culminates with the Final Pitch event which provides a platform for non-profit leaders to share their organization’s story and impact in the community.

 

Spring 2021 Cohort:

AWAKEN pittsburgh

Awaken Pittsburgh promotes personal and community well-being through mindfulness programs and compassionate actions. Our vision is a Pittsburgh region where people are in touch with their inherent worth and can cultivate the confidence and dignity to create a more just and enlightened world.

Divine Intervention Ministries

The DIM mission provides currently and formerly incarcerated adults and at-risk youth with coordinated resources that will connect them to supportive services and job training opportunities focusing on realizing their maximum potential spiritually, physically, and economically.

Pittsburgh Learning Commons

Pittsburgh Learning Commons (PLC) is an educational nonprofit whose mission is to provide educational opportunities that break down disciplinary boundaries and relate to real-world contexts where learners can claim ownership over their education and build lifelong learning skills, and develop expertise in applied STEAM fields. 

Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank

To ensure babies in need are clean, healthy and dry. We serve babies, families, senior citizens and girls and women. We are making a great impact in the community supplying basic needs.

When She Thrives

When She Thrives is dedicated to empowering single mothers to move their families from poverty to prosperity through advocacy, education, and personal and professional development.

 

The Full Circle Accelerator program is facilitated by Leigh Solomon Pugliano of Straightforward Consulting. The 2021 Full Circle program is a collaboration between The Forbes Funds and Social Venture Partners (SVP) Pittsburgh