Welcoming Nadine Duplessy Kearns as DC Program Director

As I enter my seventh week as the Meyer Foundation’s vice president for program and community, I am delighted to share that things are off to a strong start and our program team continues to grow: Nadine Duplessy Kearns will join us as the DC program director as of April 9. Following an extensive search with several solid candidates, we believe that Nadine’s professional experience and personal commitment to the DC area make her the right addition to Meyer’s team.

As the DC program director, Nadine will develop and manage a grant portfolio that addresses the Foundation’s goals in housing, education, employment, and asset building, and identify opportunities to expand our work in advocacy, capacity-building, convening, and collective action in the District. She will join our program team, which includes Senior Director for Program and Community Karen FitzGerald; Maryland Program Director Julian A. Haynes; the incoming program director for the Northern Virginia community; and me.

Nadine is a fantastic addition to the Meyer Foundation team, as she brings over 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, management consulting, and economic development in Africa. She is the founder of AccessED, a consulting practice serving organizations committed to preparing low-income students to graduate from college, succeed in the 21^st century economy, and transform their communities. Prior to AccessED, she was vice president of operations for the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI), an organization promoting strengths-based programs and policies to advance the quality of life for black children and their families. Previously, she served as executive director of New Community for Children, a DC community-based nonprofit providing comprehensive educational enrichment programs.

Nadine earned her bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and her master’s degree from The Fletcher School (Tufts University), which she attended with support from the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. A native of Haiti, she co-founded the Haitian Ladies Network, a platform for connecting and empowering women of Haitian descent. She lives in Ward 4 with her husband and two sons.

Nadine believes that expertise and solutions lie within communities themselves, and by leveraging those community assets and the voices of community leaders through collective action, previously intractable systems can change in response to community priorities. Her vision of a Washington, DC where all families are thriving and all children can realize their full potential is aligned with the Foundation’s aim to advance equity throughout the region. We look forward to working with her, and we’re sure that you will, too. Please join us in welcoming her to the community.