The People Behind the Mission
Meet the leaders who bring heart, wisdom, and dedication to the work of advancing race amity across America.
Every movement needs people willing to lead.
Our Board of Directors doesn't just oversee an organization — they champion a vision. These are educators, community leaders, and bridge-builders who've dedicated their lives to proving that friendship across racial lines can transform a nation.
Board of Directors
Marjan Yavari
Co-Chair, Co-Founder, Yavari Enterprises
Joe Voica
Treasurer, Senior Vice President, US Bank
Celeste Headlee
Secretary, Journalist, author, and CEO of Headway DEI Training
Djuana C. Beamon
Founder & CEO, Revive, Rise, and Reign Coaching, LLC
Caeli Gallitano
Director of Equity & Excellence, Sommerville Public School District
George Halvorson
Chairman and CEO (Retired), Kaiser Permanente
Robert Henderson
Principal, Henderson Consulting Group
Herb Landsman
Executive Vice President for Merchandising (Retired), The TJX Companies
Howard Ross
Founder, Udarta Consulting, Author and Activist
Louis Smith
Director of the Office of Community & Equity, Episcopal High School in Alexandria, VABoard Members Emeritus
William H. 'Smitty' Smith
NCRA Founder and CEO
William E. Davis
Administrator (Retired), State of California Judicial System
Jillian K. Kelton
Chief of Student Services, Boston Public Schools
Nancy Huntington Stager
President & CEO, Eastern Bank Foundation
Newcomb R. Stillwell
Co-Managing Partner (Retired), Ropes & Gray LLPNational Advisory Committee
Sheila Afnan-Manns
National Advisory Committee
Jesenia Castro Burke
Co-Chair, National Advisory Committee
William R. Driscoll
National Advisory Committee
Adalia Ellis
National Advisory Committee
Jeiri Flores
National Advisory Committee
Susan Ghalibaf
National Advisory Committee
Charlie Gould
National Advisory Committee
George Greenidge
National Advisory Committee
Bette Lawrence-Water
National Advisory Committee
Ken Mouning
National Advisory Committee Louis Smith
Co-Chair, National Advisory Committee
Aref Yavari Kashani
National Advisory CommitteeAdvisory Committee
Our Advisory Committee brings diverse perspectives and expertise to help guide our programs and expand our reach. We're grateful for their wisdom and support.
Interested in Serving?
We're always looking for dedicated individuals who share our commitment to race amity. If you have expertise to offer and a heart for this work, we'd love to hear from you.
Get in TouchJoin Our Community
You don't have to be on the board to make a difference. Every person who chooses friendship over fear becomes part of this movement.