Naimah Bilal

Naimah Bilal is a Washington DC native, nonprofit leader, and fundraising executive.  Drawing inspiration from her prior career as an orchestral violinist and symphonic programming executive, Naimah has spearheaded wide-ranging fund and artistic development efforts for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Waldorf School, and the University of Cincinnati where she currently serves as Director of Foundation Board Relations. I this hybrid role she manages a spectrum of enterprise governance efforts and manages a major gift portfolio. Driven by a desire to elevate the experiences and narratives of black and brown leaders, Naimah launched "Bawse With A Cause", the first podcast devoted exclusively to profiling the stories, perspectives, and insights of black and brown executives in the wider nonprofit sector.  She is also a co-host of Urban Consulate Cincinnati, a national platform for urban exchange on topics of equity and justice. She received her Bachelors and Masters Degrees at Indiana University Bloomington and Case Western Reserve Univesity. She is now pursuing her MBA with a concentration in Economics at the UC Lindner College of Business. She serves on numerous national arts boards and volunteers as a recitalist for nursing homes. 

Nneka Allen, CFRE, COC, PCC

Nneka Allen identifies as a Black woman and Momma, descended from those who traversed the Underground Railroad. Her African ancestors endured the Transatlantic Slave Trade, building North America through free and forced labour. This legacy connects her to the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island, specifically the Cherokee and Lumbee tribes.

As a lover of justice, Nneka has inspired philanthropy as a Fundraising Executive in the charitable sector for over 25 years. She is the founder of the Black Canadian Fundraisers' Collective, a community that nurtures the well-being of Canadian Black fundraisers and supports the fundraising capacity of B3 organizations. She is a celebrated author and co-editor of a bi-national book that showcases the personal stories of 15 Black leaders in the charitable sector, titled Collecting Courage: Joy, Pain, Freedom, Love. During the 2022/23 academic year, Nneka took on the role of one of the inaugural Scholars-in-Residence for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the University of British Columbia.

Nneka is a relationship builder, stone-catcher, freedom fighter, storyteller, and leadership coach. At the helm of The Empathy Agency Inc., she passionately guides clients towards finding hope, purpose, and justice in their relationship with themselves, others, and the Earth. Her mission centres on nurturing wholeness and honouring humanity by harnessing the power of empathy.

https://www.theempathyagency.ca/
Previous
Previous

Olumide (Mide) Akerewusi

Next
Next

Birgit Smith Burton