Carina Keokham with Can Play

SUMMARY

Carina worked with Can Play as a special events fellow. Can Play delivers adaptive and no-cost sports-based development programs for underserved youth, creating the opportunity for everybody to play despite their financial, physical, cognitive, emotional or chronic health care barriers to participation. Carina assisted the organization’s co-founders and fundraising event committees in the execution of several events including Game for Good, Jeans, Jackets and Jams, and Courage on the Court. She communicated with a variety of stakeholders before, during and after the event to ensure a fun and professional experience for participants, donors and sponsors. She also developed a range of marketing materials in support of the events. 

OVERVIEW

• Supported with four major fundraising events  (Game for Good, Jeans, Jackets, and Jams, Giving Tuesday, and Give Play) including creating marketing materials and strategy, managing a silent auction, managing a raffle, creating presentations and graphics, communicating with stakeholders, preparing materials, and a variety of other planning tasks.

• Improved and developed Can Play’s social media branding, marketing materials and campaign strategies 

• Communicated with a variety of stakeholders before, during and after the events

• Provided fresh and new ideas to improve upon existing traditions and events

IMPACT

Carina’s work was instrumental in executing events that raised over $100,000 in support of Can Play’s mission.

Hasija Terzic with Can Play

SUMMARY

Hasija worked as a licensing program fellow with Can Play. Can Play delivers adaptive and no-cost sports-based development programs for underserved youth, creating the opportunity for everybody to play despite their financial, physical, cognitive, emotional or chronic health care barriers to participation. At Can Play, Hasija created licensing and marketing materials to support the expansion of their licensing program across Iowa and the greater Midwest.

OVERVIEW

• Ensured that all Opportunity and Courage licensing curricula was updated and reformatted to ensure consistency of presentation

• Developed a list of 250 potential non-profit, organizational or individual partners developed for licensing outreach

• Assisted the licensing program manager in establishing 20 licensed locations

• Measured and collected feedback from licensees with 75% response rate, developed multi-tier licensing offerings

IMPACT

With Hasija’s help, 20 licensed locations will be able to provide more than 250 unique individuals with the opportunity to play during this next year.

Aura Valdez with Start Lighthouse

SUMMARY

Aura worked as a programming fellow with Start Lighthouse. Start Lighthouse addresses the literacy crisis in the South Bronx with a three-pronged approach to create compelling, rewarding reading experiences for children and families. There, she provided critical support in helping launch the organization’s first Literacy Hub in what was once an abandoned school library. Aura served as a thought partner to the executive director, collected student data, created curriculum for student workshops, and developed daily programming, allowing her to connect with youth through literature. Her passion and commitment led leadership at Start Lighthouse to offer her a full-time position at the end of the fellowship, becoming a core member of the organization’s founding team.

OVERVIEW

• Facilitated student workshops with award winning children’s book authors and illustrators

• Tracked relevant student data to understand proficiency levels and student needs 

• Researched culturally relevant book titles and materials to support programmatic aims

• Developed engaging, developmentally appropriate curricula for students from pre-k to eighth grade 

• Created visual program materials using Canvas and Adobe Creative Suite

IMPACT

Aura worked with over 700 students, distributed over 1,200 books for students’ home libraries, facilitated over 20 workshops, and hosted 7 author and artist visits.

Sierra Cole with Navigate the Maze to Achievement

SUMMARY

Sierra worked as a strategic communications fellow with Navigate the Maze to Achievement (NTMA). Navigate the Maze to Achievement creates access to NYC specialized and selective high schools for high-performing, underrepresented students. Sierra assisted NTMA in creating and executing a communication plan to reach students, families, and supporters in the most effective ways. She launched NTMA’s social media presence and helped to create various communication templates.

OVERVIEW

• Helped to start NMTA’s social media presence on, Instagram and Facebook

• Created various templates for external communication

• Served as a thought partner to the executive director

IMPACT

Sierra’s work in external communications supported 180+ students and their families.

Brooke Ward with Road to Uni

Brooke Ward will serve as a Strategic Communications Fellow with Road to Uni this Fall.

Brooke currently resides in her hometown of Fort Gratiot, Michigan. She completed her M.A. in International Human Rights with specializations in Human Trafficking and Gender-Based Violence from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies. Her academic research focused on the connections between gender-based violence before, during, and after conflict. In addition, she holds a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Grand Valley State University. Brooke hopes to apply her research findings through community-level outreach and advocacy related to domestic violence and sexual assault. She enjoys traveling, playing with her nephew and nieces, and cuddling her dogs. She also enjoys teaching English as a Second Language and supports organizations increasing access to education like Road to Uni, the fellowship organization she will be working with this fall. She looks forward to working as a Strategic Communications Associate and helping students with the college application process.