NEO Philanthropy has announced Kesi B. Foster as the newest member of the board of directors. As the Co-Executive Director of Partners for Dignity and Rights (formerly NESRI), Foster leads efforts to build a broad movement for economic and social rights, including health, housing, education and work with dignity. Foster also serves on the Board of the North Star Fund and is co-chair of the Community Funding Committee to guide grants to grassroots-based organizations.
At Partners for Dignity and Rights, Foster shapes the programmatic work to bring participatory democratic models to scale and has built relationships across the field to expand equitable solutions.
Before Foster joined Partners for Dignity and Rights, he served as Co-Director of the Youth Power Project at Make the Road New York. In this role, Foster organized public campaigns around issues of educational justice, immigration justice, and police accountability and supported base organizers to lead city and statewide campaigns.
“Kesi has a keen understanding of what it takes to build and grow grassroots movements that reflect the wisdom and wishes of those seeking change. We are glad to welcome Kesi to the board as we make progress toward implementing NEO’s new strategic plan in service of supporting strong and resilient movements.”
Kerrien Suarez and Kristen Ruff, Board Co-Chairs of NEO Philanthropy
Prior to Make the Road New York, Foster coordinated the Urban Youth Collaborative which is New York City’s largest youth-led educational justice coalition. As a part of his work on educational justice, Foster worked at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform.
“We are overjoyed to have Kesi join the board of NEO given his breadth of experience leading movement building efforts around a range of issues. This is a critical time for leaders and organizations working on the frontlines of consequential issues. Our board plays an active role in ensuring the strategy and the execution are aligned to make as big of an impact as possible.”
Michele Lord, President of NEO Philanthropy
Foster graduated from the City College of New York with a Bachelor of Arts. Before working on educational justice, Foster worked with formerly incarcerated individuals at the Fortune Society and with public housing residents at Upward Bound, and held positions at the Right to Vote Campaign.
“NEO Philanthropy has been so much more than a funder intermediary. Over the years, NEO has been a resource partner, infrastructure builder, convener and stabilizing force for frontline communities. I’m incredibly honored to be joining the board at this time and look forward to supporting Kerrien, Kristen, the Board, and the whole team at NEO.”
Kesi B. Foster
Foster will join the board in December for a term of 3 years. Learn more about NEO Philanthropy’s Board of Directors by visiting our team page.