The Scherman Foundation Announces Staff Transitions
Naiche Parker, former Program Officer and Racial Justice & Communications Coordinator (pictured left) and Kristin Chin, Program Officer (pictured right).
The Scherman Foundation is announcing two staff updates. Naiche Parker recently transitioned from her role as Program Officer and Racial Justice & Communications Coordinator, a position she held since January 2023. She also served as Grants Manager from 2015 until her departure. In her nine years at the Foundation, she advanced its overall communications and racial justice efforts. She was particularly impactful within her program focus areas, which included strengthening New York communities and the Arts. As an author and poet, Naiche continues to participate in the spoken word community and other creative platforms that amplify and restore power to oppressed voices. She is committed to advancing justice and liberation through community investment, communications, and artistic expression.
The Foundation is also welcoming Kristen Chin as Program Officer. Kristen’s leadership involves working closely with colleagues within the foundation, philanthropy, and the field, to ensure the foundation leverages opportunities to address the structural inequities and barriers that have been at the root of the national decline in upward mobility and opportunity, particularly for Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color.
An architect and experienced nonprofit professional, Kristen has collaborated with community-based organizations, policymakers, and government agencies to design and implement participatory design and ground-up community engagement strategies. She is passionate about supporting community-led change and equipping those on the frontlines with the resources, tools, and technical assistance to create equitable, sustainable communities grounded in racial justice and collective power.
“I'm thrilled to join the incredible team at the Scherman Foundation and bring my hands-on experience in community development to this role,” said Chin. “Having collaborated with community-based organizations for years, I'm energized by the opportunity to support community-led solutions, bold leaders, and transformative organizations from a grantmaking perspective. The Foundation's deep commitment to racial justice and equity resonates strongly with my values and professional experience. I look forward to building meaningful partnerships with grantees and exploring new ways to collectively strengthen and amplify the innovative work happening in our communities.”
“While Naiche joined us 10 years ago in a junior administrative position, she leaves as a thoughtful, inspirational leader,” said Mike Pratt, Foundation President and CEO. “She has been at the center of our examination and interrogation of our history and internal culture–including authoring Building our Path Forward (a history of the Foundation) an insightful, empathetic, and fearless guide in our ongoing racial justice transformation. Her influence is already deeply felt as we reshape grants programs, including in the Arts, to fulfill that commitment. In addition, we are so excited to welcome Kristen, whose sharp analysis and generous spirit is already advancing all our program work, particularly in housing and land use justice, workers’ rights, and environmental justice.”
The Scherman Foundation invests in the economic, political, and cultural transformation necessary for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to reclaim and build power. Learn more about our vision and current grantmaking priorities.