Munira Ahmed
Munira Ahmed is a purpose-driven leader committed to advancing equity, social impact, and global public health. A University of Minnesota alumna with degree concentrations in Management, Sociology, and Public Health, Munira has interests in entrepreneurship, community development, and expanding health equity. She is the Co-Founder and Operations Director of Project Bloom, a nonprofit initiative she launched with her college roommate to address period poverty and menstrual health education in Africa. Project Bloom’s pilot program in Ghana reflects Munira’s deep commitment to women’s health and global impact, as well as her entrepreneurial approach to nonprofit leadership and sustainable change. Munira began her career at Accenture, where she worked on global HR transformation projects for Fortune 100 and 500 companies. Her work focused on process improvement, organizational change management, and large-scale communication and training strategies, impacting hundreds of thousands of employees worldwide. Through these experiences and her consulting background, she has developed strong skills in project management, stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning.
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Denyse Johnson
As an innovative and forward-thinking community member, I leverage my experience in communications, data collection, project support, and community relations to intentionally build strong relationships and foster equitable opportunities. My commitment is to enhance community well-being through impactful initiatives in housing, education, wealth building, and career development.
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Rosemond Sarpong Owens
Rosemond Sarpong Owens is a passionate health equity leader, storyteller, and advocate with deep roots in community-centered work. She works in health care, leading transformation initiatives to improve health care quality. With a background in public health, fundraising, and community engagement, Rosemond brings a unique blend of lived experience and strategic vision. She co-founded a catering business with her husband, Kalahari Foods, MN, which served as both a celebration of African cuisine and a creative vehicle to raise funds for Books for Africa. Rosemond also lends her voice and energy as an emcee and auctioneer, recently completing the Worldwide College of Auctioneering’s Auctioneer program. She is also a published children’s book author and a fierce advocate for Black maternal health, drawing from her own personal journey. Rosemond believes in the power of storytelling, cultural connection, and community as tools for justice and transformation.
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Marc Propst
Marc serves as the director of development at Tubman, bringing nearly a decade of expertise in relationship building, innovation, and technology integration across diverse nonprofit sectors including arts/culture, human services, and healthcare. His commitment to IDEA principles is exemplified through his pioneering initiative to transform development office language, replacing traditional "donor" terminology with more equitable descriptors like "supporters" and "partners." His professional journey is driven by the belief that authentic relationships and inclusive strategies are essential to the future of development work. When not advancing philanthropic innovation, Marc indulges his love for Italian cuisine, exploring culinary traditions that mirror his appreciation for rich cultural connections.
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Favi Ramirez
Favi is a fundraising professional with a background in public health and community organizing. They bring an equity-focused lens to donor engagement and have supported inclusive practices in prospect development through collaborative, justice-driven initiatives. Favi is also committed to building community among BIPOC nonprofit leaders and advancing inclusion in the fundraising sector.
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Taylor Roberson
Taylor Roberson is a passionate and purpose-driven development professional committed to advancing equity and inclusion within the community. As a Sales and Development Director with the Minnesota Women's Press, Taylor has successfully cultivated client engagement, implemented retention strategies, and driven mission alignment across corporate and nonprofit settings. With a background in political science from Hamline University and extensive experience in business development. Her entrepreneurial work and leadership in a women-centered culture reflect her dedication to creating more inclusive spaces. Taylor brings her lived experience and professional insight to the IDEA Fellowship as a woman of color in development work, building client relationships, business management, and a commitment to building inclusive fundraising ecosystems. Through this fellowship, she hopes to deepen her network, grow as a culturally competent fundraising leader, and continue supporting equity-driven initiatives that center community voice and access.
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Julie Khaws Cia Vang
Julie Khaws Cia Vang is a queer Hmong American from the east side of St. Paul, with over 15 years of experience in community organizing. Their work bridges storytelling, healing, and community development, including legislative advocacy, pre-trial releases in detention centers, co-editing several books, and facilitating Story Stitch circles. As Program Manager at Green Card Voices, Julie uplifts immigrant and refugee voices and plays a key role in fundraising through trust-based relationships, innovating, and championing for narrative change. In their free time, you’ll find them sipping on boba tea, dancing, practicing yoga, or hiking.
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Rose Youngmark
Rose Youngmark is a grant writer, development strategist, and community organizer committed to building economic power and civic agency for Muslim women and girls. Currently, she serves as the Grants and Development Manager at RISE (Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment), where she leads fundraising efforts that support leadership development, business incubation, and narrative reclamation for Black, immigrant, and refugee Muslim women. A dedicated mother of seven, Rose brings lived experience and a deep understanding of intersectionality to her work. Her passion lies in resourcing movements led by women of color, nurturing sustainable community organizations, and ensuring grassroots leaders have the support they need to thrive.
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