✕
VP Community and Capicity
AiLun Ku’s consulting practice is centered around building a world where historically underrepresented and excluded BIPOC communities can thrive in every space throughout their entire lifespan. An alumna of the EGF Accelerator. Ailun possesses a wealth of experience in the educational equity and social justice sector. She has developed and implemented community-centered social change strategies, raised significant funds, and partnered with other leaders to create transformational change. A natural teacher, she brings expertise inleadership development, designs breakthrough learning experiences for individuals and teams, and strategic and implementation planning. AiLun most recently served as President and CEO of The Opportunity Network, a nationally recognized college and career guidance program supporting first-generation college students and young people of color from underrepresented communities. She led the growth of OppNet's Fellows program to include more than 1,100 Fellows annually. Over the course of her tenure, she spearheaded the launch of the organization's open-access online learning platform and the organization's national capacity-building initiative. She serves as a senior advisor for the social impact B corp, NationSwell, and other foundations.
AiLun Ku
VP Community and Capicity
✕
President and CEO
Cynthia Rivera Weissblum knows firsthand the challenges and successes of growing and sustaining nonprofits. In her role at EGF she conceived and developed the EGF Accelerator, New York City’s only long-term residential incubator for nonprofits. Cindy works closely with leaders in the Accelerator, advising them on how to refine their programs, guide and develop staff, manage their boards and raise money. She is a coach at heart, helping leaders develop confidence and skill while building high-performing organizations. She often speaks nationally on issues of educational equity and leadership. As a first-generation college graduate, she is deeply grateful to those who have guided her and, with great joy, serves as a mentor to many young people and their families.
Cynthia Rivera Weissblum
President and CEO
✕
Chief Financial & Operating Officer
Nana Tam is all about the numbers and takes the lead on the Foundation’s finance and operations. She works closely with our leaders in the EGF Accelerator, helping them to plan for growth while keeping a sharp eye on the bottom line. She also has a great flair for graphics and design (she creates digital content!) and her DIY skills are amazing. A native Brooklynite, Nana is now bicoastal, traveling between New York City and Los Angeles with her pup.
Nana Tam
Chief Financial & Operating Officer
✕
Administrative Assistant
In a hundred ways, large and small, Evette Beasley keeps our space functioning and helps meet the needs of our staff and our organizations. She's a good problem solver and has a kind word for everyone.
Evette Beasley
Administrative Assistant
✕
Senior Advisor Strategy Growth and Development
Michael W. Osheowitz is the Senior Advisor of Strategy Growth and Development at the Edwin Gould Foundation. He is also Chairman Emeritus of the Foundation and founder of SEO. Michael served as an education policy advisor to the U.S. Senate Democratic Policy Committee. He was president of Arthur Schmidt and Associates, an investor-relations and financial consulting firm whose clients included such blue-chip companies as Airbus Industries, Time Warner, Colgate-Palmolive, and the governments of France and Israel. Michael served on the board of directors of Teach for America and was a member of the executive committee, helping the organization maintain financial stability during its formative years. For decades, he has been actively involved in preserving the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright throughout the United States and was a founding member of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy. Michael advises not-for-profit organizations on strategic growth and development.
In Memoriam (1937 - 2025) Michael W. Osheowitz
Senior Advisor Strategy Growth and Development
✕
Chairman of the Board
Mark Bieler is president of Mark Bieler Associates, Inc., a consulting firm that advises top management of private- and public-sector organizations on strategic human resources and organizational development. His clients include the Westfield Group, Morgan Stanley Retail, Ogilvy & Mather, Mercantile Trust, and the Central Intelligence Agency. Mark served as director of human resources for Bankers Trust Company as well as executive vice president of the parent organization, Bankers Trust Corporation. Mark is involved in numerous not-for-profit activities and currently serves on the Board of SEO (Seizing Every Opportunity), one of the premier college-access programs in the country.
Mark Bieler
Chairman of the Board
✕
Steven Brown is the Executive Director of the Florida Non-Profit Housing, Inc. FDPH’s mission is to develop rental housing and related services for low and very low-income rural residents. Their service area also includes Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, The Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. He has served as the chief executive of SoBro, Building Skills New York, Greyston Foundation and the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
Steven Brown
✕
Kiran Handa Gaudioso is the chief executive officer of the United Way of Northern New Jersey, where she invests in strategies that improve access to quality education, heath, and financial stability for some 1.2 million residents in five counties. In addition, Kiran oversees the public policy and operations for the national United Way ALICE Project, a comprehensive study of households whose earnings are outpaced by the cost of living. Before joining United Way, Kiran served as interim CEO and vice president of program operations at New Jersey After 3, director of mentoring and volunteerism at SEO (Seizing Every Opportunity) and policy adviser for Governor James Florio.
Kiran Handa Gaudioso
✕
Steve Gross is the chief marketing officer at the University of Phoenix. He has served as CEO of Calvert Education, as well as senior vice president of global K-12 marketing at Pearson. Steve previously served as CEO of Fanlands and senior Vice President and chief marketing officer at LexisNexis. He is the co-founder of Flames of Giving, a nonprofit organization that anonymously matches less fortunate individuals with generous donors during the holiday season.
Steve Gross
✕
Lofton Holder is currently a student at Stanford University's Distinguished Careers Institute. The Stanford Distinguished Careers Institute provides an opportunity for highly accomplished individuals to transform themselves for roles with social impact at the local, national, and global levels. Previously, he was co-founder and managing partner at Pine Street Alternative Asset Management. Prior to that, he served as managing director at Investcorp, and was with J.P. Morgan Asset Management and CS First Boston. Lofton has volunteered extensively and is deeply committed to the success of low-income, first-generation college-goers.
Lofton Holder
✕
Roszell Mack, III is the president and managing member of Mack & Co., an independent consulting firm focused on strategic advice and direct investment solutions tailored to meet the complex needs of global family offices, and institutions. Previously, he cofounded Ascend Venture Group, a private equity firm with over $250 million in assets, and before that, served as an investment banker for more than 10 years with Goldman Sachs & Co., Salomon Smith Barney and Peter J. Solomon. He sits on the board of Transylvania University, a private liberal-arts college in Lexington, KY.
Roszell Mack, III
✕
Dr. Lisette Nieves is president of the Fund for the City of New York. She serves as director of educational leadership and full clinical professor of educational leadership and policy studies at New York Univerisity’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Lisette is also the cofounder of Lingo Ventures, a consulting firm focused on growth, talent recruitment/retention, and change management in the private and nonprofit sector. She has served on the boards of Guttman Community College Foundation (chair), Stand for Children, and the NewSchools Venture Fund. She is a Truman Scholar, a Rhodes Scholar and an Aspen-Pahara Fellow.
Lisette Nieves
✕
Denise Taylor is president of global technology solutions at Legends, a full-service sports conglomerate. She previously served as the global chief information officer at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and has worked in the global technology groups and information technology divisions at AEG, NBC Universal, Universal Studios, and Universal Music Group. She serves on several boards including SEAT (Sports and Entertainment Alliance in Technology), as well as advisory boards for the University of New Haven and Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Los Angeles CYBER Lab initiative.
Denise Taylor
✕
Alan S. Weinstein is the retired president of Arthur Schmidt & Associates, an investor-relations and financial consulting firm. He is also a member of Gray Matters, a group of seasoned professionals who offer pro bono advisory services to nonprofit, community-based organizations in the New York metropolitan area.
Alan S. Weinstein
✕
Veteran financier Devesh Shah writes a monthly column for Mutual Fund Observer and stars in a YouTube Channel on personal investing. Previously, he served as a portfolio manager at NWI Management, a hedge fund. In 2003, while at Goldman Sachs, he co-invented the VIX Volatility Index, becoming a Partner and Managing Director there. In 1995, Devesh participated in the SEO Career program, eventually serving on the SEO board, becoming the SEO Career program international liaison and most recently, co-chair of SEO, London. A native of Mumbia, India, he lives in Manhattan with his family.
Devesh Shah
Acceptance into the EGF Accelerator is by invitation only.
But if you have a good idea, we’d like to get to know you.