Ashley Jacobs, Creative & Communications Strategist, has 20 years of experience developing break-through and effective social impact marketing and communications programs in the private and public sectors. She served as the Chief Marketing Officer for Los Angeles, leading public engagement projects, including the award-winning LA Original social enterprise, the “Save the Drop” campaign resulting in a 20% water use reduction and the “Louder than Guns” gun safety campaign. Ashley also worked as SVP, Marketing for NYC & Company and NYC Mayor Bloomberg, leading civic marketing and content creation for NYC Tourism, “GreeNYC” climate action and “NYCService” initiatives. She helped attract and manage high profile events (e.g., the NAACP 100th Anniversary, the CMA Awards, the NY/NJ Super Bowl bid) generating substantial economic impact for NYC.
Additionally, Ashley worked for culture shaping companies CAA as a Marketing Agent and media/impact firm Good Inc. (now Upworthy) as Head of Strategy and Partnerships, providing guidance to prominent organizations (e.g., The Gates Foundation, Google, the Entertainment Industry Foundation).
Ashley is passionate about bridging creativity and AND ACTION to help solve today’s most pressing issues. Her projects have earned accolades, including a Cannes Titanium Lion, ThinkLA Idea Campaign of the Year Award, an Effie and others. Ashley graduated with a BA Degree from UCLA in Environmental Studies. She believes in the power of storytelling to drive public engagement and lasting social change, and resides in California with her husband, their daughter and son, and rescue pup Pepper.
Shaelina Holmes, Chief of Staff, has over a decade of experience in the business of human liberation. Shaelina has worked in development, communications, operations, and leadership across a variety of focus areas – including higher education, homelessness, addiction recovery, food security, maternal health, and business coaching and education for historically excluded entrepreneurs.
Shaelina loves to use creativity and tech to solve organizational problems with a focus on efficiency and ease. She enjoys wearing many hats and has a large breadth of project experience: she has created curriculum and taught courses, designed and launched web apps, hosted and planned webinars and live-events with thousands of attendees, designed and wrote award-winning promotional materials, fundraised to support multi-million dollar capital campaigns and annual funds, written and earned $1 million dollars in corporate and government grants, led successful, happy, and productive teams… and even will clean the bathroom if it’s needed! In addition to excellence in her primary job functions, she has been recognized by colleagues and in professional organizations for her commitment to equity, joy, informed consent, and transparency.
Shaelina attended Florida International University in Miami, FL and earned bachelor degrees in Political Science and Psychology (2014), and a master’s degree in Global Governance (2016). Born and raised in St. Petersburg, FL in a close, mixed-culture family, she now lives in sunny Palmetto, FL with her son. Among other things, self care looks like baking in the sunshine at the best beaches in the world (in her backyard), cooking a huge meal for friends and family, or binging a sci-fi series in the delicious Florida air conditioning.
Lissy DeSantis, Director of Get Loud Cities, joined the Elevate Prize Foundation in early 2024, bringing over 15 years of experience in social impact events and programming.
Most recently, Lissy spent nine years with the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), serving as the CEO of CGI from 2019 – 2020. Lissy worked on all aspects of the social impact platform during her tenure at CGI. Most notably, she led the design and implementation of a new CGI program addressing disaster response and resilience in the Caribbean following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. In just two short years the Action Network on Post-Disaster Recovery launched over 100 new projects promoting response, resilience, and recovery efforts in the Caribbean.
Lissy is motivated by the opportunity to take great ideas and help shepherd them into life, and is thrilled to bring her skills and experience to The Elevate Prize Foundation as it inspires audiences across the globe to Make Good Famous.
Based in Brooklyn with her husband and two children, Lissy loves exploring new corners of the city, taking the subway to the beach, coaching little league, and tracking down the best ice cream trucks in Brooklyn.
Daniel Stein-Sayles is a Program Manager at the Elevate Prize Foundation managing the Get Loud and CNN Heroes program. Daniel brings nearly a decade of experience in the social impact space along with a deep interest in building processes that move resources and effectively support leaders most proximate to their communities.
Prior to joining Elevate, Daniel has worked at Up2Us Sports, a national sports-based youth development organization and most recently at Echoing Green. At Echoing Green Daniel served as a Manager of Capital where he led the organization’s efforts to identify and select social impact leaders from around the world. While there he managed a robust and equitable selection process that received thousands of applications and engaged hundreds of reviewers per year. He has also helped lead major strategic shifts to the selection process, ensuring that systems were in place to select racial equity leaders from around the world.
Daniel lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and dog. In his spare time you can find him traveling, watching a Mets game or in the park coaching youth flag football.
Marina Adese, the Director of Marketing & Communications at the Elevate Prize Foundation, brings over a decade of experience dedicated to impact, working across the nonprofit and agency sectors— and always at the intersection of social impact and creativity.
For almost 10 years, Marina built the campaigns, social media, content and creative strategy teams from the ground up at the International Rescue Committee, where she also won multiple awards, including a Webby, developed a number of high-profile partnerships and traveled with celebrity ambassadors to Jordan, Cote d’Ivoire, Greece, Germany, and more. After that, she spent a year at a social impact agency working for incredible brands such as Spotify, Archewell, DVF and more.
Marina’s purpose in her professional career couldn’t be more aligned to Elevate’s mission, as her central belief system is that meeting the public where they are—through pop culture—is where real, meaningful change can happen.
A proud Brazilian born and raised, Marina loves to dance, to be in the Sun, and especially being surrounded by friends and family. She loves living in Miami with her husband, Adam, and their two sons, Lucas and Leo.
Esther Wang, Management Advisor, brings her experiences as a founder, social entrepreneur, and strategy consultant to support the Elevate Prize winners in growing and strengthening their ventures.
Previously, Esther co-founded IDinsight, a global non-profit that brings data to decisions in global development, also serving as COO and head of fundraising. Esther also worked at The Bridgespan Group as a Partner and began her career with Bain & Company. Her first foray into social entrepreneurship involved chasing yaks on the Tibetan Plateau. She has lived in Africa for a decade.
Esther serves on the non-profit Boards of StrongMinds and Govuka, advises philanthropies Imago Dei Fund and The Agency Fund, and is co-chair of the Alumni Council at Harvard’s Center for Public Leadership. She is also the Global Mentorship Chair for One League.
She has been a Presidential Leadership Scholar, Echoing Green Fellow, PopTech Fellow, and at Harvard, a Catherine B. Reynolds Fellow in Social Entrepreneurship and a George Leadership Fellow.
Esther loves supporting leaders to dream big and do more than they’d imagined. She’s honored to walk alongside Elevate Prize winners on their impact journeys.
Based in Nairobi with her husband and 3 kids, Esther never says no to a concert or performance. She loves a new adventure or challenge- she’s currently trying to learn the game of padel, keep various pet fish and houseplants alive, and exploring the beautiful corners of East Africa.
Jae Webb, Sr. Events Programming Manager, is a heart-centered community builder dedicated to fostering authentic relationships and meaningful connections.
Originally from Ohio, Jae’s journey led her to become a visual artist and muralist in Chicago, collaborating with community leaders to share stories through art, emphasizing connection.
Driven by the belief that change requires community, Jae founded an organization equipping female entrepreneurs with access to resources to unite and leverage their diversity to enhance equity and influence. The initiative evolved into Jae’s holistic approach to business development over the last seven years, emphasizing mindful education and intentional programming. Transitioning to Head of Community at Breakout, a renowned social impact agency, Jae curated flagship events nationwide focused on equity, accessibility, and human-centered connection.
Jae’s unwavering dedication to creating spaces where individuals and teams can authentically “be” shapes her professional ethos in her efforts to Make Good Famous. At the Elevate Prize Foundation, Jae orchestrates strategic event programming at the vibrant intersection of community, social impact, creativity, and well-being.
Certified in Healing Centered Engagement and a 2023 BMe Community Vanguard Fellow, Jae specializes in social innovation, community curation, and creative direction, prioritizing holistic development.
Jae’s motivation lies in creating spaces for individuals and teams to authentically “be.” Beyond work, she finds solace in the California sun, guided by the motto: “If it’s not with ease, it’s not with me.”
Danielle Wolfe, Marketing Manager, has nearly a decade of impact and nonprofit experience. She has been with The Elevate Prize Foundation for 3 years and loves being able to share the stories of the Elevate Prize winners and the work they are doing to Make Good Famous. Prior to her time at Elevate, she spent several years working within community engagement at United Way Miami. Danielle is a proud AmeriCorps Vista, Climate Reality and Global Shapers Alumni.
In her spare time, Danielle enjoys spending time outside, gardening and birdwatching. She lives in Miami, Florida with her partner and their two cats.
A first-generation Filipina American and Miami native, Vivienne is committed to building equity that champions the voices and experiences of underserved and underrepresented groups through authentic relationships and partnerships. She has dedicated her career to serving the communities of South Florida and promoting the collective impact of community organizations. In her current role, Vivienne manages data, systems and operations to support meaningful measurements of impact.
Prior to joining the Elevate Prize Foundation, Vivienne was a program officer at United Way of Miami-Dade. Vivienne managed the grantmaking process of a $3 million portfolio to achieve the community investment goals of its school-age education impact area, as well as a community-driven grant initiative for emerging nonprofits in Miami-Dade County.
When Miami-Dade College launched its innovation hub, The Idea Center, Vivienne was instrumental in creating processes for students and community members to access 21st century skill programs and events. She also served as a community liaison for Miami-Dade County’s Office of Community Advocacy. She worked alongside the Asian American Advisory Board to advocate on behalf of South Florida’s Asian American communities.
Vivienne holds a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Studies from Brown University. She is passionate about people and organizations who value and promote solidarity as a verb and storytelling as data collection. In her free time, you can find her cooking, dancing, or spending quality time with friends, family, and her dog Rambo.
Alex is the Senior Program Manager at the Elevate Prize Foundation. Originally from Miami Alex has dedicated nearly ten years to social change and philanthropy, significantly impacting local communities. At The Miami Foundation, he was integral in managing donor-advised funds, scholarship programs, and leading initiatives such as the LGBTQ Community Fund and the Community Grants Program. His efforts were pivotal in the creation of the Racial Equity Fund, seeding the South Florida Racial Justice Roundtable.
A strategic advisor, Alex has influenced several nonprofits, driving growth and transformation. His work includes leading focus groups for the Office of New Americans and representing the Maven Leadership Collective, an organization dedicated to enhancing QTPOC social impact leadership. Additionally, his insights have improved program efficiency in various organizations.
In his tenure at The Miami Foundation, Alex stood out during critical times, co-leading a national racial listening tour and administrating substantial COVID relief funds, showcasing a commitment to innovation and justice.
Before his philanthropic journey, Alex managed crucial projects with AmeriCorps, emphasizing home repairs for the financially disadvantaged and supporting workers’ rights. He holds significant volunteer management experience and has been recognized for his contributions to improving living conditions and advocating for labor rights. Alex was also part of the Occupy Wall Street movement, helping form and lead the local response through Occupy Miami and Occupy FIU.
Alex remains committed to community activism, lending his time and expertise to grassroots organizations working at the frontlines. In his free time, you can find him going to the park, enjoying movies, or the occasional full moon drum circle.
Matthew is the Chief Impact Officer at the Elevate Prize Foundation, where he’s turning his passion for social change into action. With a rich background that includes building and driving global expansion and partnerships for MIT Solve and orchestrating key programming at the Clinton Global Initiative, he’s no stranger to the power of collaboration and innovation in making a difference.
At the heart of his work with the Elevate Prize Foundation, Matthew is focused on not just tracking the impact of the foundation’s investments but also on driving strategic partnerships and producing the annual Make Good Famous Summit. He is also a member of the Newman’s Own Foundation Advisory Council.
What really fuels Matthew’s work is the opportunity to spotlight the incredible stories of Elevate Prize winners. It’s the intersection of storytelling and impact that drives him, aiming to inspire action through shared narratives.
When the laptops close and the meetings end, Matthew is a fervent advocate for balance. Whether it’s challenging himself with CrossFit, enjoying the tranquility of the beach, or spending quality time with his dogs, he believes in the importance of recharging in nature and through physical activity.
