Our Crew

Shawn Ginwright, PhD is one of the nation’s leading innovators, provocateurs, and thought leaders on African American youth, youth activism, and youth development. He is Professor of Education in the Africana Studies Department and a Senior Research Associate at San Francisco State University. His research examines the ways in which youth in urban communities navigate through the constraints of poverty and struggle to create equality and justice in their schools and communities. Read More

Nedra Ginwright is our Chief Flourish Officer. She has a Master’s Degree in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling from California State University East Bay. Nedra previously co-founded and led Leadership Excellence, an organization which provided leadership development to African American youth. Read More

Brett comes to Flourish with a variety of experience in small businesses, event support and financial services for primarily non-profit community, theatre and arts presenting organizations, though he has also owned high-end custom stationery stores in San Francisco, was part of producing team that ran a yearlong production on the life of Buckminster Fuller, and worked on features films in Los Angeles. Brett has a passion for providing opportunities that connect people with new ideas in meaningful and impactful ways, that can change their lives and our communities. Read More

Dr. Denicia Carlay is a mother, wife, divine Spirit, healer, space keeper, former system impacted youth, community builder, scholar, and practitioner. Denicia has served system impacted youth and families in various capacities as a social worker, mental health practitioner, and instructor in the field of child welfare and education for 15 years. Read More

Jordan Howzell is an experienced educator and project driver for social-emotional and equity initiatives in K-12 and higher education. Jordan has been engaged in a variety of social-emotional equity initiatives with the goal of providing underserved youth with the skills necessary to navigate the world with success and self-efficacy. She has worked closely with school administrators, students, and communities to collaboratively design systems to implement strengths-based and healing practices and interrupt systemic inequities. Read More

Marquis Engle is a dynamic Creative and Griot who uses a plethora of mediums to tell stories of strength and courage in a creative way. He graduated from the Cleveland School of the Arts in 2009 with six consecutive years of expertise in Visual Arts--including but not limited to Wet and Digital Photography, Digital Design, Ceramics, Figure Drawing and Oil painting. Marquis furthered his education at Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD), a Private Arts College in Columbus, Ohio. It was there that Engle lasered his focus to Fashion Design and Social Activism to advocate for those like himself who live with HIV.  Read More

Dr. Lee Porscha Moore (pronouns: she/her/ella) is a fun-loving lifelong learner committed to walking with children, youth, and families as they reconnect with their inner superhero. Porscha lives in her intersectionality and navigates this world as a Black cisgender woman. Outside of facilitating and guiding trainings, Porscha juggles many hats, which include her role as Licensed Clinical Social Worker providing individual & group therapy and as a college instructor at various CSU, Private, and community colleges throughout the Bay area. Porscha is a proud first-generation college graduate who has earned a bachelors in psychology from California State University San Bernardino, two masters degrees in Social Work with an emphasis in community mental health, and Communications from Cal State East Bay, and a doctorate in Education from San Francisco State University. Porscha communicates through laughter and sarcasm, as she challenges those she works with and serves to never stop challenging the status quo. Read More

Chris Nguon is an Oakland native and graduate of the University of California-Berkeley. An avid learner and advocate, Chris has held numerous community-based roles as a public service professional, spanning commitments in elementary schools, affordable housing, recreational centers, residential services, and family resource centers throughout various neighborhoods in West Oakland. Chris firmly believes that radical healing, consistency and follow-through, cultural competency, and community awareness are the foundational hallmarks of impactful work. Read More

Deborah, lovingly known as Deb, is a native San Franciscan and brings over 20 years’ experience to our team, having provided high-level administrative support to C-suite Executives, Boards of Directors and top senior management. She is a servant leader who "rolls up her sleeves" to lead by example, inspire others and promotes a positive work environment with a sense of humor.  Read More

Gerricka is a Bay Area native with B.A.’s in Psychology and Religious Studies from Smith College. She has spent her time working with nonprofits and the legal system, all in ways that surround and intersect with the well-being of others. She is very passionate about Mental Health, Movies/TV/Books, and her Maltipoo named Baby. Read More

Evert has over a decade of experience in scaling innovative EdTech startups and nonprofit organizations. He has spoken to and trained over 100,000 people throughout the world. He loves bringing an idea to reality and bringing it to the masses. When Evert is not working, you can find him roaming the streets of California with his amazing wife and daughter in search of the perfect cup of tea. Read More

Diana Quintana is an enthusiastic learner committed to supporting initiatives that foster well-being and continual growth in young people and the adults serve them. Originally from Makati, Philippines, Diana grew up in various parts of Southern California. Throughout her K-12 schooling experience, she participated in afterschool and summer programs that shaped her unwavering belief in the value of intentional investment in young people beyond the school day to support their overall well-being. Read More

Elisa Meza (she/her/ella) is a Brown and proud Xicanx “Mexi-Pina,” cisgender Woman of Color born in Brawley, California and raised in Tucson, Arizona on occupied Tohono O’odham Indigenous lands. Elisa is the daughter of Marcy Esperanza Nigos Meza and Benjamin Encinas Meza with ancestral roots in the Philippines, the Sonoran Desert, Imperial Valley, and Mazatlán, Mexico. Read More

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