2023 Leadership Team

Nigel is the Corporate Relations Manager at the Central Texas Food Bank where he focuses on helping companies of all sizes achieve their CSR goals. For the past ten years, Nigel has focused his career around helping companies achieve their marketing goals through various avenues including sponsorships, activations, donations, and volunteering. Prior to working at the CTFB, Nigel managed sponsorships for Circuit of The Americas.

Born and raised in California where he graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in English and minors in Sports Management and Applied Psychology. In his free time, he loves exploring the scenic trails Central Texas has to offer with his partner & dog or globetrotting around the world. If he isn’t on a whirlwind adventure, you can catch him curling up and getting lost in a book. 

Esmé is, at her core, a proud Midwesterner. She grew up in Rochester, MN and attended college at the University of Iowa where she majored in Gender Studies. She relocated to Austin at the beginning of 2021 to begin her development career at Girls Empowerment Network. She is currently wrapping up a service year with AmeriCorps VISTA and looks forward to transitioning into her next nonprofit role. She is passionate about harm reduction, gender equity, and community-centric fundraising. In her free-time, Esmé enjoys reading (gotta hit that Goodreads 2022 reading goal), traveling, and spending quality time with her kitties.

Cara is a Donor Relations Coordinator at the Central Texas Food Bank. She joined YNPN in 2021 after starting grad school at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at UT, where her coursework focused on the nonprofit sector and sustainability. She's excited about how we can make nonprofits and philanthropy better (and all of the people who are doing so), chocolate, and her cats.

Megha Uppal was brought up in Arlington, TX.  She moved to Austin to attend The University of Texas, where she was actively involved in the Multicultural Engagement Center that helped strengthen her ties to, advocate, and serve the Asian American community. Megha is a social-tech entrepreneur that focuses on innovation and building community for the aging population at Aspire to Age, PBC. 

Ana has almost 10 years of experience working in marketing and communications, half of which have been in the nonprofit sector.  She combines her profound passion for philanthropy and social issues - especially those that affect women and youth of color - with her experience in marketing and content strategy. Ana holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations and Marketing from the University of Texas at El Paso and currently is the Marketing Director at Girls Empowerment Network. She is thrilled to join YNPN as the Social Media Chair and honored to be able to serve the community through this position. 

Originally from the border region of Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, and El Paso, Texas, Ana feels more at home when surrounded by diversity, community, and good Mexican food. She loves embracing her bicultural upbringing and loves exploring different cultures through travel and language. 

Kelly is a native of Indianapolis, IN and has been in the nonprofit field for more than a decade with experience in mentoring and youth development, service leadership, re-entry, and now healthcare as she is currently the Development Director at Texas Medical Association Foundation. Kelly holds a Bachelor's degree from Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, a Master's degree in philanthropic studies from Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and a Master's degree in public affairs with a focus on nonprofit management from Indiana University's Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.

Kelly is a lifelong learner. She enjoys classes, workshops and conferences of all kinds, traveling, restaurants of all cuisines, and spending time with friends and family. She's looking forward to using her education and skills to help agencies remove barriers for those they serve, and making a meaningful impact at both YNPN and the wider Austin community.

Elyssa is new to the Austin area and excited to support YNPN digital communications. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, she has served in AmeriCorps VISTA, for multiple nonprofit boards, and volunteered a plethora of hours to create sustainable impact in our community. You may find Elyssa on weekends trying new restaurants, thrift shopping, concert-going, or simply at home cuddling her two cats. 

Christine currently serves as the Corporate and Foundation Relations Manager and Grant Writer at Refugee Services of Texas, a nonprofit serving refugees, survivors of human trafficking, and other displaced populations in 7 sites across the state. She has over 10 years of experience working and volunteering with both nonprofits and cause-based businesses in Texas and Florida, including the Amala Foundation, Clinic For the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, and the CSR group. She credits her successes to the women who have mentored and taught her along the way, including Ashley Faye, Jen Lucas, and Julie G'Vitale, and hopes to be as valuable a resource to emerging nonprofit leaders as others were to her. 

Christine earned her bachelor's degree in Business Management with coursework in Nonprofit Management. She is passionate about the study of ethics, corporate social responsibility, and continuously searching for new ways to improve herself and her community. In her free time, Christine enjoys reading (sci-fi crew, send the rec’s), hiking with her spouse and corgi, and  creating woven tapestry, knit, and modern embroidery art pieces.

Melissa graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor's Degree in Theatre and Dance. With over 10 years of experience in nonprofit management, Melissa has worked at American Ballet Theatre in New York City and Miami City Ballet in Miami Beach, Florida. After moving back home to Texas, Melissa now works at IDEA Public Schools as Director of Philanthropic Grants, where she manages private grants that support IDEA's mission to prepare students from underserved communities for success in college and citizenship.

In her free time, Melissa enjoys long distance running, especially at Town Lake. She also frequents arts and culture events around Austin and loves trying new restaurants and cuisines.

Maya has over 10 years of nonprofit experience. She currently works as a Senior Coordinator with the Alamo Community Colleges District where she manages and supervises a Helpline Advocacy Center Call Center she launched in March 2020 as well as supervises social work student interns. Maya is passionate about removing barriers for students so they are able to accomplish their academic goals, and is passionate about working with agencies to create more EDI hiring and training practices. Maya has a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin and is a Licensed Master Social Worker. 

Maya enjoys hiking, traveling, gardening, and baking with her partner, as well as spending time with her cat, Khaleesi. Maya is excited about her new role as Program Chair to create a YNPN conference!

Rondel has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Central Oklahoma  She is a native of Oklahoma where she began her nonprofit work by serving on the board of United Way of Norman and serving on the Education Impact Council for 6 years.