Leadership Team
Laurel Djoukeng
Founder & Executive Director
Monica Myers
Director of Resource Management
Sebastian Johnson
Director of Educational Development
Tialer Maxwell
Director of Marketing
Max Frederic
Director of Youth Programs
Iris Chau
Creative Director
Wilmon Christian III
Director of College Preparatory Programs
Justine Johnson
Program Coordinator
Rashad West
Director of Relationship Management
Lanaya Irvin
Director of Corporate Development
DeVaughn Fowlkes
Director of External Relations
Dr. Tiffani Bright
Tiffani J. Bright, PhD is the Biomedical Informatician Evaluation Team Lead at IBM Watson Health. Dr. Bright provides technical, informatics, and evaluative leadership in the design, development, and execution of evaluation research for Watson Health products. Additionally, she offers consulting services in Health IT and grant support. She has a background in biomedical informatics and information systems, with expertise in clinical decision support (CDS), mobile health, and usability evaluation. A major focus of Dr. Bright’s work has been on CDS, which has the ability to enhance decision-making, improve care, and reduce costs. Dr. Bright is the recipient of several awards and honors, including a Meyerhoff Scholarship from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), a National Library Medicine Biomedical Informatics Predoctoral Fellowship, and a Columbia University Center for Interdisciplinary Research to Reduce Antimicrobial Resistance Predoctoral Fellowship. She is an elected board member of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) and holds leadership appointments on numerous committees throughout AMIA and the STEM communities. As an ardent STEM advocate, Dr. Bright uses her platform to advance diversity and inclusion in STEM education through local and national initiatives. She received her BA degree in sociology from The College of William and Mary, BS degree in information systems from UMBC, PhD degree in biomedical informatics from Columbia University, and completed her postdoctoral fellowship in the Division of Clinical Informatics at Duke University
Why CNF?
I believe that CNF’s synergistic approach to developing and engaging a community-based network is critical to student success. Additionally, CNF focuses on two topics that I highly esteem- mentoring and exposure through experimental-based learning opportunities.
Obinna Onungwa
Director of Innovation
Tristan Lewis
Marketing Consultant
Bryan Young
Chief Technology Officer
Trey Barnette
Director of Development
BRIEF OVERVIEW
The Catalyst Network Foundation Inc. (CNF) is a non-profit education initiative 501(c)(3) organization based in New York City and Washington, D.C. The social enterprise is fundamentally grassroots, steered by a volunteer leadership team in New York City and Washington, D.C. In July of 2012, Ranking Congressman Ed Towns awarded a proclamation to the Foundation, in recognition of the organization’s achievements.
CNF was conceived after its two founding members had a conversation about the future of youth and veterans in their community. After reviewing the lack of communal resources, skill development programs, and career-field opportunities for adults – the founders developed a vision. Through their combined efforts and strategic planning, the two founders recruited additional professionals to support the formation of Catalyst Network Foundation.
Founded in 2011, the nonprofit focuses on life enrichment and professional development, with a mission to engage high-potential youth (ages 14-25) by providing the essential tools, networks, skill-building projects, and development opportunities to maximize talent.
CNF holds a Summer Intensive Program for rising high school juniors and seniors in New York City and Washington, D.C. Successful applicants are enrolled at a CNF partnership high school. Each student receives individualized attention and internships in preparation for higher education and community service. The fellowship scholars are trained from day one: they tour corporate offices, pitch business ideas, and develop professional skills. More than 200 students have been admitted to the Fellowship Program and are CNF Fellows, 99 percent have graduated high school, and 98 percent enrolled in higher education institutions (including prestigious colleges and universities).
Through CNF’s Mentorship Program, Fellowship scholars are paired with a mentor that is a trailblazer in the profession or career field the fellows aspire to pursue. The CNF Internship Program secures CNF Fellows with internships at startups, corporations, and medical institutions.
Since 2011, the Fellows have experienced corporate tours and/or pitched capstone presentations and interventions for inner-city school challenges to several companies, including: Google, Goldman Sachs, NIKE, LinkedIn, Morgan Stanley, Microsoft, HBO, Covington & Burling LLP, GAP, Bloomberg, BET, NPR, The Carlyle Group, Kaye Scholer LLP, Hughes Hubbard Reed LLP, Deutsche Bank, Infor, The Peebles Corporation, Deloitte, FOX News, and NBC Studios.
The youth initiative annually holds tech symposiums at Google, career, and college preparatory workshops throughout the school year, instructing more than 2,000 high school students in the aforementioned metropolitan areas.
CNF performs screening and facilitates seamless partnership arrangements with high schools, nonprofits, and corporations. I.e., City Poly Tech High School < > Infor
The organization works with American veterans (ages 21-30), connecting them with resources and information to assist them with their career and academic ambitions.
CNF has curated 25+ professional networking events and diversity career recruiting sessions. The organization host a professional mixer and panel discussion called The Meeting of the Minds (MOTM) a gathering that is held quarterly it uniquely combines networking and thoughtful policy discussion on topics affecting minority communities. The goal is to provide a forum for critical conversation on issues often ignored by mainstream media outlets.