2025 Nonprofit Power Players

Tia Morris is an advocate for students, dedicating nearly 30 years to improving educational opportunities for young people. In 1998, she began her teaching career in Harlem through Teach For America New York and returned in 2020 as executive director. Tia previously served as executive director for Teach For America New Jersey, a founding member of a school network, and held chief-level central office positions in New Jersey’s Newark and Camden school systems.

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support your organization?
Teach For America has brought teaching talent to New York for 35 years. To continue to do so, especially in high-need areas and subjects and to meet the growing demand for teachers given new state-mandated guidelines on class size, we must create conditions so that educators can thrive. This includes providing them with greater access to affordable housing, increasing compensation to account for inflation and cost-of-living, and shifting policies to make the certification process easier. 

What are your organization’s goals for 2026?
We must prepare teachers and students to be successful, both inside and beyond the classroom. At Teach For America New York, we’re leveraging our talent strategies to help fill teacher and school leader roles across the state and strengthen retention rates, and accelerate student growth through effective high-dosage tutoring and math proficiency initiatives. We’re also leveraging technology and AI to elevate the teaching experience and expand student opportunities.  

NYC native Nigel Campbell is a graduate of The Juilliard School and danced professionally throughout the United States and Europe. In 2015, Nigel co-founded MOVE|NYC|, where he serves as artistic director and CEO. He has held leadership positions at Gibney Dance and the Princess Grace Foundation, and is also on faculty at The Juilliard School. Nigel is a U.S. presidential scholar in the arts and was featured on the national PBS documentary, American Talent.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out in your field?
Go for it! Live your dream. Take risks. Try and fail. In fact, fail so much that you succeed. No one is ever “ready.” Trust your instincts and remember that you are worthy. The road won’t be easy, but it is so worth it when you look back and realize you have done some good in the world. So keep going no matter what! The world needs you and your vision!

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support your organization?
Our core program provides tuition-free mentorship and college prep for gifted New York City teenagers who are passionate about pursuing a career in dance. We have a 100% acceptance rate to the nation’s top colleges for dance. We’re always in need of support from institutions, foundations, and individuals. Our website is www.movenyc.nyc, check it out. If you are in NYC, please come to one of our performances! Seeing the kids in action is always inspiring.

What are your organization’s goals for 2026?
2025 marked our 10th anniversary and we completed our 1st ever Strategic Plan. In 2026, we look forward to implementing the plan and building our organizational infrastructure in order to SUSTAIN the great work we have done over the last decade. We also look forward to stellar and inspiring performances, sharing the joy of dance with as many people as possible. In the words of luminary choreographer Pina Bausch, “Dance, dance, otherwise we are lost.”

Chanel is a native of Brooklyn, NY and is the co-founder and CEO of strategy and new initiatives for MOVE|NYC| and an internationally acclaimed choreographer and director. She is a graduate of The Juilliard School and has received recognition from the Princess Grace Foundation, Dance Teacher Magazine, and was named a United States presidential scholar in the Arts. Chanel is also the founder of the women’s leadership and empowerment platform, CATAPULT.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out in your field?
“Don’t ever let somebody tell you you can’t do something. Not even me. All right? You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they wanna tell you you can’t do it. If you want something, go get it. Period.” – Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happiness

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support your organization?
At this stage of MOVE|NYC|, we are hoping to secure multi-year grants and partnerships so that we can sustain our organization for the coming fiscal years. We look forward to broadening our networks, connecting with more individuals and philanthropists who believe in our mission, and continuing to find ways to keep pathways to success open for our young professionals.

What are your organization’s goals for 2026?
Goal #1: Broaden the notoriety and visibility of MOVE|NYC|.
Goal #2: Forge multi-year partnerships with other like-minded NYC organizations for mutual gain and growth.
Goal #3: Build more ways for MOVE|NYC| to gain earned revenue via performance opportunities and professional development engagements.

Niya Nicholson is a celebrated leader known for championing opportunity access, building impactful businesses, and advancing creative careers. Niya’s decade-long leadership as the founding executive director of MOVE|NYC| has helped to shape a renowned civic arts nonprofit that is recognized for “Changing the Face of Dance.” A Harlem native, Vassar graduate, board chair of MICHIYAYA Dance, and trusted advisor, Niya’s mission is to propel visionary creatives and institutions toward their next level of impact.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out in your field?
Dream in direction with intention and integrity. Your story and your impact are unfolding right now. Claim your vision, share your voice, shape your experience, find your tribe, and drive your goals forward with fierce purpose. Surround yourself with people and institutions who are in direct alignment with you; having a mentor is key. You are not alone. You can do this. We’re excited for your contributions to society.

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support your organization?
We are all we’ve got. With devastating funding cuts to the arts, the time is now to demonstrate your commitment to the arts. Attend our performances, visit our programs, and connect us with mission-aligned partners, patrons, donors, and policymakers. Spread the word about MOVE|NYC|’s impact: champion how our work fosters artistic excellence, cultivates future leaders, and brings joy and inspiration to our city. Together, we can continue to advance access to the arts for all.

What are your organization’s goals for 2026?
MOVE|NYC| is committed to transforming the dance profession by cultivating a more diverse and inclusive future. We provide over 150 talented artists aged 13-25 with tuition-free artistic training, mentorship, professional development, and wellness support annually. In 2026, MOVE|NYC| is implementing a three-year strategic plan to optimize programming, to invest in capacity, to increase impact, to expand reach to new patrons and donors, and to find innovative ways to share our model with the field.

Alan Mucatel is a compassionate leader with 30 years of progressive leadership in organizations providing supports to children, adults, and families. As the CEO of Rising Ground, Alan has pioneered transformative initiatives that have significantly impacted and improved the lives of vulnerable populations. Under his 15-year tenure, Rising Ground has experienced growth and success across all program areas and currently provides some $200 million of critical services to New Yorkers.

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support your organization?
We invite New Yorkers to learn more about Rising Ground through our website and to support our work financially or through our donation drives that provide concrete assistance to others. Policymakers can support this work by ensuring living wages for human services workers who are vital to our city and state and by assuring that contracts are registered on time, payments are made quickly, and that there are annual increases in funding addressing inflationary pressures.

What are your organization’s goals for 2026?
Rising Ground supports over 30,000 children and adults across New York City and Westchester and another 72,000 family members and loved ones who are facing a wide array of challenges. In 2026, we will continue our impactful work and seek opportunities to expand our reach where we have the capacity to do so well, and help blunt the impact of political, economic, and social forces that make life more difficult for our neighbors.

Dr. Lisette Nieves is a visionary leader in public service innovation and president of the Fund for the City of New York. She uplifts communities through impactful initiatives blending technology, policy, and human-centered solutions. A distinguished clinical professor at NYU, she co-founded the doctoral program in Leadership and Innovation and the Center for Youth and the Future of Work. An accomplished author and thought leader, she advances research, leadership development, and opportunities for young people.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out in your field?
Collaboration is essential in this sector, and the best work is achieved with and through others. A collaborative approach to leadership requires building trust, listening deeply, and staying connected to the diverse stakeholders involved in the work. Stay curious and embrace lifelong learning. Let community insight challenge assumptions, and pair analytical rigor with humility and heart to create meaningful and lasting impact as you grow as a leader and contribute to stronger communities everywhere today.

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support your organization?
The Fund for the City of New York exists to fuel people, ideas, and organizations that strengthen the fabric of this city and nation. Policymakers and New Yorkers can support this mission by championing the public workforce, supporting innovation across nonprofit and civic sectors, and embracing shared responsibility for the city’s future. By engaging with our work, supporting partners, and encouraging bold ideas, New York becomes stronger, more resilient, and prepared for what lies ahead.

What are your organization’s goals for 2026?
Looking toward 2026, we are focused on accelerating impact beyond New York City, expanding international efforts to support social entrepreneurs, and strengthening the development of executives across sectors. We aim to broaden research in the Center for Youth and the Future of Work by creating evaluations and blueprints for schools and policymakers seeking the latest insights on young people and work. Our commitment remains steady: building equitable, innovative, and responsive systems for all communities ahead.

As CEO of Philanthropy New York, Kathryn O’Neal-Dunham guides nearly 300 philanthropic organizations in advancing innovative strategies to address complex social issues. She has charted a new strategic direction for the organization that centers racial equity and aligns PNY’s advocacy with the nonprofit sector. A strategist and relationship-builder with previous leadership roles at the United Way of New York City and Macquarie Group Foundation, Kathryn galvanizes philanthropic institutions to resource and champion meaningful social change. 

Ana L. Oliveira is the president and CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation, a role she has held since 2006. Under her leadership, in 2024, The Foundation invested more than $9.7 million in 139 community partners whose work reached over 500,000 people and helped unlock $40 million in new funding. Ana, who has co-authored The Uprising of Women in Philanthropy, leads with conviction, redefining philanthropy through trust, proximity, and community partnership.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out in your field?
Begin by listening and acting with trust. At The Foundation, we believe problems and solutions live in the same place; they exist within the communities that face the challenges. If you’re starting out, build relationships before strategies, invest time in people, and be bold enough to support early-stage efforts. Real philanthropy reflects urgency, courage, and trust in people working together to create change.

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support your organization?
Support matters because every act of generosity builds power. Policymakers can advance our mission when they back community-led solutions early, invest with trust, and shift resources to where change starts. Everyday New Yorkers can give time, talent or funds and amplify the voices of leaders on the ground. At The Foundation we say, “Come as you are. Do what you can.”

What are your organization’s goals for 2026?
In 2026, we will continue advancing our ethos of bold, early investment and radical generosity. Our priorities include expanding participatory grantmaking to reach more grassroots and women-led groups and strengthening advocacy that turns community insight into lasting policy change. Through long-term, trust-based relationships, we strengthen the ecosystem that allows women and gender-expansive people to lead change, sustain their work, and live with respect and autonomy.

Perry Perlmutter is president and CEO of Services for the UnderServed (S:US), leading a staff of 1,800 and a $315M budget supporting tens of thousands of New Yorkers. With a 30-year career in finance, Perry has held senior roles in insurance and health care. Recognized as a Nonprofit Power Player, Perry believes the solution to homelessness is homes; he is committed to eradicating homelessness in our city and keeping New Yorkers healthy.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out in your field?
Lead with empathy and curiosity. This work is about people first: listening to their stories, honoring their choices, and recognizing their potential. Success comes from building trust, staying humble, and never losing sight of the dignity of the people we serve. If you keep compassion at the center, the technical skills and strategies will follow.

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support your organization?
Policymakers can expand investments in affordable housing, behavioral health, and supportive services. Everyday New Yorkers can stand with us by volunteering, advocating for equitable policies, and amplifying the voices of the people we serve. Together, we can create a city where everyone in need has a home, access to care, and the opportunity to lead a life of purpose.

What are your organization’s goals for 2026?
By 2026, S:US aims to expand supportive housing, strengthen behavioral health and recovery services, and deepen community partnerships. We are committed to eradicating homelessness, advancing equity for people with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges, and creating pathways to employment and wellness. Our goal is simple: to ensure more New Yorkers can thrive with dignity, stability, and connection.