FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington D.C. (May 31, 2022) · Today, KABOOM!, the national nonprofit committed to ending playspace inequity for good, announced new board members and a new executive leadership position critical to driving its mission forward. Two dynamic leaders will join the KABOOM! Board of Directors this July, bringing a wealth of diverse experiences and expertise to the group. Dr. Tiffany Manuel is a sought-after public speaker, best-selling author, and the President and CEO of TheCaseMade, an organization dedicated to helping leaders powerfully and intentionally make the case for broader systems change by growing their impact, scaling programs, and securing the investments needed to improve community outcomes. Eric Wayne, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Consumer Reports (CR), leads CR’s financial affairs, driving the long-term financial vision, exploring new business models, and analyzing trends to develop solutions to business challenges and resource allocation decisions. Both of these leaders will help guide the strategic direction of KABOOM! as the nonprofit continues to prioritize racial equity, financial prudence, and deeper impact with cities and municipal systems. Carey Palmquist will also join KABOOM! as Chief Program Officer on June 1, 2022. In this newly created role, Palmquist will lead the Programs, Partnership Development, and Marketing & Communications teams, building further cohesion and alignment across these critical functions to support organizational priorities. Palmquist brings more than 20 years of extensive experience in nonprofit operational leadership, with expertise in change management and driving organizations to deeper sustainability and impact. Prior to KABOOM!, Palmquist was the Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer of First Book, leading strategies for growth, efficiency, and innovation to remove barriers to educational equity. As KABOOM! puts particular focus on their 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity, these new leaders will help guide the organization to ensure KABOOM! can raise the urgency of creating better outcomes for the kids who are most often denied opportunities to thrive. The 25 in 5 Initiative’s bold goal is to end playspace inequity within 25 priority places in the next five years. “Our kids need us, now more than ever, to come together and support their well-being and future potential,” said Lysa Ratliff, CEO of KABOOM!. “I feel confident that we have the right leaders at the table who care about our mission to end playspace inequity for good, and will also help guide us toward deeper impact at an accelerated pace.”
Today, KABOOM!, the national nonprofit committed to ending playspace inequity for good, announced new board members and a new executive leadership position critical to driving its mission forward.
Two dynamic leaders will join the KABOOM! Board of Directors this July, bringing a wealth of diverse experiences and expertise to the group. Dr. Tiffany Manuel is a sought-after public speaker, best-selling author, and the President and CEO of TheCaseMade, an organization dedicated to helping leaders powerfully and intentionally make the case for broader systems change by growing their impact, scaling programs, and securing the investments needed to improve community outcomes. Eric Wayne, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Consumer Reports (CR), leads CR’s financial affairs, driving the long-term financial vision, exploring new business models, and analyzing trends to develop solutions to business challenges and resource allocation decisions. Both of these leaders will help guide the strategic direction of KABOOM! as the nonprofit continues to prioritize racial equity, financial prudence, and deeper impact with cities and municipal systems.
Carey Palmquist will also join KABOOM! as Chief Program Officer on June 1, 2022. In this newly created role, Palmquist will lead the Programs, Partnership Development, and Marketing & Communications teams, building further cohesion and alignment across these critical functions to support organizational priorities. Palmquist brings more than 20 years of extensive experience in nonprofit operational leadership, with expertise in change management and driving organizations to deeper sustainability and impact. Prior to KABOOM!, Palmquist was the Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer of First Book, leading strategies for growth, efficiency, and innovation to remove barriers to educational equity.
As KABOOM! puts particular focus on their 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity, these new leaders will help guide the organization to ensure KABOOM! can raise the urgency of creating better outcomes for the kids who are most often denied opportunities to thrive. The 25 in 5 Initiative’s bold goal is to end playspace inequity within 25 priority places in the next five years.
“Our kids need us, now more than ever, to come together and support their well-being and future potential,” said Lysa Ratliff, CEO of KABOOM!. “I feel confident that we have the right leaders at the table who care about our mission to end playspace inequity for good, and will also help guide us toward deeper impact at an accelerated pace.”
About KABOOM!KABOOM! is the national nonprofit committed to ending playspace inequity – the reality that quality places to play are not available to every child, especially in communities of color. Since 1996, KABOOM! has partnered with kids and communities to create or transform 17,000+ playspaces and ensure that nearly 12 million kids have equitable access to the crucial benefits and opportunities that playspaces offer. In 2022, KABOOM! launched the 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity, the $250 million plan to accelerate its mission in 25 high-priority locations over five years. Learn more at kaboom.org and join the conversation at twitter.com/kaboom, facebook.com/kaboom, instagram.com/kaboom and LinkedIn.