FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington D.C. (February 3, 2022) · Today, KABOOM!, the national nonprofit committed to ending playspace inequity for good, announced new board members critical to accelerating progress towards achieving its mission. This January, two talented leaders will join the KABOOM! board, adding to the already diverse set of skills and expertise of its members. Gregory Johnson, Managing Director, U.S. Equity and Economic Opportunity Initiative for The Rockefeller Foundation, comes with a wealth of experience in building equity to address financial access gaps facing Black, Brown, Indigenous people and rural communities. Jewel James Simmons, Head of State and Local Government Relations for JPMorgan Chase & Co., has an expertise in policy and government affairs within states and municipalities, leading regional, state, and local government relations activities nationwide. Both of these leaders will help guide the organization’s strategic direction as they double down on their commitment to racial equity and deepen partnerships and ongoing work with cities and municipal systems. Johnson and Simmons will be integral to the strategic direction set forth to help KABOOM! achieve its mission. The recently announced KABOOM! 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity lifts the urgency of addressing the immediate and long-term needs of kids by accelerating progress towards achieving playspace equity within 25 priority places in the next five years. Having the new board members as champions for this work will help KABOOM! more quickly impact kids who are most often denied opportunities to thrive. “Our work is urgent. We must do everything we can to pour into the young people of this generation,” said Lysa Ratliff, CEO of KABOOM!. “This means bringing together leaders who not only care deeply about playspace equity, but can also help us to move toward deeper impact at an accelerated pace.” Long-standing KABOOM! Board Member Deborah A. Cowan, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer for National Public Radio completed her term as of December, 31, 2021. KABOOM! is appreciative of her years of service and commitment to the growth and health of the organization.
Today, KABOOM!, the national nonprofit committed to ending playspace inequity for good, announced new board members critical to accelerating progress towards achieving its mission.
This January, two talented leaders will join the KABOOM! board, adding to the already diverse set of skills and expertise of its members. Gregory Johnson, Managing Director, U.S. Equity and Economic Opportunity Initiative for The Rockefeller Foundation, comes with a wealth of experience in building equity to address financial access gaps facing Black, Brown, Indigenous people and rural communities. Jewel James Simmons, Head of State and Local Government Relations for JPMorgan Chase & Co., has an expertise in policy and government affairs within states and municipalities, leading regional, state, and local government relations activities nationwide. Both of these leaders will help guide the organization’s strategic direction as they double down on their commitment to racial equity and deepen partnerships and ongoing work with cities and municipal systems.
Johnson and Simmons will be integral to the strategic direction set forth to help KABOOM! achieve its mission. The recently announced KABOOM! 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity lifts the urgency of addressing the immediate and long-term needs of kids by accelerating progress towards achieving playspace equity within 25 priority places in the next five years. Having the new board members as champions for this work will help KABOOM! more quickly impact kids who are most often denied opportunities to thrive.
“Our work is urgent. We must do everything we can to pour into the young people of this generation,” said Lysa Ratliff, CEO of KABOOM!. “This means bringing together leaders who not only care deeply about playspace equity, but can also help us to move toward deeper impact at an accelerated pace.”
Long-standing KABOOM! Board Member Deborah A. Cowan, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer for National Public Radio completed her term as of December, 31, 2021. KABOOM! is appreciative of her years of service and commitment to the growth and health of the organization.
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.