About Leandra Hayes-Burgess (she/her)

Leandra Hayes-Burgess serves as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement for Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. A native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Leandra Hayes-Burgess has served as an advancement professional for higher education institutions and nonprofit entities for over 23 years, with 17 of those years dedicated to service in upper administration.

She is a former cabinet member for CASE District III, and previously served as the HBCU liaison. Leandra holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication arts from Johnson C. Smith University, a Master of Arts degree in philanthropy and development from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, a certificate in Management and Leadership from Harvard University and is a Certified Fund Raising Executive. 

About Geneva Dampare (she/her)

Geneva Dampare is a dynamic Organizational Development practitioner with nearly 15 years experience in the education space where she’s held impactful roles at organizations such as US News & World Report, SHRM, and the UMD Smith School of Business. She has consulted fundraising and advancement departments at institutions such as the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History where she provided expert guidance on enhancing efficiency and workflow at scale. Her expertise and passion lies in creating learning environments that align DEIB best practices with strategic business objectives. She currently serves as the Founding Director of Strategy and Operations at the UNCF Teaching + Learning Center, where she leverages philanthropic support to pioneer innovative initiatives that advance the learning and development opportunities for HBCU stakeholders across the country. 

 Geneva holds a MS in Organizational Development from American University and a BA in anthropology and Africana Studies from Oberlin College. 

About Ivonne Simms (she/her)

Ivonne has over 20 years of comprehensive experience developing strong programs and relationships to expand educational access to historically underserved communities. In addition, she has a talent for teaching that has translated successfully from middle school math, to adult GED classes, to freshman seminar at a community college.

After relocating to Atlanta, Ivonne took a role with a non-profit that really allowed her to grow and flourish. As regional manager she was the face and voice in the Southeast, setting the tone for their work with over 30 independent schools, numerous partner organizations, and over 500 families annually. She relished in supporting students and their families through their educational journey, and the organization enjoyed tremendous growth under her leadership. Ivonne is excited to use her natural gift for connecting with people to train nonprofit leaders with Candid. She is particularly interested in creating equitable practices that will help under resourced organizations doing impactful work. Making the world better has always been a motivation in her work.

Ivonne holds degrees from Boston University and Baruch College. When she isn't exploring new restaurants, singing, or hanging out with her family, you are sure to find her on the tennis court competing, or just enjoying the game with friends.