Social Current Announces the Appointment of Three New Members to its Board of Directors

Washington, D.C. – Social Current is pleased to announce the appointment of three new members to its board of directors. Coming from renowned social sector organizations, the new board members bring years of experience and leadership to help address the challenges and mission of the social sector. The new directors are Christa A. Hamilton, president & CEO of UCAN; Lenora Hardy-Foster, president and CEO of Judson Center; and Amy Sample Ward, CEO of NTEN.

“With a shared commitment to advancing equity and diversity and to improving the well-being of all people, we are so pleased to welcome these new directors to the Social Current Board,” commented Jody Levison-Johnson, president and CEO of Social Current. “Their diverse talent and expertise will enhance the strength and impact of our board and our ability to achieve our mission as we work to ignite change for an equitable society where all people can thrive.”

As president and CEO of UCAN, a 154-year-old, Chicago-based youth services organization that annually provides a continuum of services for children, youth, and families, Christa A. Hamilton has years of experience advocating for and creating opportunities that change lives. Christa is the first African American and first woman to lead UCAN, which was founded as a Civil War orphanage. Previously, she served as CEO of Centers for New Horizons on Chicago’s South Side. A native Chicagoan born in Englewood, she sits on the boards of Instituto del Progreso Latino, ScaleLIT, Thresholds Health, South Side Healthy Communities Organization, and the Chicago Citywide Literacy Coalition. She is a fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago and a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and Civic Federation. A 1999 graduate of Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, Hamilton is a first-generation college graduate who earned a master’s in business administration from National Louis University and a bachelor’s in business administration from Florida A&M University. 

According to Christa, “As a nonprofit CEO, engaged member of the Chicago youth services community, and as a parent, I’m proud and humbled to join the Social Current board of directors and its team of dedicated professionals. UCAN is connected throughout Chicagoland as we build strong youth and families through compassionate healing, education, and empowerment. Our commitment in that space greatly aligns with Social Current’s national mission to advocate for equitable solutions to the tough, sometimes seemingly intractable, societal challenges. I’m eagerly looking forward to becoming an active part of Social Current’s impactful and respected advocacy efforts to achieve an equitable society where youth and families can unlock the power of their potential.”

Lenora Hardy-Foster, MBA, is president and CEO of Judson Center which, for 100 years has been making a positive impact in the lives of over 13,000 children, adults, and families each year by providing a variety of services in 29 Michigan counties. As CEO, she guides the strategic direction of Judson Center and its three wholly owned subsidiaries by creating new partnerships and working diligently with the Board of Trustees and Executive Leadership Team. Lenora’s commitment to the community is reflected through a variety of leadership roles that include serving as chair of the board of the University of Detroit Mercy College of Business Administration, the Michigan Federation for Children and Families, and Incompass Michigan. She is treasurer of the Hannan Center Board of Trustees and sits on the JARC Board of Directors. She is a graduate of Leadership Detroit XXIII, a program of the Detroit Regional Chamber, and successfully completed the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management course through Harvard Business School. Most recently, Lenora was named as one of Crain’s Detroit Business’ 2022 Notable Women in Nonprofits and 2023 Notable Leaders in Behavioral Health. She holds an undergraduate degree in business and a master’s in business administration from the University of Detroit Mercy.

“It is an honor to join the Social Current Board of Directors because of its strong commitment to helping others thrive,” said Lenora. “Every day at Judson Center, we focus on improving the health and well-being of children, adults, and families so they can reach their true potential.  Social Current brings together like-minded individuals and organizations to form a powerful network with a shared vision of bringing change and creating solutions that lead to an equitable society where all people can prosper.”

As CEO of NTEN, a nonprofit creating a world where missions and movements are more successful through the skillful and equitable use of technology, Amy Sample Ward believes that technology should be accessible and accountable to everyone, especially communities historically and systemically excluded from the digital world. They are a sought-after speaker globally, an author of three books, and a regular contributor to sector-wide podcasts and publications. Amy’s second book, Social Change Anytime Everywhere, was a Terry McAdam Book Award finalist. Their latest book, The Tech That Comes Next, co-authored with Afua Bruce, addresses the opportunities for change makers, technologists, philanthropists, and policymakers to build an equitable world with technology. They are based in Portland, Oregon, and graduated summa cum laude from Valparaiso University with a bachelor’s in English and new media journalism.

On joining the Social Current board, Amy noted, “I believe strongly in the value of pursuing change simultaneously for immediate needs and supports, as well as in the systems that create needs and require supports. Building an equitable world requires that we understand and address both, informing our systems change work with the perspectives of those impacted. I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue this dual pursuit through contributions to the Social Current board.”

The three new directors are joining a Social Current board that is comprised of the following officers and directors:

• Officers:
  • Board Chair: Annette Rodriguez, CEO & principal, Around the Corner Consulting. She also serves as executive committee chair.
  • Vice-Chair: Tracy Wareing Evans, human services consultant. She is newly appointed as vice-chair and serves as nominating and governance committee chair.
  • Treasurer: Reuben Rotman, president and CEO, Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies. He also serves as finance committee chair.
  • Secretary: Adria Johnson, president and CEO, Metro United Way
• Directors:
  • Bob Bailey, CEO and founder, Truth Collective
  • Ralph Bayard, senior director, Systems Improvement & Strategic Consultation, Casey Family Programs
  • Alexandra L. Cawthorne-Gaines, executive director, Global Public Policy, JP Morgan Chase Policy Center. She is also newly appointed as EDI committee chair.
  • Richard J. Cohen, PhD, president, Public Health Fund
  • Melissa Devlin, assistant director, National Technical Assistance Center on Grandfamilies and Kinship Families
  • Sam Jackson, managing director, Lincoln International, LLC