The New Pittsburgh Courier celebrates 25 Black leaders strengthening Pittsburgh’s communities.
Leadership. Service. Advocacy. Care.
We’re especially proud to celebrate our Managing Director, Shemariah Waggoner, and BEC Huddle members Mark Lewis and Fred Brown for being selected by the New Pittsburgh Courier as 2026 Standout Nonprofit Leaders.
We also congratulate all the Black nonprofit leaders selected. These leaders are building stronger neighborhoods, expanding opportunity, and advancing health and economic equity across our region.
Read each honoree’s story in the New Pittsburgh Courier’s Applause feature: https://newpittsburghcourier.com/applause
The Honorees
- Carmen Anderson – Vice President, Equity and Community Partnerships, The Heinz Endowments
- Godfrey Bethea – Vice President of Equity, People and Culture, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
- Barāta A. Bey – President, African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania
- Samuel Black – Director of the African American Museum, Senator John Heinz History Center
- Kenya T. Boswell – Senior Vice President of Community Affairs, Highmark Health; President, Highmark Foundation
- Fred Brown – President & CEO, The Forbes Funds
- Dr. Kathi Elliott – CEO, Gwen’s Girls
- Peggy B. Harris – President & CEO, Three Rivers Youth
- Rochelle L. Jackson – Founding CEO, Black Women’s Policy Center
- AJ Jefferson – President & CEO, Homeless Children’s Education Fund
- William Generett Jr. – President & CEO, The Pittsburgh Foundation
- Mark Lewis – Chief Executive Officer, POISE Foundation
- Rick Mason – Executive Director, The Pittsburgh Project
- Charlese McKinney – Chief Program Officer, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
- Sabrina Saunders Mosby – President & CEO, Vibrant Pittsburgh
- Maelene J. Myers – Executive Director, East Liberty Development, Inc.
- Leon D. Pamphile – Bishop, Functional Literacy Ministry of Haiti
- Dr. Andre Samuel – Founder, President & CEO, The Citizen Science Lab
- Charlise Smith – Executive Director, Willissae’s Agency for Vision and Empowerment (WAVE)
- Terry Smith – President & CEO, M-Powerhouse of Greater Pittsburgh
- Tammy Thompson – President & CEO, Catapult Greater Pittsburgh
- Cheyenne Tyler – Executive Director, Café Momentum Pittsburgh
- Shemariah Waggoner – Managing Director, Black Equity Coalition
- LaToya Warren – Executive Vice President & CFO, Achieva; President, Achieva Resource
- Janis Burley Wilson – President & CEO, August Wilson African American Cultural Center
