January 2026 | A Newsletter for the YANA Community

Dear YANA Community,

2025 was a challenging year, especially for the nonprofit sector. Budgets shrank. Funding became harder to secure. Many organizations found themselves doing more with less while the needs they served only grew. And as we step into 2026, we face continued global volatility and uncertainty.

In times like these, it’s more important than ever that we exist to support one another.

I’m proud to say that even in this environment, YANA reached new heights. We connected 10,000+ Yale alumni through our programs, convened 50 events across formats, and hosted our largest Social Impact Conference yet, bringing together over 300 people for a day under the banner “Stronger Together.”

Together, we’ve launched YANA Forward, our campaign to celebrate 15 years of success and solidify the next 15 years of impact.

These numbers tell a story of a community that shows up for each other through mentorship, board service, fellowship funding, and the countless informal connections that happen when Yalies dedicated to service find each other.

Just before the new year, we received a heartwarming update from CHASOF, a youth literacy organization in Nigeria that participated in our Nonprofit Mentoring Roundtable. After working with YANA volunteer mentors, they launched a new website, secured book supplies for the next six months of programming, and started the process of registering as a 501(c)(3). Their message to us: “Your checklist has become our North star.” This is why we do this work.

While I don’t have all the answers for the year ahead, I do know one answer I come back to day after day: supporting nonprofits and nonprofit leaders. These are the unsung heroes who show up at hour zero when catastrophe strikes and continue to show up at hour twenty-four, long after the cameras fade and the world moves on to the next headline.

So don’t give up. We need each and every one of you to find a way to keep showing up, give as generously as you can, and have fun getting to know one another along the way.

Community is everything. And it’s more important now than ever. As Ken Inadomi, our Chair Emeritus, once told me: “You go to most colleges for four years. You go to Yale for life.”

YANA is your community of nonprofit and social impact leaders working to change the world. How audacious to believe that we can make it a better place. But then again, we’re Yalies. We’ve always believed. Don’t forget it.

Let’s get to work.

Warm regards,

Kristin Urquiza ’03
YANA Executive Director

Share Your Voice: YANA Forward Survey

As we celebrate 15 years of supporting Yale alumni in service to others, we want to hear from you. The YANA Forward Survey gives you a chance to share what matters most as you navigate your own path of giving back, and to tell us your own YANA story.

How has this community helped you? What connection changed your trajectory? What moment of mentorship or board match or simple conversation made a difference in your work?

Fifteen years ago, nine Yale alumni braved a blizzard for the first YANA meeting at the Yale Club of New York. Their vision has grown into a thriving network supporting hundreds of alumni committed to service across every facet of the social impact sector. Today, YANA connects members through mentorship, helps match skilled board members with nonprofits that need them, and creates space for honest conversations about the rewards and challenges of mission-driven work.

Your feedback will directly inform how we strengthen these pathways to service, and your stories will help us understand what truly matters. This is your YANA. Help us build the next 15 years of supporting alumni dedicated to making a difference.

January Town Hall: Inside Nonprofit Executive Search

Jan. 28, 6:30pm ET| In-Person (NYC) & virtual via Zoom

Whether you’re a nonprofit board member navigating a leadership transition, an executive exploring your next opportunity, or simply curious about how top organizations find their leaders, this Town Hall is for you.

Join us for our next Live from NY Town Hall on Wednesday, January 28, at 6:30 PM ET for an engaging conversation with three distinguished executive search professionals.

Our Expert Panelists:

Jack Lusk, President & CEO, Harris Rand Lusk — With nearly 20 years of executive search experience, Jack brings deep expertise in placing top leaders across the nonprofit and government sectors.

Marilyn Machlowitz, Ph.D., Senior Advisor, DRG Talent — A Yale Ph.D. and Princeton graduate, Marilyn led Machlowitz Consultants for 24 years, serving major nonprofits and foundations.

Melissa Madzel, Founder & Principal, Do Good Connections — A recognized leader in equity-centered executive recruitment, Melissa has partnered with over 70 nonprofits and foundations to place transformative leaders.

We’ll Explore:

• The role of executive search in building successful nonprofits
• How nonprofit boards can work effectively with search firms
• Trends shaping nonprofit leadership and succession
• How DEI is reshaping nonprofit leadership searches
• Practical guidance for advancing your career in the nonprofit sector

When: Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at 6:30 PM ET

Where: Yale Club of NYC & via Zoom (hybrid event)

Note: Please register via Zoom regardless of how you plan to attend—this helps us plan for the right headcount.

Join the YANA Nonprofit Leadership Consortium

Leading a nonprofit can be isolating. The challenges are unique, the stakes are high, and sometimes you just need to talk to someone who gets it.

The YANA Nonprofit Leadership Consortium brings together Yale alumni who lead nonprofit organizations for private monthly conversations with peers and experts. This is your space to share challenges, celebrate wins, exchange best practices, and build relationships with fellow leaders who understand the rewards and realities of mission-driven work.

What you’ll find in the Consortium:

• Monthly facilitated conversations on topics that matter to nonprofit leaders
• A trusted peer group for candid discussions about leadership challenges
• Access to expert perspectives on fundraising, governance, operations, and more
• A supportive community that understands what it takes to lead in the social sector

The Consortium is open to Executive Directors, CEOs, and senior nonprofit leaders who are Yale alumni. If you’re ready for a peer community that supports your growth as a leader, we’d love to have you join us.

Interested? Email Rachel Littman ’91 to learn more and get on the list.

CCS Philanthropy Pulse: 2026 Trends for Nonprofit Leaders

We’re excited to share CCS Fundraising’s Philanthropy Pulse webinar featuring moderator Lindsay Marciniak and panelists Melissa Arias (Make-A-Wish), Kira Elbert (The Elkins Foundation), and Jeff Shaw (Prairie View A&M University) as they review the 2026 CCS Philanthropy Pulse report.

Drawing on perspectives from more than 600 nonprofit organizations worldwide, this session goes beyond the data to explore what the findings mean in practice. You’ll hear experts highlight key themes from the report findings, connect them to today’s fundraising realities, and respond to audience questions live.

During this webinar, you’ll learn:

• How fundraising priorities are shifting in response to donors, economic change, and policy pressures
• Where boards, staff, and technology are shaping organizational performance
• Emerging strategies nonprofits are using to position themselves for success in the year ahead

Share Your Summer Internship Opportunities

Do you have a summer internship opportunity at your nonprofit organization? YANA’s Student Chapter wants to help you connect with talented Yale students who are passionate about social impact.

With two-thirds of Yale students involved in Dwight Hall and social impact work, there’s a deep pool of motivated, capable students looking for meaningful summer experiences. Whether you’re offering a paid internship, a fellowship opportunity, or a project-based role, our Student Chapter leaders will circulate your posting directly to students on campus.

This is a wonderful way to bring fresh perspectives to your organization while mentoring the next generation of nonprofit leaders. Many of today’s YANA members got their start through internships that shaped their career trajectories—now you can provide that same opportunity.

Ready to post your opportunity? Complete our brief form and we’ll take it from there.

Etelle Higonnet ’00 LAW ‘05

She then pivoted to environmental advocacy, becoming Campaign Director at Mighty Earth. Her investigations exposed how chocolate companies were destroying West African forests, leading 24 major companies and two governments to sign landmark no-deforestation commitments. She created the Chocolate Scorecard, now a coalition of nearly 40 NGOs that rates the industry on sustainability and labor practices—work featured on John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight.

In 2019, President Macron knighted her as a Chevalier of France’s National Order of Merit. Today she leads Coffee Watch, fighting deforestation and labor abuses in coffee production, and serves on the board of Climate Defiance.

Fluent in nine languages and fearless across 30+ countries, Etelle embodies Yale’s commitment to global impact.

Justine Lee ’04

“Almost half of the carbon reduction technology needed to get there is yet to be deployed or even invented,” Lee has said. “The problem we’re trying to solve is how to accelerate that development and get these startups over the valley of death.”

Lee brings deep experience in sustainable transportation. As a founding team member at Motivate, she helped grow the company into North America’s largest bike share operator, with over 40,000 bikes across seven cities, including New York’s flagship Citi Bike system. In 2018, she led the sale of Motivate to Lyft and helped launch Lyft’s broader micromobility strategy.

Her career spans venture investing, startup operations, and climate-focused board service, including roles at 25madison Ventures and the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. She holds a BA from Yale and a JD from Columbia Law School.

ClimateHaven has already accelerated more than 25 startups working on everything from carbon sequestration to industrial waste treatment. Under Lee’s leadership, the incubator is expanding its portfolio, building new funding vehicles, and launching a Water Innovation Hub in partnership with the Regional Water Authority.

“I really believe New Haven has a special opportunity,” Lee says. “I’m excited to be part of the effort to support innovation and economic development here.”