The HQ Team

Outdoor Afro’s HQ team is based in Oakland, California, and nationally. Together, they bring decades of experience in business, finance, operations, fundraising, and marketing. They oversee operations and implementation of all our programming primarily through a volunteer cohort of more than 100 volunteers in more than 32 states and more than 60,000 participants across the United States.

Rue Mapp
Founder & CEO

Deborah Hayman
Executive Manager to the CEO

DD Johnice
Chief Program & Innovation Officer

Lydia Sullivan
Chief Operating Officer

Camille Rochester
Operations Director

Gina Wright
Program Strategy & Growth Manager

Lauren Kelly
People Operations & Human Resources

Shivanni Maharaj
Development & Grants Program Manager

Natasha Perez
Finance Director

Board of Directors

Our national board represents a variety of sectors, professional interests, and geographies, hailing from both nonprofit and corporate sectors. Together, they span tech, education, venture capital, finance, entertainment, and the outdoor industry. Our board’s unique combination of expertise and background diversity effectively works together to move our mission forward.

Rue Mapp

Tarik Moore

Morgan McCray

Mike Brune

Melanie Strong

Maria Louise Hekker

Christiane Maertens

Nik Dehejia

Shane Douglas

Ashley Williams

Regional Leadership

Regional Volunteer Leaders are accomplished nature innovators who have accepted the mantle of mentoring, resourcing, and helping to train and nurture fellow volunteer leaders who serve as networks of outdoor leaders in communities within a specified geographic region. Volunteer leaders act as an extension of Outdoor Afro’s Program Team, providing our headquarters-based organization with local insights, collaborating with local partners, and enabling us to advance our mission of inspiring Black connections and leadership in nature. The following regional leaders help guide Outdoor Afro’s South, Northeast, West, and Midwest networks.

 

Stephen Scott
Regional Volunteer Leader
Midwest Region

Erika Smith
Regional Volunteer Leader
Northeast Region

James Stancil
Regional Volunteer Leader
South Region

Antoine Skinner
Regional Volunteer Leader
West Region