YaaJoy Engel
Executive Director at Project Kindred
YaaJoy Engel
Executive Director at Project Kindred
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Overview
Work Experience
Executive Director
2024 - Current
Project Kindred disrupts the cycle of segregation by uniting and empowering diverse young leaders through transformative experiences. We achieve this mission by providing long-term hands-on cross-racial programming, led by racially diverse, culturally competent professional mentors in order to: ∙ Make it possible for young people to build meaningful cross-class and race connections ∙ Strengthen initial connections over time through equal treatment, common goals, and opportunities for collaboration ∙ Develop equitable leadership skills to prepare young people to advocate for just policies in their communities
Economic Development Director
2023 - 2024
- Lead business engagement efforts and manage critical revitalization projects - Identify and pursue funding opportunities through grant proposals and sponsorship proposals - Administer the Business Improvement District (BID) by preparing budgets and facilitating board meetings - Cultivate relationships with property owners and businesses to create a unique district identity - Collaborate with stakeholders to plan and execute events supporting local businesses - Organize and manage Harbor Fest, the district's largest annual event - Advocate for equity and incorporate community perspectives into internal and external work
Corporate Strategy, Venture Platform Manager
2022 - 2023
- Developed and maintained positive relationships between portfolio companies and business partners. - Monitored programming and events to enhance understanding and connectivity. Provided regular updates on emerging companies and potential disruption. - Managed internal and external tooling for efficient service delivery.
Managing Director
2021 - 2022
- Collaborated with partners, program managers, and associates to plan and execute investing programs and related activities. Included selecting and mentoring early-stage startups for accelerator programs in partnership with teammates and partners. - Helped plan and execute OnRamp Conference series, including startup recruitment, speaker sourcing, and business development. - Represented gener8tor in the local community, supported alumni with mentor and investor relations, and acted as a strong advocate for startups and entrepreneurs.
State & District Assessment Advisor | Student Leadership Advisor | 3-8 Youth Athletic Director
2017 - 2021
- Facilitated the implementation and administration of state and district assessments, ensuring compliance with regulations while meeting the needs of all students. Developed an assessment preparation program resulting in improved student and administrative performance. - Designed, implemented, and managed a nationally-recognized student leadership program. Established a strong partnerships with the League of Women Voters and the city of Milwaukee that registered more high school-age voters than anywhere else in the nation. - Created annual budgets for several departments and programs after collaborating with key stakeholders to identify new revenue streams for enhanced programming.
Integrated Client Operations, Budget Coordinator
2015 - 2017
Managed a $44 million budget for Northwestern Mutual's operations by streamlining financial processes, closely monitoring expenses, and delivering comprehensive budget reports to department heads, project leads, and executive leadership. Coordinated and led bi-weekly executive-level budget meetings.
Site Optimization Specialist
2013 - 2014
Collaborated with cross-functional teams to improve website consistency and efficiency of three brands through analyzing industry trends and consolidating vendors and technology platforms. Resulted in $200,000 cost savings with increased conversions for the retail department.