The McGregor Fund’s trustees and staff are delighted to welcome Nikia Washington, who will serve as our inaugural Director of Engagement & Communications.
The new role is intended to transform the Fund’s communications and support for grant partner organizations. We created this senior position as a direct response to grant partners’ request that we elevate our relationship-forward grant partner support, advocacy for rest for non-profit leaders, and unfolding work for racial and economic justice.
From Kate Levin Markel, McGregor Fund President:
“This position marks a new chapter for us. It will bring greater accountability and partner participation to our work, while offering partners a bigger platform for theirs, and the support of additional, essential skills among our team. Kia brings those skills and so much more. We are thrilled to welcome her as a colleague, to introduce her to all our partners, and to support her as she creates this new, experimental role.”
A highly regarded and innovative leader in philanthropy in Detroit and beyond, Nikia is already well known to many of you. In her current role as Director of Member Engagement for the Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF), Nikia has supported CMF members’ network- and relationship-building efforts.
From Kyle Caldwell, President and CEO of the Council of Michigan Foundations:
“On behalf of the CMF Board of Trustees and staff, we are deeply grateful to Kia for her leadership, insights and contributions she brought to CMF as our Director of Member Engagement. Kia has a strategic and collaborative approach that is well-aligned with her new role at the McGregor Fund. We look forward to continuing to engage with Kia as a CMF member.”
Nikia’s work supporting philanthropic and non-profit partners has also included a consultancy with EarlyWorks and independent research on Black philanthropy. In 2023, she served as co-chair of The Soul of Philanthropy: Michigan steering committee which hosted the “Giving Back: The Soul of Philanthropy Reframed and Exhibited” exhibition and curated the “Detroit Gives Black” celebration, both recognizing Detroit’s extensive Black philanthropic tradition.
From Shamyle Dobbs, CEO of McGregor Fund grant partner Michigan Community Resources and a McGregor Fund Miller Fellow:
“It is quite rare to read a job description and feel joyous about the intentionality of the values undergirding the role. This is exactly what happened when I came across the description for the Director for Engagement & Communications at the McGregor Fund.
It was clear to me that this position required a comms professional deeply rooted in principles of racial justice. Someone capable of elevating the stories of everyday people doing incredible work — in a way that is not extractive or exploitative.
My board member and professional colleague Nikia Washington immediately came to mind as a perfect fit for this role. It is quite serendipitous to see a position so uniquely crafted for her talents and passions.
As a grantee of the McGregor Fund and a current Miller Fellow, let me offer that the wisdom to create a role that amplifies the voices and collective experiences of communities as a catalyst for progressive change in philanthropic practices is transformational.
This position, powered by Kia’s expertise, will create a much-needed platform for change. Kia is a gift to this sector and her empathy, intellectual curiosity, and intuitiveness will make her an asset to McGregor and a treasure to all who are graced with her presence. Congratulations to all.”
From Nikia Washington, our new Director of Engagement & Communications:
“As I reflect on the last decade that brought me to this moment — joining one of Michigan’s foundations most dedicated to racial and economic justice — I’m filled with gratitude and memories of those who shaped my journey.
I think of Rueben, a friend of The Wright Museum, who carried a backpack full of articles and always met me with a story leveraging his endless wisdom of Detroit. I remember Roberta, who would invite me to her home to share stories over lunch, entrusting me as her scribe while she narrated her life events. I recall the determination and excellence of the leaders I met as a consultant, who allowed me the privilege to dream alongside them and witness their brilliance firsthand.
As I join this team of dynamic philanthropy futurists in a role focused on amplifying the voices, knowledge, and strategies of those with lived experience in the work we champion, I carry with me those who taught me the power of relationships, story, and authenticity. I come to this role pouring out just as I’ve received, leading with love and community at the center. I come bearing the spirit of ubuntu: I am because we are.”
We are excited to welcome Nikia in January and we look forward to working with her to elevate our partnerships, build out principles outlined in our most recent biennial report, and advance our commitment to racial and economic justice.
