GT Leadership Development Awards Named for Jeanne Spivak

At Giving Together’s 2025 Spring fundraising event in May, GT announced the first recipients of the Jeanne Spivak Leadership Development Award. The purpose of the award is to enhance the leadership skills of Executive Directors of non-profit organizations that have previously been awarded GT Accelerator grants. The Accelerator grant category is dedicated to non-profits that are BIPOC led and BIPOC benefiting. 

GT’s Leadership Development Award is named for the late Jeanne Spivak, a longtime GT Board Member, Chair of the Community Service Committee and beloved friend to many GT members. The program is generously funded by Jeanne’s family in recognition of Jeanne’s deep commitment to the work of GT.

While some directors of DC’s Accelerator grantee organizations are seasoned leaders with extensive experience building non-profits, many others have a strategic vision but struggle to advance due to lack of experience leading and growing an organization. GT’s goal is to help EDs enhance their skills through formal training so they can build stronger, more impactful  non-profits.

The 2025 awards went to Josephine Mazyck  of FAN (Fihankra Akoma Ntoaso)  and Yurani Sandoval of  Women Palante (pictured at top of page). Both Executive Directors (Eds) recently completed Georgetown University’s Non-Profit Management Executive Certificate Program, an 8-day, intensive program focused on core topics: leadership strengths and values; trends in nonprofits; governance; development and fundraising; financial management; strategic planning; evaluating impact; talent management; DEI; and communications.