Fair Chance Staff Bios
Maria T. Nagorski -- Maria joined Fair Chance as Executive Director in February 2008 bringing 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, management and organization development to Fair Chance. As a consultant for the past nine years her clients included international and domestic nonprofit organizations, foundations and donor agencies focused on social justice, community and youth development. She was the founder and Executive Director of the Center for Youth as Resources, a national organization focused on engaging youth in service, philanthropy and leadership in their communities.
Her areas of expertise include strategic planning and capacity building, leadership and management training, partnership and board development, evaluation, and management of international and multicultural teams and projects.
Maria also served as Deputy Executive Director of National Crime Prevention Council and worked as legislative assistant for two members of the US House of Representatives. She has worked with Peace Corps, AmeriCorps and the UN World Food Program. Maria is a long time DC resident, working as a community volunteer, serving on boards and volunteering in political campaigns. She has a BA in History from the University of Rochester.
Elizabeth Workman -- Elizabeth joined Fair Chance as Deputy Director in August 2008 after working as an Independent Consultant, supporting various agencies and consortiums with various elements of program development, staff supervision, and fundraising. She was the Director of Sasha Bruce Youthwork's Zocalo Outreach Program from 1998 to 2008.
In this role she supervised and coordinated SBY's Home-Based Counseling and Support Services Program serving over 500 high-risk youth and their families each year, as well as SBY's Street Outreach work, Pregnancy Prevention Program, and Substance Abuse efforts. Elizabeth also served as SBY's Programming Liaison in which she was responsible for coordinating and supervising all agency-wide enhancement programming for youth.
In her work at SBY she has partnered with various city-wide agencies such as YSA, APRA, DHHS, and the South Washington Collaborative, to provide needed services for youth. For three years prior to that, Elizabeth was the Director of a teen and family center in Connecticut that provided social, educational, leadership-building, and recreational activities for youth and their families. Elizabeth has also served as a Case Manager and Family Services Specialist at both a battered women's shelter and homeless shelter in the DC area. Elizabeth received her BA from George Washington University and Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology from The American University, focusing on adolescent development and family preservation programs.
Caroline Brown -- Caroline joined Fair Chance in October as a Capacity Building Specialist. Since moving to the Washington, DC area in 1999, she has worked as a Development Officer at Charities Aid Foundation America, as an Organizational Consultant for government and nonprofit clients at Quatt Associates and Booz Allen Hamilton, and as a Program Officer providing capacity building grants, training and technical assistance to nonprofits at the Environmental Support Center.
She has also recently served on pro bono consulting projects to assist local nonprofits through DC Cares' COMPASS program and is currently a board member of Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia. Before moving to the Washington, DC area, Caroline received an M.A. in Public Administration and Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Alabama (Birmingham), and a B.A. in American Studies from the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa).
Brett Norton -- Brett joined Fair Chance in October 2009 as the Director of Development bringing more than 12 years of fundraising, communications, marketing and branding, strategic planning, and board development experience to his position. Before coming to Fair Chance, Brett served as consultant, staff member, and board member to more than a dozen different organizations including City Year, Habitat for Humanity, Survivor Corps, and ProLiteracy. He directly helped these organizations raise a combined 30+ million dollars, build their board, launch successful fundraising events and advocacy programs, develop and implement multi-year strategic programs, and coordinate hundreds of volunteers all to better serve the needs of children, youth and families, primarily from the DC area. Brett holds a M.A. in Business Administration from George Washington University and B.A. in Education and English from the University of Wisconsin.
Anjali Nagpaul -- Anjali joined Fair Chance in January 2010 as a Capacity Building Specialist. Anjali previously served as the Executive Director of a community-based nonprofit, the Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project, for seven years. As Executive Director, Anjali helped transition the organization from an all volunteer-based, emerging nonprofit to an established, staff-based, community resource. She brings her experience in board development, fiscal management, fundraising, strategic and program planning, outreach, program evaluation, and leadership development to her new role at Fair Chance. Anjali is a past recipient of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association Educational Fund’s Public Service Award and the DC Mayor’s Outstanding Community Service Award. Anjali has a J.D. from George Washington University Law School and a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia.
Jessica Solomon -- Jessica joined Fair Chance in August 2011. She brings to her new position experience in non-profit management and organization development through partnerships and consultative projects with Meridian International Center, Young Women's Drumming Empowerment Project, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, YWCA, the DeVos Institute of Management at the Kennedy Center, Dreaming Out Loud, Inc. and Greenpeace. Her work as an organization development practitioner has been informed by her belief that culture is at the core of capacity building. She is the Founder of The Saartjie Project, a Cultural Arts organization using storytelling and collaborative performance as a vehicle for collaboration and civic engagement. Jessica is a StartingBloc for Social Innovation Fellow and American University Hal Kellner for Social Justice Awardee. She holds Bachelor's degrees in Communication Studies and African American Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park and a Masters of Science in Organization Development from American University/National Training Laboratories.
Angela Cavanaugh -- Angela joined Fair Chance as a Development Associate in March 2011. As a DC native, she has always had a desire to give back to her community mainly focusing on helping children and families in need. Prior to starting at Fair Chance, Angela graduated from Virginia State University, receiving her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management. Angela brings to Fair Chance her experience as the Major Gifts and Planned Giving Coordinator at Ocean Conservancy, Fund Development Coordinator at the Lupus Foundation of America, and the Associate of Administration and Governance at the Business and Professional Women’s Foundation. Angela is a key member of the development and communications team working closely with the Director of Development and Communications to help increase fundraising and set and meet strategic goals and targets.
Julie Lundy -- Julie joined Fair Chance in October 2010. As a member of the DC Public Allies re-launch, a 10 month service program through AmeriCorps, Julie was selected to spend her year of service as Fair Chance’s first ever Communications Associate. At Fair Chance, Julie is coordinating our social media launch, e-newsletter, as well as serving as a core team member for our major events and partner alumni services.
Prior to starting at Fair Chance Julie recently graduated from the University of Maryland, receiving her bachelor’s degree in Sociology. She has worked for B'nai B'rith Youth Organization in DC and the David Posnack Jewish Community Center in her home town of Cooper City, Florida. Her nonprofit work experience has always revolved around improving and enriching the lives of children and youth and supporting community leaders in the field. She was attracted to Fair Chance because of its innovative approach to helping build up organizations while increasing the number of opportunities for DC children and youth in need.
