Darise JeanBaptiste, Director of Strategic Projects

Darise JeanBaptiste (she/her) recognizes the power of language to inspire, mobilize, and inform audiences. Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, Darise graduated from public schools, played Double Dutch in her community, and attended local afterschool and summer programs. In high school, she participated in the city's Summer Youth Employment Program, gaining a first glimpse into the ways city agencies partner with nonprofit organizations for the benefit of young people. Invested in telling compassionate and complex stories about her community and the communities she serves, Darise has worked as a grant writer, training facilitator, and college readiness program director with community-based organizations and schools. 

Darise is also a devoted educator who has taught high school reading intervention and pre-college seminar, as well as English composition at CUNY. She holds an MFA from Rutgers-Newark, MA in English from Brooklyn College, and BS in business management from Stony Brook University. She is a board member with Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center.