Board & Advisors
Guidance for the movement.
YEI’s board and advisors help strengthen our mission, expand opportunity, and guide the long-term growth of a youth-powered economic movement.
Strategy. Stewardship. Access. Opportunity.
How They Support YEI
Our leaders help open doors young people should have access to.
YEI’s board and advisors bring experience across business, education, philanthropy, entrepreneurship, finance, arts, creative industries, community development, youth development, and nonprofit leadership.
Their role is to help YEI grow with integrity, sustainability, and impact — ensuring that our programs remain rooted in youth voice, real-world opportunity, and economic mobility.
Together, they support the systems, strategy, partnerships, and resources that help young people learn, create, sell, earn, travel, and lead.
Governance & Stewardship
Helping YEI grow with purpose.
Mission Stewardship
Protecting YEI’s mission and ensuring that youth opportunity remains at the center of every major decision.
Strategic Growth
Supporting long-term planning, program expansion, partnerships, and organizational sustainability.
Resource Building
Helping connect YEI to funders, partners, sponsors, volunteers, mentors, and community resources.
Community Accountability
Ensuring that YEI’s work remains responsive to students, families, schools, partners, and the communities we serve.
Board of Directors
Meet the leaders guiding YEI’s mission.
Danyale Wilson Dow
Board ChairDanyale is a DC native, dual-career professional, federal government tech specialist, licensed realtor, and entrepreneur. As Board Chair, she helps lead board governance, strategic planning, and support for YEI’s youth empowerment mission.
Angele Doyne
Vice ChairAngele is an artist, entrepreneur, strategist, innovator, and cultivator with experience connecting community-based organizations, public agencies, and private partners. As Vice Chair, she supports board governance and helps shape YEI’s strategic direction.
Clarence Miles
Board MemberClarence is a lifelong Washington, DC resident, youth advocate, and Executive Director of Uniting Our Youth. One of YEI’s earliest supporters, he helped provide program space at Langston Dwelling for YEI’s inaugural programming and brings deep experience in mentoring, violence prevention, housing-based youth work, and community advocacy.
Kristen Barney
Secretary / Board MemberKristen is passionate about entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, and nonprofit capacity building. Through Fair Chance, she supported a network of more than 100 nonprofits and previously served as a capacity-building partner and volunteer coach for YEI before joining the board.
Kimberly Martin
Board MemberKimberly is a native Washingtonian, longtime Ward 7 community leader, federal budget analyst, and two-time elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner. She brings more than 20 years of budget experience and a passion for connecting people with resources and strengthening communities across DC.
Letisha Vinson
Board MemberLetisha serves as Constituent Services Director for Councilmember Wendell Felder, representing Ward 7. She is also the Founder and CEO of VMI Solutions and a civic leader whose work reflects a strong commitment to service, empowerment, and equity.
Advisors
Advisors help deepen the work.
YEI advisors offer expertise, relationships, and guidance in areas that strengthen our programs, social enterprises, student businesses, events, and long-term impact.
Their insight helps connect students to industry knowledge, career exposure, mentorship, and opportunities beyond the classroom.
Creative Economy
Arts, Culture & Creative BusinessAdvisors help connect YEI students to creative industries, arts-based entrepreneurship, and real-world pathways in DC’s creative economy.
Entrepreneurship
Business, Ownership & MarketsAdvisors support youth business development, student brands, pop-up markets, business coaching, and pathways to income-building experiences.
STE(A)M & Innovation
Technology, Design & ProductionAdvisors help strengthen hands-on learning in product development, technical skills, design thinking, and youth-centered innovation.
Partnerships
Schools, Funders & CommunityAdvisors help open doors to schools, companies, funders, mentors, volunteers, civic leaders, and community partners.
Areas of Support
What board members and advisors help make possible.
Fundraising
Helping secure the resources needed to sustain and expand youth opportunity.
Partnerships
Connecting YEI to schools, companies, creative industries, community partners, and civic leaders.
Program Growth
Supporting thoughtful expansion of programs, student businesses, and youth-led social enterprises.
Career Exposure
Opening doors to mentorship, industry learning, internships, travel, and professional networks.
Interested in supporting YEI?
YEI welcomes board members, advisors, partners, mentors, and supporters who believe young people deserve access to real opportunity.