As Director of Development and External Relations, Rico oversees the organization’s fundraising and communications efforts. Mr. Rico has more than ten years of experience working in the civil rights, education, healthcare, and social justice sectors where he has brought together caring philanthropists looking to make a difference in the lives of others in their community. He is committed to working with donors to help them meet their philanthropic goals, while supporting our efforts to end youth homelessness. Rico lives in DC’s Hill East, and is a proud Hoya with a BS and MA from Georgetown University.

Shaunda Patterson-Strachan, Partner at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, has over 20 years of experience addressing complex legal issues for life insurance and financial services companies. She specializes in life insurance, annuities, and financial products and has been recognized by Best Lawyers® in Litigation – Insurance (2021–2024). A leader in national professional associations, she has chaired the ABA’s Life Insurance Law Committee and is active in the Association of Life Insurance Counsel. Introduced to Sasha Bruce Youthwork by a former Board member, Shaunda joined the Board in 2012 and supports its mission to empower youth under Debby Shore’s leadership. She champions civic engagement and diversity in law, participating in the 2002 Young Leaders Program at Oxford University, serving on the 2012 DNC Credentials Committee, and advancing equity through the ABA’s Judicial Division. In 2015, she was named a Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow and featured in Law360’s Minority Powerbrokers Q&A Series.

Nathan Oleson is a highly regarded expert in complex employment litigation and counseling, with a particular focus on advising employers on wage and hour and discrimination matters. He represents professional sports associations in high-profile disputes with athletes and officials. He defends employers in cases involving wage and hour claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state laws and discrimination claims under Title VII, ADEA, ADA, and FMLA. Nathan’s expertise extends to handling labor issues under the NLRA and workplace safety investigations by OSHA. He has been involved in several precedent-setting cases, particularly in wage and hour and sports law, earning recognition as a Washington, DC “SuperLawyer” and a leader in employment law by The Legal 500. 2012, Law360 named him one of the top five “employment lawyers under 40 to watch.” Nathan has also served on the editorial board of the ABA’s Section of Labor and Employment Law’s treatise on the FLSA, published by Bloomberg/BNA, for nearly 20 years.

With more than 20 years of proven investment experience, Alan manages relationships and portfolios for high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients. He is responsible for developing and overseeing the firm’s investment strategy and process at the firm and is a member of the Global Thematic Investment Team.

Prior to joining Chevy Chase Trust, Alan was President and Chairman of Asset Management, Inc., an independent investment management company with over $1 billion in assets under management. He managed the company through a successful sale and integration with Chevy Chase Trust. Before that, he managed the Equity Investment Strategy and Research Initiatives at Asset Management, Inc.

Alan was previously with FBR & Company’s Equity Research and Investment Banking Group, where he was Vice President and Senior Equity Research Analyst. He began his career working as the Chief Equity Market Strategist at Legg Mason and later joined the firm’s Equity Research and Investment Banking Group.

Alan graduated from Denison University with a degree in Economics. He is the Chair of Maret School’s Alumni Fund and served two terms on the Board of Directors at Green Acres School.

Natasha is the Vice President of Social & Environmental Impact at Twilio, where she leads teams focused on crisis response, environmental sustainability, employee impact, grants, and impact investing. She collaborates with the Legal team on ethical product use. Previously, Natasha served as an executive leader at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she shaped multi-million dollar impact projects that improved the well-being of individuals and communities worldwide, from education initiatives in Chicago to health programs for young mothers in Nigeria. With extensive experience driving social and environmental change alongside multinational corporations, universities, and humanitarian organizations, Natasha began her career in private legal practice at Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, where she advised nonprofits, including the largest corporate foundation dedicated to women’s causes. Her expertise in social impact and tax law has made her a sought-after speaker and leader, and she has served on various nonprofit and governmental boards, including the IRS Advisory on Tax-Exempt and Government Entities. Natasha holds a BA in Economics, an MA in Sociology from Stanford University, and a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. She became involved with Sasha Bruce Youthwork after hearing a transformative story from a youth whose life changed due to the organization’s support, and she is also passionate about coaching girls’ sports to foster confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills.

Debby Shore founded Sasha Bruce Youthwork over 40 years ago with a deep passion for empowering at-risk and homeless youth in Washington, D.C. What began as a small, grassroots effort has grown into a comprehensive support network, thanks to Debby’s leadership and unwavering commitment. She has always focused on building the strengths and resilience of young people, helping them overcome challenges to lead independent, fulfilling lives.

Known for her warmth and dedication, Debby has been a tireless advocate for youth rights, influencing policies to address youth homelessness on both local and national levels. Throughout her career, Debby has received numerous accolades for her groundbreaking work and leadership in the nonprofit sector. Some of her most notable recognitions include:

• The prestigious Champions of Change Award from the White House in 2012, honoring her ongoing work in preventing youth homelessness
• Induction into the Washington DC Hall of Fame in 2014, recognizing her historic contributions to civic and community development in the nation’s capital
• Named a Washingtonian of the Year by Washingtonian Magazine in 2016, highlighting her as one of the region’s most impactful leaders
• Multiple awards from local and national organizations for her advocacy and innovative program development

Through her unwavering dedication, visionary leadership, and tireless advocacy, Debby Shore continues to shape the landscape of youth services, changing lives and building a brighter future for countless young people in Washington, D.C. and beyond.

Debora Both is an experienced advocate in the nonprofit sector, having worked with organizations such as the Rand Corporation, The National Academy of Sciences, the Office of the First Lady at the White House, the Aspen Institute, and the Democracy Alliance, focusing on initiatives that aim to improve the lives of children and their families. She served as president of DC Action for Children in the early 90s. Debora’s commitment to public policy has centered on issues like poverty, child poverty, housing, homelessness, and youth voting, making Sasha Bruce Youthwork a natural fit for her passion and expertise. After meeting Debby Shore and witnessing the impactful work of Sasha Bruce, she was inspired by the organization’s vision and leadership. Beyond her work with Sasha Bruce, Debora is passionate about progressive politics, youth voting, and the welfare of her family and grandchildren.

Charlie Bruce is a dedicated public service advocate and recipient of the Frederic S. Bocock Public Service Fellowship (2022) at UVA’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, where they interned at the US Department of Justice in the Office of Policy and Legislation. They developed programming code during their internship to visualize daily violent crime data in real time. Inspired by their aunt, for whom Sasha Bruce Youthwork is named, Charlie is motivated to carry on her legacy of service to youth experiencing homelessness in the DMV. They previously volunteered as a barista at the Housingworks Bookstore Café in NYC, where proceeds supported services for unhoused neighbors. Additionally, Charlie serves as a Young Alum Trustee on the Board of Trustees at Bryn Mawr College, passionately advocating for higher education access and affordability.

Nancy Chockley, CEO and founder of NIHCM LLC and NIHCM Foundation, has dedicated her career to improving health care for vulnerable populations. Inspired by her childhood experiences in Calcutta, Nancy earned an MBA with distinction from the University of Virginia and became an expert strategist. She established NIHCM as a leading organization in healthcare policy, research, and journalism,gaining national recognition for pioneering work on critical issues like pharmaceutical pricing and the opioid crisis. Through NIHCM, she has significantly influenced healthcare policy and practice while also contributing to charitable causes addressing food insecurity and homelessness.

John’s work in business development, finance, strategy, and information systems has spanned across Europe, North America, and the Middle East. He has led product launches in healthcare, sports marketing, specialty materials, telecommunications, executive search, scholastic testing, direct marketing and other industries. He also advises clients on strategic acquisitions. 

In addition to his consulting activities, John serves on the board of Mobile Doctors 24-7 International, an organization committed to bringing quality, affordable health care solutions to developing markets.

Prior to 452, John co-founded Vorbeck Materials where, as vice president of strategy and business development, he negotiated multi-year research agreements with multinational firms and government institutions. Previously, John served as head of the service innovation team at the newly merged Sprint-Nextel. His entrepreneurial roots date back to his days managing information systems at a privately held direct marketing company and, prior to that, co-founding an executive search firm in the Slovak Republic.

John received his bachelor’s degree in French literature and international relations from Georgetown University, with honors, and a master’s of business administration from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He speaks French and Slovak, in addition to English. 

John joined the Byte Back Board in 2014. As a Board member, John feels privileged to have the opportunity to support Byte Back and help open the doors of opportunity for so many.

Carl Davis, Jr. is the Chief Development Officer at United States of Care and a twenty-year veteran in the nonprofit sector, known for his expertise in fundraising, organizational growth, and operational effectiveness. A frequent speaker and writer on these topics, Carl’s journey with Sasha Bruce Youthwork began during a dinner conversation with a friend on its board, igniting his desire to connect with his community after the pandemic. He is inspired by Sasha Bruce’s mission to ensure that stable, adequate housing is not a barrier for young people pursuing their dreams, and he appreciates the joy that permeates the organization’s work despite daily challenges. Passionate about investing in young people, Carl has served on the board of Public Allies D.C., focusing on developing the next generation of community leaders, and on the Ball State University Miller College of Business Advisory Board, where he mentors students navigating their paths to adulthood.

Toni Irving, Ph.D., is the Frank M. Sands Sr. Professor of Practice at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, where she focuses on leadership, social impact, and corporate responsibility. With a Ph.D. from New York University and extensive experience in finance, healthcare, government, and non-profit management, Dr. Irving has made significant contributions, including leading the Get IN Chicago social impact fund and advising Illinois Governor Pat Quinn on human services and public safety. She has been recognized for her work in juvenile justice reform and serves on several prestigious boards.

Josh Raymond is co-chair of Venable, advising some of the nation’s largest companies on advocacy, lobbying, and compliance strategies in response to evolving public policy and regulatory developments. With a background that includes serving as executive counsel of government affairs for General Electric (GE) and chief of staff to Senator Christopher S. Murphy, Josh has played pivotal roles in major legislative and regulatory initiatives, including GE Capital’s designation as a Systemically Important Financial Institution (SIFI). His career began as a policy and budget analyst at the White House Office of Management and Budget.