Ayah is excited to be joining the Ella Baker Center as Managing Director. Most recently, she served as Programs Director at Our Family Coalition. There, she led a broad portfolio of legal programming, family and youth services, education, advocacy, and community partnerships that advanced protections and visibility for LGBTQ+ families. In this role, she shaped strategy, secured and managed funding, and scaled programs to ensure both compliance and impact across multiple initiatives. She brings over 20 years of experience in systems design, community development, fundraising, and program building across public and private sectors, always with a focus on sustainability and long-term impact. Her career has also spanned food justice, holistic health, and policy advocacy. Including work as a chef and food business owner committed to creating healthier, more accessible food for communities.
She holds a B.A. in African American Studies with a concentration in Public Policy from the University of Maryland, and an MBA in Strategy and Innovation from California State University, East Bay. Outside of work, she’s a mom to two preschoolers, serves on the board of Afroplay Oakland, and is Development Chair on the Board of Pear Tree Community School. At her core, she’s deeply committed to ensuring that communities that are often overlooked have the resources, visibility, and power to thrive.