What was your first job, and what did it teach you about yourself?

My first job was at Checkers when I was 15, and I became a manager by 16. That experience taught me so much about leadership and working with people. It showed me that I’m a people person at heart and I genuinely love helping those around me grow and succeed.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Kieta's greatest hope for humanity centers on economic liberation and genuine community self-determination. She dreams of a world where Black and Brown communities have full control over their own resources, the power to define what success means for them, and the ability to build sustainable, thriving futures on their own terms. She creates systems and infrastructure that promote sovereignty—giving communities the tools they need to stand strong and independent. 

Kieta holds a Master’s in Nonprofit Management and Leadership with a Women’s Studies concentration from Towson University and an Advanced Certificate from Georgetown University, bringing both academic rigor and real-world experience managing over $300 million in compliant federal, state, and private funding. Her capacity-building approach has strengthened more than 100 Baltimore-based grassroots organizations, helping them build the financial infrastructure necessary for independence.

What motivates Kieta is her deep, unshakeable belief that economic resilience equals protection, and that financial power is real freedom. She understands that sustainable change demands sophisticated financial management and strategic planning frameworks that free nonprofit leaders to focus on mission rather than administrative complexity.

She finds meaning in every action—redirecting dollars into communities, strengthening organizations, and mentoring young women—each step helping build communities that shape their own futures and lasting well-being.