NLC Rural Caucus

At New Leaders Council, we know that leadership often runs deep through families, and this Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating a story that brings that truth to life. Karen Pandy Cherry, Acting President and CEO of NLC and a 2016 NLC Broward alum, joined her daughters Kytana Phillips (2022 NLC Broward alum) and Kyrsten Phillips (2025 NLC Tulsa Fellow) in service this month at a community event hosted by the Clifford Heart Foundation, an organization Kytana founded to honor her grandfather, Frank Clifford. The event brought together generations of leadership, love, and purpose in action. We asked Karen, Kytana, and Kyrsten to reflect on what it meant to serve together, carry on a family legacy, and lead with heart.

Jamarr Brown’s (NLC Atlanta 2011) leadership journey is a testament to the transformative power of advocacy and community mobilization. From his early beginnings as a 15-year-old confronting the challenges of healthcare inequity, to becoming the first African American Executive Director of the Texas State Democratic Party, Jamarr has continuously championed justice and equity. Now, as the Executive Director of Color Of Change’s Political Action Committee (PAC), he leads the charge in holding elected officials accountable and advancing systemic change.

Black leadership is about legacy, resilience, and the ability to create lasting change. Few embody this as powerfully as Kamilia K. Landrum, the youngest and only the second woman to serve as Executive Director of the Detroit Branch NAACP, the largest NAACP branch in the nation. With deep roots in Detroit’s civil rights community, Kamilia has been a champion for civic engagement, voter rights, and social justice, ensuring that the NAACP remains a force for progress.

When leadership sparks more than just civic change, it can create lifelong partnerships. Clare Oumou Verbeten and Garrison McMurtrey’s story is a testament to how shared values, community commitment, and a little bit of fate can weave love into the fabric of leadership. As members of the 2017 NLC Twin Cities cohort, their connection blossomed from shared aspirations to serve into a partnership rooted in purpose. In A Match Made in Movement – NLC Love and Leadership, they reflect on how NLC not only shaped their leadership journeys but also led them to each other.

NLC Facilitators aren’t just delivering a weekend of programming; they are leaving a lasting impact, creating space for Fellows to thrive, and ensuring that the cycle of learning, support, and leadership continues for years to come. After graduating from the NLC Institute, Fellows are equipped to choose their own paths to drive progress in their communities—and for some, that journey leads to running for office.

This month, New Leaders Council alumni from across the country were sworn into office, whether beginning their first terms or continuing their service through re-election. After graduating from the NLC Institute, Fellows are equipped to choose their own paths to drive progress in their communities—and for some, that journey leads to running for office.

“New Leaders Council prioritizes the power of building networks to accomplish big goals. This is core to our [vote early day’s] work to bring thousands of partners together in every state around a tentpole moment for our democracy.”

“In uncertain times, the NLC experience empowers leaders to move beyond reacting to challenges and instead step forward to shape the future with clarity and conviction,” said Karen Pandy-Cherry

At New Leaders Council, we are committed to creating spaces that don’t require constant resilience but foster mutual care, support, and connection. In a world that too often asks us to keep going no matter the cost, we choose to stop, breathe, and recognize our humanity.

My journey with New Leaders Council began in 2017 when I attended the inaugural fundraiser of our founding board. Inspired by the organization’s mission, I applied and was accepted into the first Columbus cohort in 2018. This experience was transformative, clarifying my values and goals while connecting me with exceptional fellow leaders who became close friends and allies in our shared vision for our community.