Board of Directors & Advisory Council

Michelle Flowers-Taylor, Ed.D., is an award-winning impact media maker whose mission is to leverage the powerful intersection of media and social justice to help achieve equity and economic empowerment for people from underserved populations. Dr. Flowers-Taylor has also fought long and hard for the empowerment of women and girls of color. She completed her doctoral research on the strategies that academically high achieving African American female college students developed to be successful. She parlayed her dissertation research at Loyola Marymount University into practical application by raising $1.1 million to launch the Institute of Engineering Community and Cultural Competence (IEC3) at the University of Southern California’s (USC) Viterbi School of Engineering.

Erin is the founder and principal of Erin Kahn Consulting, a philanthropic advising practice focused on helping donors, families and grantmaking organizations to advance their giving with impact.  Prior to launching her own consulting practice, she spent 12 years as the Executive Director of the Raikes Foundation, a Seattle-based private foundation, and 8 years at Social Venture Partners Seattle.  In addition to her board role at SADSF, Erin also serves on the board of Philanthropy Northwest.  She holds her master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Washington and bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UC San Diego.

Renata Cummings is a Seattle-born, south end raised, Pacific Northwesterner. She currently serves as the Interim Director of Advising, Transfer and Career Services at Highline College. Her past work includes roles in Advancement, Advising, Diversity-Equity-Inclusion, and TRIO-SSS. A product of community colleges, she transferred to UW’s Foster School of Business to earn her first degree. Renata went on to complete a Master of Arts in Public Administration at The Evergreen State College. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Education and Leadership. When Renata is not fulfilling her passion to create equitable education access, she can be found traveling the world with family and friends or spending time with her “fur baby,” a 4 year old Schnauzer mix.

Cathryne Jordan is Assistant Director, Gender Equity and Student Groups at the University of Washington’s College of Engineering.

Mhkeeba has an extensive legal background in intellectual property, marketing and advertising law, privacy, and data protection law. She is currently a Senior Contract Manager for a software company specializing in technology commercial transactions. She has volunteered for different organizations serving youth in the Pacific Northwest, including the Judge Charles V. Johnson Youth & Law Forum, Rainier Scholars, INROADS and also served as a board member for the Technology Access Foundation. Mhkeeba is a Seattle native and attended Garfield High School before earning her B.S. in Marketing from Georgetown University and her J.D. and M.B.A. from Temple University.

Sonya Sanders is a 33 year State of Washington employee. She has worked with juveniles and adults in the criminal justice system, mental and behavioral health clients and disabled and elderly clients in long term care. She is an active member of First AME Church of Seattle and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. Sonya holds a Bachelor degree in Psychology, and a Master’s degree in Sociology from Prairie View A & M University. She is currently working on a doctorate degree in Strategic leadership from Liberty University. Sonya is married and has one son.

Wendy Barajas Cadenas originates from Tacoma, WA. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Education, Communities, and Organizations from the University of Washington (Seattle) in 2020 and received her master’s degree in Higher Education from Central Washington University in 2022. She currently works as an Academic Advisor at the University of Washington (Tacoma campus). With the knowledge and skills gained from the Stanley Ann Dunham Scholarship Fund board of directors, she aims to establish a scholarship fund for graduating high school students who are the first in their family.