board profiles

exalt Board Members

Dr. Lisette Nieves, Board Chair

President of the Fund for the City of New York

Dr. Lisette Nieves is a visionary leader and a steadfast advocate for public service innovation. As President of the Fund for the City of New York, she has dedicated her career to pushing boundaries and redefining what’s possible in government and nonprofit effectiveness. Through her leadership, countless initiatives have flourished, blending technology, policy, and human impact to uplift communities both locally and beyond.

Driven by a passion for education and opportunity, Dr. Nieves is also a Distinguished Clinical Professor at New York University (NYU), where she co-founded a groundbreaking doctoral program in Leadership and Innovation at NYU Steinhardt. Her commitment to building a better future is evident through her co-founding of the Center for Youth and the Future of Work, where she not only advances leadership training and innovative research but also ensures that the voices of young people are at the forefront of shaping workforce development opportunities.

An accomplished author and thought leader, Dr. Nieves continues to inspire through her writing. Her most recent articles include A Marshall Plan for the Nonprofit Sector, which calls for bold, strategic investments to strengthen the sector’s infrastructure and workforce, and How Apprenticeships Can Give Employers an Edge, which advocates for leveraging apprenticeship programs to build a stronger, more adaptable workforce. She has also authored two influential books: Working for a Future: Equity and Access in Work-Based Learning for Young People (2024) and Working to Learn: Disrupting the Divide between College and Career Pathways for Young People (2020), both of which challenge outdated practices and offer transformative approaches to education and career readiness.

Her academic journey reflects the same dedication and excellence, with a B.A. from Brooklyn College, a B.A./M.A. from the University of Oxford, an M.P.A. from Princeton University, and adoctorate with distinction in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania.

Throughout her career, Dr. Nieves has embraced roles that amplify her commitment to public service, including appointments to the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics and the Board of AmeriCorps. Honors such as Truman Scholar, Rhodes Scholar, Aspen Pahara Fellow, and Richard P. Nathan Public Policy Fellow speak to her lifelong dedication to equity and leadership.

Dr. Lisette Nieves continues to inspire those around her, leading with purpose and passion, and forging a path toward a more inclusive and resilient future.

Sean Gleason, Board Treasurer

Portfolio Manager at Octagon Credit Investors

Sean Gleason is a member of Octagon's Investment Committee and serves as a Portfolio Manager across the Broadly Syndicated Loan Platform. Mr. Gleason also serves on the Executive Committee and is the Co-Chair of the Firm’s ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance) Committee. Mr. Gleason joined Octagon in 2010. Prior to becoming a Portfolio Manager, he was an Investment Team Principal whose coverage areas included the healthcare, retail, gaming, lodging, consumer products, building products, and leisure industries. He holds a B.S. from Babson College, where he graduated Cum Laude.

Lance A. Clarke, Esq, Board Secretary

Managing Partner

Lance Clarke is a nationally recognized trial attorney with extensive experience in white-collar crime, criminal defense, RICO cases, fraud, money laundering, and complex civil litigation. As a former public defender in New York City, he has successfully litigated hundreds of hearings and trials, earning a reputation for his strategic insight, adaptability under pressure, and ability to deliver results in high-stakes cases.

Mr. Clarke is a trusted legal advocate and advisor to individuals, corporations, and executives facing criminal and civil charges, government investigations, contract disputes, and corporate crises. He provides strategic counsel to clients navigating federal subpoenas and C-suite executives managing corporate challenges, executive compensation matters, and high-profile litigation.

Throughout his career, Mr. Clarke has successfully represented financial executives, public officials, Fortune 100 companies, entertainers, and victims of civil rights violations. His work has led to multimillion-dollar settlements, declinations of prosecutions, and landmark defense victories. Recognized by Super Lawyers as a Top-Rated White-Collar Crime Attorney and named among New York’s Top 100 Trial Attorneys by The National Trial Lawyers, he is widely respected in the legal field. His strategic insight, innovative problem-solving, and client-focused approach make him a sought-after legal mind in the industry.

Beyond the courtroom, Mr. Clarke is a driving force in the legal profession. He has handled international extradition cases for political figures, advised executives and politicians on crisis management, served on judicial screening committees selecting future judges, mentored young attorneys in federal practice, served on the transition team for New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and is an adjunct law professor training the next generation of trial attorneys.

He has held leadership roles on the Board of Directors for the New York State Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and serves as a Board Member and Adviser to the CEO of exalt, an organization dedicated to empowering New York City’s youth. His commitment to community impact has earned him recognition from the Boy Scouts of America and other leading organizations and has led to invitations to speak at universities both domestically and internationally, including the University of Oxford.

A sought-after legal analyst, Mr. Clarke provides expert insights on trial strategy, government investigations, and legal trends. His expertise has been featured in Fortune, Forbes, and major news networks, including BBC World News, Fox News, ABC World News, CBS News, NBC News, Court TV, and the Law & Crime Network.

Ana M. Bermúdez, Esq, Board MEmber

Former Commissioner for the NYC Dept. of Probation

Ana M. Bermúdez was the first openly gay person, first Latina, and second woman to be appointed Commissioner of the NYC Department of Probation (DOP). A graduate of Brown University and Yale Law School, she began her professional career representing children in family court cases at the Legal Aid Society. For over twenty years, she has been a tireless advocate for children and teenagers involved in the justice system through the development and implementation of strengths-based interventions, the application of restorative and youth development practices, and the design of programs that ensure successful reintegration for adjudicated juveniles. During her tenure as DOP’s Deputy Commissioner of Juvenile Operations from 2010 through 2014, she successfully led city-wide initiatives that focused on improving outcomes for court-involved youth through interdisciplinary collaborations. With her appointment to Commissioner in March 2014, she continued to lead the Department in its mission to enhance public safety through appropriate, individualized, and community-based interventions in the lives of people on probation to enable them to permanently exit the justice system.  

Prior to joining the DOP in 2010, she was the Director of Juvenile Justice Programs at the Children’s Aid Society. She has also worked at CASES (The Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services) holding progressively responsible positions: Director of Training and Technical Assistance; Co-Director of Community Prep High School, a transitional school for court-involved students; and Deputy Director for Court Services and Case Management at CASES’ Court Employment Project, an alternative to incarceration program for adolescents with felony convictions. 

Ms. Bermúdez is now a consultant in the areas of leadership and management, restorative justice and restorative practices, juvenile justice and system reform, among others.

Danzey Burnham, Esq., Board Member

Business Development Executive

Danzey Burnham was previously the Chief of Global Business Development for Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, one of the world’s leading law firms.  In this role, Ms. Burnham headed the firm’s worldwide business development, marketing, and communication functions, building and leading a team of administrative professionals who supported over 1,000 lawyers across 11 global offices. She was also a practicing lawyer at Simpson Thacher earlier in her career, in both the firm’s New York and London offices. 

Formerly the Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, Ms. Burnham was responsible for managing the overall operations of the state-wide non-profit organization and its education fund. She received her J.D. from Yale Law School and her B.S., magna cum laude, from Birmingham-Southern College, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. 

Currently, Ms. Burnham advises clients as a strategic business development consultant and is active in non-profit and civic organizations.

Maggie Burrows, Board Member

Theater and Film Director

Maggie Burrows is a theater and film director living in New York City, focusing on new works and classics. She has developed and directed work for some of the top theater companies in the country, including The Atlantic, New York Theatre Workshop, WP, Playwrights Horizons, The Geffen, and Williamstown Theater Festival. She is a member of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab, the inaugural 2018-2019 BOLD Resident Director at Northern Stage, and the recipient of the 2018 Boris Sagal Directing Fellowship at Williamstown Theater Festival. Ms. Burrows’ film work includes her short film, Condolences, and a GOTV video for Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote organization. She holds a B.A. in English from Yale University. She has served on the Board of exalt since 2019.

Ed Carson, Board Member

Board Member at Carson Family Charitable Trust

Ed Carson was born and raised in New York City. He serves on the board of the Carson Family Charitable Trust, which makes grants to a wide variety of charitable organizations. Mr. Carson received an M.A. from Kenyon College and an MSW from the NYU School of Social Work. He has experience in education, juvenile justice, and drug and alcohol recovery services. Mr. Carson joined the exalt board in January 2015.

Ruth Frommer, Board Member

Director of Finance, Clal, The National Jewish Center for Leadership and Learning

Ruth Lynn Seelenfreund Frommer was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, by young parents who hailed from Philadelphia and Brooklyn. After graduating with an accounting specialization from Wharton/UPenn, Ms. Frommer embarked on a career in Corporate Accounting. Having filled roles from Staff Accountant up to CFO, she is knowledgeable about the finance requirements of businesses large and small, for-profit and not-for-profit. Her experience in private education, at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, and her service on several boards have prepared her for the position of Director of Finance at Clal. In addition to keeping meticulous accounting records, Ms. Frommer’s passions are family, swimming, cooking, live jazz, good friends, and supporting organizations that strive to correct our world’s injustices.

Lamson Lam, Board Member

Senior Executive Director, Office of Interschool Collaborative Learning at New York City Department of Education

Lamson Lam grew up in Hawaii, where he attended Punahou School (President Obama’s alma mater). He received his B.A in Sociology at UC San Diego, where he also played on the men’s volleyball team. After graduating from UCSD, Mr. Lam began his career as a mental health worker in a halfway house for youth in the juvenile justice system. After working there for two years, he realized that he wanted to reach kids before they ended up in the justice system, so he chose to become a teacher. After graduating from NYU with an M.A. in Education, Mr. Lam taught 4th grade in East Harlem. He then worked for the Annenberg Institute for School Reform and the NYCDOE Office for Family Engagement & Advocacy before becoming a principal at a K-8 School in Brownsville, Brooklyn. For the last two years, Mr. Lam has been working with the Office of Interschool Collaborative Learning (OICL), where he is the Senior Executive Director. In this capacity, he is responsible for the Department of Education’s three initiatives for interschool collaboration: Learning Partners, the Middle School Quality Initiative, and Showcase Schools. These programs currently operate in over 270 public schools throughout New York City. Mr. Lam is passionate about issues of equity and social justice in education and society. He is excited to join the board of exalt as he believes his career has come full circle, and he is ready to better serve a vulnerable population he cares deeply about. When he isn’t at work or chasing after his two young sons, he enjoys playing sports and traveling.

Yumari L. Martínez, Board Member

Founding Executive Director, Catalyze Justice 

Yumari Martinez is the Founding Executive Director of Catalyze Justice. He previously co-directed the Columbia Justice Lab’s Youth Justice Initiatives team and has consulted with the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Earlier, Mr. Martinez was the Associate Commissioner for the New York City Administration for Children’s Services - Division for Youth and Family Justice, where he helped implement Close to Home, an initiative that gave the City oversight of youth placed in custody. Mr. Martinez also served as the Associate Director of the Vera Institute of Justice’s Center on Youth Justice, a Senior Project Director at the Center for Community Problem Solving at NYU School of Law, and represented youth as an attorney at the Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Division. 

Stasha Santifort, Board Member

Managing Director at Deloitte Global

Stasha Santifort is a managing director at Deloitte Global, leading purpose and sustainability. In this role, Ms. Santifort designs strategies and programs for how Deloitte and its 460,000 professionals can make an impact in society. This includes Deloitte’s WorldClass initiative to support 100 million people through education opportunities, and Deloitte’s net-zero target and WorldClimate initiatives. She has also led initiatives to take action on humanitarian and disaster relief, human rights, and developing the next generation of purpose-driven leaders. Ms. Santifort is highly skilled at social and environmental issue analysis and program design, and in designing partnerships across business, nonprofit, and international organizations. She lives in New York City and grew up in Lowell, MA, where her lifelong commitment to volunteering and civic engagement began. Ms. Santifort earned her B.A. in policy studies and Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

Nathaniel Mary Quinn, Honorary Board Member

Fine Artist 

Nathaniel Quinn’s work was first introduced to the public in a group exhibition at Artists Space in 2002 and through The Bronx Museum of the Arts in 2004. Mr. Quinn is the recipient of the Lorraine Hansberry Artistic, Performance, and Fine Arts Award and a two-time winner of the National Arts Club Prize. His work has been exhibited in a number of solo and group exhibitions. One-person exhibitions include Hybrids: The Windows Exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) in Brooklyn, The Magic Stick at Rush Arts Gallery in New York, and, most recently, Species at Bunker 259 in Brooklyn. Group exhibitions include The Mythic Female and Macro-Micro at Satori Gallery in New York; American Beauty at Susan Inglett Gallery in New York; and Corpus Americus at Driscoll Babcock Gallery in New York. Mr. Quinn currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.