WASHINGTON, July 14, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Chuck Bean, executive director of the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington, announced the inaugural class of 25 emerging leaders in the Roundtable's new Future Executive Directors Fellowship.

"The nonprofit sector employs 11% of the region's workers at over 4,000 local organizations and as current nonprofit leaders retire, there is a critical need to fill these positions with qualified people," Bean said. "Recent reports say that nationwide, we will need to fill 640,000 nonprofit jobs by 2016 and 75 percent of current executive directors will leave their jobs within the next five years. However, our experience shows that there is actually hope on the horizon -- right here in our region we've discovered a deep pool of people who want these jobs."

The 25 Fellows represent the diversity of the region and come from Prince George's County to Prince William County; Montgomery County to Northern Virginia; and throughout the District of Columbia. Fellows were competitively selected from a pool of 113 applicants and will participate in an intensive nine-month program designed to prepare them for executive directorships. Rosetta Thurman is the Director of the Fellowship who is leading this effort. Said Thurman, "These 25 are already capable leaders working on the nonprofit front lines, and we're helping them get ready for the big leagues.

"Take, for instance, Chris Shorter. Throughout his seven year career, Chris has worked in various government jobs, but last year, he moved his entire family down from New York to work as the Operations Manager at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington. Chris aspires to become CEO of a youth-focused nonprofit, and now, for the first time ever, there is a training initiative in Greater Washington to help prepare nonprofit professionals just like him."

 The 2008-2009 Fellows are:

 * Alicia Wilson, Director of Grants and Contracts Administration
 La Clinica del Pueblo
 * Amanda Andere, Vice President, External Affairs and Community
   Resources
 Reston Interfaith
 * Angela Garcia, Director of School Partnerships
 Center for Inspired Teaching
 * BA Cockburn, Director of Administrative Operations
 Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area
 * Brenda Barron, Director of Field Operations
 National Assembly on School-Based Health Care
 * Charles Phaneuf, Assistant General Manager
 Shakespeare Theatre Company
 * Christopher Shorter, Operations Manager
 Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington
 * Cindy Provenzano, Director of Social Services
 Serve, Inc.
 * Clarissa Mitchell, Director of Quality Assurance
 Ardmore Enterprises, Inc.
 * Donna Ortega, Associate Director
 Capital Area Asset Builders
 * Elizabeth Morgan, Director, Youth Programs
 Jack Kent  Cooke Foundation
 * Frances Reed, Chief Operating Officer
 DC Central Kitchen
 * James McSpadden, Director of Christian Communities Group Homes
 Episcopal Senior Ministries
 * Jennifer Freedman, Director of Development
 CASA de Maryland
 * Jennifer Shewmake, Director of Strategic Initiatives
 Latin American Youth Center
 * Karen Minatelli, Deputy Director
 DC Employment Justice Center
 * Kenny Emson, Senior Vice President, Development and Donor Services
 Community Foundation for the National Capital Region
 * Lisa Ott, Executive Director of Programs
 Phillips Programs for Children & Families
 * Maureen Dwyer, Deputy Director
 Sitar Arts Center
 * Michael Rhein, Director of Program & Resource Development
 National AIDS Fund
 * Nadine Duplessy Kearns, Director of Community Relations
 Washington Latin Public Charter School
 * Nicole Gilbert, Deputy Director
 Healthy Families/Thriving Communities Collaborative Council
 * Shana Payne, Program Director
 College Summit
 * Susan Kincaid, Senior Director of Programs
 Capital Area Food Bank
 * Tamara King, Senior Business Manager
 Fannie Mae

The Fellowship awards are funded by American Express, Consumer Health Foundation, the Freddie Mac Foundation, the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, the Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation, and Capital One.

About the Nonprofit Roundtable: The Nonprofit Roundtable builds the strength, influence, and visibility of the nonprofit sector in Greater Washington in order to create a more just and caring community. For more information, visit www.nonprofitroundtable.org.

The Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington Logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3349

CONTACT: The Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington
         Chuck Bean 
           (202) 263-4761
           Cell: (202) 306-7275
         Rosetta Thurman
           (202) 263-4771 
           Cell: (703) 965-6631