Our Team

Melanie Allen, Co-director

Melanie (she/her) is a leader in climate justice philanthropy with deep experience facilitating community-based solutions that put those most affected by policy at the center of decision-making and development processes. With 15 years in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, she has expertise in community development issues across many sectors, including conservation, affordable housing, and workforce development. Prior to co-founding the Hive Fund in 2019, Melanie launched the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation’s Energy Equity portfolio and managed the organization’s relationships and grantmaking in South Carolina. She is co-chair of Grantmakers for Southern Progress and currently serves on the board of the Environmental Grantmakers Association. Melanie is a native of Greensboro, North Carolina and now lives in Durham.

Erin Rogers, co-director

Erin (she/her) is a powerful voice for equity-based approaches to addressing the climate crisis, with decades of experience in both philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. Her feminist approach to leadership and strategic approach to justice have helped the Hive Fund become an inclusive and transformative bridge between money and movements. Prior to co-founding the fund in 2019, Erin led the Hewlett Foundation’s US climate change grantmaking portfolio and helped shift it toward greater emphasis on equity and building broad political will for deep and rapid transition away from fossil fuels. Erin is originally from Texas, where she spent more than a decade as an advocate and activist working for environmental and social justice — including a short but fascinating stint as staff inside the Texas legislature — and currently resides in San Francisco.

Jill Cartwright, Atlantic Coast Program Officer

 Jill (they/she) is an Aries sun, a passionate communicator and an empathic leader creatively combining both frontline and philanthropic experience to bridge the gap between money and impact. Prior to serving at the Hive Fund, Jill blazed a trail toward economic and racial justice with organizations like Southerners On New Ground (SONG) and SONG Power, where they were instrumental in flipping the state of Georgia during the 2020 election season and developed the organization’s first Climate Justice & Energy Equity campaign. Over the last decade, they have garnered recognition for their ability to work with diverse stakeholders to craft equitable policies that support the implementation of community-led models of resilience. As the inaugural Atlantic Coast Program Officer for the Hive Fund, Jill collaborates with frontline leaders to build power in Black and Brown communities in the US Southeast and across the globe, create pathways to healing, and facilitate a victorious movement toward a just transition. 

Leticia Rojas, Gulf South Program Officer

Leticia (she/her) is a movement strategist co-conspiring with Black, Brown, Indigenous, and AAPI communities to fight oppressive forces and build power towards a just transition. Prior to joining the Hive Fund, she spent several years moving hearts and minds and securing policy wins through communications strategy, leaning into the digital space to amplify the work of progressive organizations, leaders, and political candidates in her home state of Texas. Before that, Leticia spent several years working on energy policy at the Mexican Ministry of Energy in Mexico City. As the Hive Fund’s Gulf South Program Officer, Leticia makes grants to frontline groups building power to stop the expansion of polluting energy sources in Texas and Louisiana. Leticia holds a master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College. She currently calls Houston, Texas home. 

Jada Sherman, program officer, climate and economic Justice, Altantic Coast

Jada (she/her) is a passionate racial and social justice advocate who drives positive change through equitable access to cleaner and renewable energy sources. As a clean energy innovation fellow with the Department of Energy and through her previous role as an energy equity and inclusion associate with Solar United Neighbors, she has experience in grassroots organizing with diverse stakeholders, solar deployment within frontline communities, mobilization of community members, and advocacy for inclusive energy policies that prioritize the needs of underrepresented populations. In her role at the Hive Fund, Jada will support the development of sustainable energy solutions that promote systemic economic growth, workforce development, and green infrastructure in frontline communities throughout the Atlantic Coast. Jada attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University where she received her B.S. in Environmental Studies and a minor in Political Science. Jada is a native of Cleveland, Ohio.

vanessa toro barragán, senior program officer, climate and economic development, gulf south

Vanessa (she/they, ella/elle) is a strategist and shaper of change with proven experience facilitating coalitions through obstacles to reach meaningful outcomes. With a deep background in labor and community organizing and expertise as an urban planner, Vanessa develops transformative programs, policies, and plans crafted by community priorities. Most recently, they facilitated the work of the Harris County Community Flood Resilience Task Force, a community advisory group, which won an equitable funding framework for the county to prioritize the allocation of $840M towards infrastructure projects that tackle historical disinvestment. At the Hive Fund, Vanessa implements the organization’s IRA place-based grantmaking approach, which supports ecosystems of climate justice organizations in tapping into the historic influx of federal funds made available by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Justice40 initiative. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Vanessa was raised and resides in Houston.

Nandini Chaturvedula, Strategic Partnerships Director

Nandini (she/her) is a strategic philanthropic leader with deep experience supporting foundations with program development, evaluation, and learning on climate and related issues. Prior to joining the Hive Fund, she was a consultant at Ross Strategic where she supported funders around a range of issues, including climate change, energy, water, and public health. Nandini is a historian by training, with a Ph.D. in History from Columbia University, and spent a decade conducting research and analysis on colonialism and empires that deeply shaped her understanding of the world. At the Hive Fund, Nandini works to build relationships with funders, partners, and other external stakeholders to amplify both the impactful work of Hive Fund grantees and the need for greater philanthropic resources directed to the US South. Nandini is originally from Wichita Falls, Texas, has lived in India and Portugal, and currently calls Austin home.

Simone Evans, Executive Assistant

Simone (she/her) is an executive assistant, alignment strategist, and accomplice to women and BIPOC leaders in the social justice, philanthropy, and DEI sectors. She is based in Greensboro, North Carolina, and brings over a decade of administrative expertise to her role as executive assistant to the co-directors of the Hive Fund. Before joining the Hive Fund, Simone was an independent contractor strengthening her skillsets at various organizations, including The Hip Hop Caucus and Neighborhood Funders Group. Her ultimate goal is to support freedom fighters with administrative tasks, organizational planning, and achieving strategic life-work harmony by finding the balance between advancing the movement and radical self-love and care.  When she is not supporting Hive Fund’s co-directors, staff and community, Simone is teaching her 6-year-old how to boldly advocate for herself and others.

Julian Foley, Strategic Communications Director

Julian (she/her) is a strategic communications leader helping organizations move hearts, minds, and money in service of economic and environmental justice. For two decades, she has provided strategic consulting, writing, and editing for a range of environmental and educational nonprofits, including eight years leading communications for national renewable energy nonprofit GRID Alternatives. In her role at the Hive Fund, she elevates the voices, stories, and impact of grantee partners across the South to illustrate their collective power in advancing the climate solutions we urgently need. She spent her formative years between Bryan, Texas and the D.C. metro area, and earned her dual master’s degrees in journalism and Latin American Studies at UC Berkeley. She still lives in Berkeley, and along with her husband is raising two delightful teens.

Tiffany Wu, Operations manager

Tiffany (she/her) is an innovative problem-solver with a passion for sustainable, people-centered systems-building, following a philosophy of continuous improvement. She brings rich knowledge and perspective to the Hive Fund from years of providing operational excellence to organizations in both private and nonprofit sectors, in both staff and consulting roles. Tiffany came to the Hive Fund from philanthropic consulting firm Arabella Advisors, where she managed operations for a portfolio of clients working on issues including climate change, economic justice, government, and in that capacity supported Hive Fund’s launch and first year in operation. Since joining Hive Fund as a staff member, she leads the development of Hive Fund’s internal systems in financial management, organizational planning, and people operations, as well as their day-to-day operation.