Co-founded by Connie and Steve Ballmer, Ballmer Group funds organizations and leaders to reshape opportunity and expand economic mobility across the United States.

Nicole DeCario is Chief of Staff at Ballmer Group where she works cross-functionally with and on behalf of the CEO on a broad range of initiatives and projects. Nicole has two decades of experience building and leading philanthropic and non-profit organizations with a focus on empowering individuals and communities to thrive.

Heather Smith is the Executive Assistant to Ballmer Group’s CEO of Philanthropy. Heather’s 20-year career as an administrative professional spans a multitude of industries including sales, private practice administration, and construction. Her passion for mission-driven work led her to a career in philanthropy. Heather’s previous employers include Gates Ventures’ Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative and The Gates Foundation.

Gabriella Barbosa is a senior portfolio manager for the Los Angeles team, where she leads LA’s work in K-12 education. Gabriella brings a strong set of professional experiences, including as a teacher, lawyer, policymaker, and advocate, all aimed at centering and improving the outcomes of children from historically marginalized communities in Los Angeles. Most recently, she served as managing director of The Children’s Partnership. Earlier in her career, she was a public interest attorney at Public Counsel, where she worked on behalf of English Learner students; and a teacher at LAUSD, where she taught high school and adult school in Southeast Los Angeles and South Los Angeles.

Shamira Brown is an Executive Assistant to the Ballmer Group’s Los Angeles team. Shamira holds 17 years of experience supporting senior executives in a variety of industries, including education, marketing, events, and financial services.

Kim Pattillo Brownson is Ballmer Group’s Director of Strategy, Policy, and Partnerships in Los Angeles, where she focuses on strengthening the early childhood system both regionally and throughout California to improve economic mobility for children and families. Kim brings a unique blend of expertise across grantmaking, strategic partnerships, and policy and advocacy, all for communities most impacted by economic and racial injustice. Previously, Kim held leadership roles at First 5 LA and the Advancement Project, and worked as an education attorney at the ACLU.

Joanna Colunga is a Portfolio Manager with Ballmer Group’s Los Angeles team, where she manages a portfolio of local and regional investments, as well as oversees the administration of the regional grantmaking process. Previously, Joanna spent two decades in the field of child and family services in the greater Los Angeles area, providing direct services and guiding organizational administration.

Joseph Devall is the Director of Los Angeles & National Criminal Justice, developing and managing investments focused on community impact, justice and safety, and workforce development. Joseph previously served as a program officer for the California Community Foundation, and as a grassroots community organizer at Community Coalition in South Los Angeles, where he directed resources public policy campaigns and activated local communities for social and political change on a range of issues.

Nina Revoyr is the Executive Director of National Public Safety and Ballmer Group’s Los Angeles team, where she sets and leads strategy and investments to improve economic mobility for children and families in the region and the state, and leads Ballmer Group’s national work on public safety. Nina holds two decades of experience in the fields of child and family services and education; is the author of six novels; and has been a visiting professor at Cornell University and Pomona College, among others.

Christine Tran is a Portfolio Manager with Ballmer Group’s team in Los Angeles, where she develops and manages local and regional investments across several of our impact areas, with a focus on education. Christine brings a diverse set of professional experiences in philanthropy, teaching, research, policy, and direct service to Ballmer Group. She is committed to increasing healthy food access, expanding local opportunities, and building healthy communities through inclusive policies and programs. She most recently served as executive director of the L.A. Food Policy Council and has taught at both the high school and the junior high school levels. Christine is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Washington.

Jessica Eiland Anders is a Senior Portfolio Manager for Ballmer Group’s Southeast Michigan team, developing and managing local and regional investments across several impact areas. She brings over 15 years of experience in community development and philanthropy, including roles as Michigan Program Director for Enterprise Community Partners and Special Projects Manager at The Skillman Foundation in Detroit. Previously, she spent a decade in St. Louis, serving as President of Northside Community Housing, Inc., and Project Manager at Rise Community Development.

Brandon Gleaton is a Senior Portfolio Manager with Ballmer Group’s Southeast Michigan Team. He brings a wealth of experience across K-12 schools, adult education, higher education, and the nonprofit sector. Previously, Brandon served as a program officer with Borealis Philanthropy, supporting organizations and grassroots movements advocating for criminal justice reform. He also served as the Executive Director of the Hazel Park Promise Zone and College Access Network, where he worked to expand educational access and success for metro Detroit youth and young adults.

Kylee Mitchell Wells is the Executive Director of Ballmer Group’s Southeast Michigan team, where she sets and leads strategy and investments to improve economic mobility for children and families in the region and the state. Kylee holds an extensive background in nonprofit program management, government, and corporate finance. Her previous roles include Senior Director–Michigan Market at Enterprise Community Partners, Associate Director for the City of Detroit Office of Grants Management, and Program Officer on the Financial Stability Team of United Way for Southeastern Michigan.

Angee Sanders is the Executive Assistant for Ballmer Group’s Southeast Michigan team. Angee brings over 10 years of experience supporting senior-level executives. Angee worked in both academia and the healthcare sectors at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor for almost 20 years. Before joining Ballmer Group, Angee served as the executive assistant to the CEO and publisher at Real Times Media.

Rinia Shelby-Crooms is a Portfolio Manager with Ballmer Group’s Southeast Michigan team. Rinia is an accomplished administrative professional with more than 20 years of experience supporting business executives, as well as advising and supporting government leaders at the United States House of Representatives.

Temeca Simpson is a Senior Portfolio Manager for Ballmer Group’s Southeast Michigan team, developing and managing local and regional investments focused on connecting youth to college and family-sustaining career pathways. Temeca brings a wealth of experience, having worked in both the private and public sectors—for organizations like The Forbes Funds and IBM—leading grantmaking, directing strategic planning, and working in the field to develop and implement programs.

Salman Akhtar is the Director of Policy at Ballmer Group, where he develops and strengthens advocacy investment strategies across various issue areas and portfolios, with the goal of advancing policies that increase economic mobility. Salman brings eight years of experience utilizing policy and advocacy to address issues such as education, homelessness, and the environment.

Jennifer Baugh is a Senior Grants Manager with Ballmer Group’s Strategy and Operations team, where she manages all aspects of the grantmaking process, from decisioning to reporting. Previously, she served as the Grants and Finance Manager for the International Clinical Research Center at the University of Washington, as well as held a variety of program management and business operations roles at The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Emma Beiser is a Grants Manager with Ballmer Group’s Strategy and Operations team, where she manages all aspects of the grantmaking process, from decisioning to reporting. She brings extensive experience in nonprofit operations and grants management, most recently overseeing the grant portfolio at Special Olympics Washington. With a master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership & Management and extensive experience managing grantseeking processes, Emma has honed her skills in creating efficient systems, building relationships, ensuring compliance, and maintaining accurate data.

Julie Butters is a Grants Manager with Ballmer Group’s Strategy & Operations team, where she supports all aspects of the grantmaking process, from decisioning to reporting. Previously, Julie served in project and operations management roles at The Gates Foundation, where her work focused on supporting teams to implement philanthropic investment strategies that improve equitable education outcomes for students across the United States.

John Griffith is the Executive Director of National Housing and the Strategy and Operations team, which oversees day-to-day operations of the Philanthropy team and helps to develop and hone the organization’s strategy for improving economic mobility. John joined Ballmer Group in 2019 after more than a decade working at the intersection of housing policy, community development finance, and impact investing. Prior to joining Ballmer Group, John was a Director at the strategy consulting firm Tideline Advisors, the National Director for State and Local Policy at Enterprise Community Partners, and an Economic Policy Analyst at the Center for American Progress.

Jess Main is the Director of Grantmaking Systems and Services (GSS) on Ballmer Group’s Strategy & Operations team, where she oversees the GSS team and manages operations across various functions, including grantmaking process design, learning, knowledge management, technology, and more. Throughout her career, Jess has handled operations, grantmaking, and fundraising efforts for different organizations. Her previous roles include Grants Manager at the Museum of Pop Culture, Development Specialist at Sea Mar Community Health Centers, and Operations Manager at the National Center for Media Engagement.

Joe McNulty is the Senior Manager of Strategic Finance at Ballmer Group, advising the grantmaking team with financial insight and due diligence. He joined Ballmer Group’s Strategy & Operations team in 2020 after a decade in financial management and strategic modeling for nonprofits and social enterprises of all sizes. His most recent roles were as Senior Finance Analytics Officer at PATH and Business Strategy Analyst at Grameen Foundation.

Kylie Palzer is a Senior Grants Manager with Ballmer Group’s Strategy and Operations team, where she supports all aspects of the grantmaking process, from decisioning to reporting. Previously, she served as the Senior Foundations Officer for Landesa, a global land rights nonprofit. Kylie draws upon diverse experience in the philanthropic, nonprofit, and public sector spaces, including grant processes and systems management, stakeholder relations, and program evaluation.

Anneka H. Preston is a Senior Grants Manager with Ballmer Group’s Strategy & Operations team, where she manages all aspects of the grantmaking process, from decisioning to reporting. Anneka holds a wealth of experience across due diligence, stakeholder communications and relations, database management, reporting, and research.

Laura is a dynamic and trusted executive partner with a 30-year career defined by enabling visionary leadership and driving operational excellence. She brings decades of experience supporting senior leaders at top-tier organizations like Microsoft. Laura is also a dedicated advocate for equitable educational opportunities and has served as a key volunteer in her local public school district for over 15 years.

Frances Yang is the Senior Manager of Strategic Initiatives within Ballmer Group’s Strategy & Operations team, where she hones the organization’s approach to increasing economic mobility. Frances develops strategies and supports the execution of initiatives across Ballmer Group. She draws from prior experience in impact consulting at Next Street and corporate philanthropy at BlackRock.