by Josh Jacobson

It is a huge week for us at Next Stage in a number of ways. This morning, our team is gathering at Community Matters Cafe for our first in-person staff meeting in more than a year. It is a chance for some of us to meet our colleague Candice Latham for the first time in person since she joined the team this past fall. And later this week, we will release the 2021 edition of The Social Good Report that we’ve been working on for nearly nine months.

Adding to the momentous spirit of the week, we are also welcoming a new Next Stage team member today, Helen Hope Kimbrough, who is joining the firm as a Consultant. We are thrilled to add her to our growing group of dynamic social good crusaders who are working together to make a difference throughout the Carolinas.

Helen’s experience in community engagement, program implementation, partnership development and volunteer recruitment adds significantly to the Next Stage team. With an extensive career centered on reading and literacy initiatives, she brings deep understanding of the education sector and challenges facing economic mobility in the Charlotte region.

Helen’s career includes roles with Augustine Literacy Project Charlotte, Reading Partners and Promising Pages. A graduate of Hampton University in Hampton, VA, she has compiled a lengthy list of community service affiliations in Charlotte, including serving on the Board of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library Foundation.

As a champion of diversity, equity and inclusion, Helen successfully completed her certification in Systems Thinking from Cornell University and participated in the 2019-2020 Racial Equity Learning Community at United Way of Central Carolinas, a program presented in partnership with Leading on Opportunity. She is also a published author of four multicultural children’s books, and an independent publisher of numerous books highlighting children’s, motivational, and spiritual genres.

She joins a firm poised to continue making a big impact on the Charlotte region and beyond. Please join us in welcoming Helen to our team!