Carmen Berkley

Vice President of Programs

As a vice president on our programs team, Carmen Berkley works in creative partnership with foundation staff, allied funders, grant recipients, and community leaders throughout Washington. Her role includes developing and leading grantmaking portfolios and ensuring each program area advances the foundation’s aspirations as a systems-focused and equity-rooted grantmaker.

Carmen has more than 15 years of experience in advocacy, political strategy, grantmaking, movement building, organizational development, communications, and cultural expression. She previously held leadership positions with the AFL-CIO, United States Student Association, and NAACP. As managing director for Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Carmen oversaw a $50 million grants, sponsorships, and advocacy portfolio and led a 50-person team. Most recently, Carmen was chief strategy officer with Dancing Hearts Consulting, a nationally renowned Black-women-led social and political impact firm serving foundations explicitly focused on ending inequality in all of its forms.

A founder of BYP100 (Black Youth Project 100), Carmen has deep experience as an activist and an organizer. She sits on several boards, including the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Advocates for Youth, re:power, and the Sephora Equity Board. Carmen studied communications and rhetorical process, as well as political science and Africana studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Outside of work, she deejays under the moniker, CarmenSpindiego, and has played in a wide variety of venues, from basement clubs to U.S. presidential forums. She enjoys concerts and travel with her husband and family.