The Community Foundation of Louisville Announces 2026 Alden Fellows Recipients

Photo Credit: Abdul Sharif Photography

Pictured left to right: Kiara James, Executive Director, Pushing Forward, Kenya Young, President and CEO, Louisville Public Media, Ricky Santiago, Executive Director, Americana Community Center, Taylor Ryan, Founder and Executive Director, Change Today, Change Tomorrow, Missy Spears, Executive Director, Queer Kentucky

Written by Christina Miller

At a time when nonprofit organizations are navigating growing demands, workforce challenges, and executive turnover, investing in leaders helps build stronger organizations and a more resilient nonprofit sector.

Supported by the Alden Fellows Fund at the Community Foundation of Louisville through a legacy gift from William O. Alden Jr., the Foundation is proud to announce the 2026 Alden Fellows cohort. This year, five nonprofit leaders will each receive a $10,000 grant to pursue professional development opportunities that strengthen their leadership and expand their impact in our community.

Kiara James, Executive Director, Pushing Forward

Louisville native Kiara James is a dedicated advocate for health equity and community wellness. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health in 2017 and a Master of Health Administration in 2022, both from the University of Louisville. Kiara also serves as community health worker supervisor at UofL Health Hospital’s Trauma Institute, where she leads a team providing critical support to patients impacted by gun violence.

Her work focuses on improving hospital policies, strengthening patient experiences, and understanding how quality care shapes health outcomes. After witnessing the challenges faced by patients with traumatic spinal cord injuries, especially those caused by gun violence, Kiara founded Pushing Forward during the pandemic. The nonprofit provides resources and solutions for people paralyzed by traumatic injuries, with an emphasis on gun violence survivors. Through her work in the hospital and the community, Kiara advocates for people impacted by violence and works to ensure individuals of differing abilities have the tools and opportunities to lead fulfilling lives.

Taylor Ryan, Founder and Executive Director, Change Today, Change Tomorrow

Taylor Ryan is the founder and executive director of Change Today, Change Tomorrow, a Louisville-based nonprofit advancing food justice, public health, and community engagement in Black and marginalized communities. Since founding the organization in 2019, Taylor has helped it grow from a grassroots mutual aid effort into a community-centered institution addressing food apartheid through food rescue, farmers markets, land stewardship, leadership development, and neighborhood organizing.

A two-time master’s degree holder, Taylor has been recognized by Louisville Business First as a 40 Under 40 honoree and one of its 20 People to Know in Nonprofits. Her leadership is rooted in the belief that communities closest to inequity should have the resources, infrastructure, and decision-making power to build their own solutions. Her next chapter focuses on moving from founder to community steward by developing leaders, strengthening shared governance, and building systems that can thrive beyond her leadership.

Ricky Santiago, Executive Director, Americana Community Center

Ricky Santiago is the executive director of Americana Community Center. Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, he moved to Louisville in 2001 because of his father’s work. Public service runs in his family: his father was a bilingual instructor for Jefferson County Public Schools and a union representative for the American Federation of Government Employees.

Before joining Americana, Ricky spent more than nine years in local government. During that time, he established the Global Leadership Academy and helped Louisville become the second city to earn Welcoming City certification from Welcoming America. He holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership, with a concentration in immigrant organizations as a workforce solution, as well as environmental stewardship.

Missy Spears, Executive Director, Queer Kentucky

Missy Spears is the executive director of Queer Kentucky, the state’s only dedicated LGBTQ+ newsroom. Since 2023, she has led its editorial strategy, operations, and fundraising, guiding the publication’s transition to a digital-only platform focused on government, health, and culture. Under her leadership, Queer Kentucky has grown its reach to 8 million and earned national recognition for reporting rooted in Kentucky communities.

Queer Kentucky received a 2026 GLAAD Media Award nomination for independent journalism, and Missy received NLGJA’s Jeanne Córdova Award in 2025. She also leads the newsroom’s research partnership with Dr. Justin X. Moore at the Markey Cancer Center. Their statewide LGBTQ+ health survey has produced three peer-reviewed papers and two public dashboards. Missy led a harm reduction locker project that distributed more than 5,000 resources across Kentucky, co-founded a volunteer-run food program serving 11,000 people annually, serves as board co-president of CommonGround Kentucky, and sits on the Cincinnati Art Museum’s community engagement board.

Kenya Young, President and CEO, Louisville Public Media

Kenya Young is president and CEO of Louisville Public Media, which serves Greater Louisville and Southern Indiana and is home to WFPL, WFPK, WUOL, and the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting. After Louisville Public Media navigated the elimination of federal funding in 2025, she began leading a three-year strategic plan centered on community, digital transformation, and audience needs, with the goal of making Louisville Public Media an essential daily habit.

Before coming to Louisville, Kenya served as senior vice president at New York Public Radio and spent 15 years at NPR. There, she rose to executive producer and managing editor, leading Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Up First. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and lives in Louisville with her family.

About William O. Alden Jr.

William “Bill” Alden Jr. believed that when you invest in people, you create lasting change. A lifelong Louisvillian, veteran, investor, and dedicated philanthropist, Bill spent decades helping strengthen the community he loved. He generously supported organizations serving children and families, shared his expertise with nonprofit leaders, and remained deeply engaged in philanthropy well into his 90s. Known for his humility, kindness, and genuine love for people, Bill valued lifelong learning, strong relationships, and giving others the tools they needed to succeed. His legacy continues through the Alden Fellows program, which empowers nonprofit leaders to grow their skills and expand their impact throughout our community.

Impact of the Program

Since the Alden Fellows program launched in 2014, the Community Foundation has awarded $335,000 in grants to support the professional growth and leadership development of 49 nonprofit leaders. Each year, exceptional nonprofit executive leaders are welcome to apply for support in their pursuit of learning opportunities that help them grow personally and professionally.

Beyond the grant itself, Fellows become part of a network of past and present participants, creating opportunities to learn from one another, build relationships, and collaborate for greater impact across our community.

Want to be like Bill and create a lasting legacy with your giving? Learn more at cflgiftplanning.org.