Our Board of Directors

Uva Cristina Coles is Chief Learning Officer at Spring Point Partners, LLC., a social impact organization that invests in the transformational leaders, networks and solutions that power community change and advance social justice.

As the steward of SPP’s external learning agenda, Uva works to ensure that human-centered leadership, equity, and community voice are woven through the organization’s national social impact portfolio. Uva also oversees Spring Point’s Learners in Residence program, aimed at supporting the brainpower of thought leaders designing groundbreaking narrative changing work, and she is responsible for the strategy and implementation of the organization’s communications, external brand image, and collaborations for internal communications engagements.

A former non-profit and higher education executive, Uva has garnered over 25 years of experience focused on designing workforce learning and development strategies, negotiating local-to-global academic partnerships, and advising C-suite executives on integrating systemic DEI solutions. Her most recent advisory and board service roles include a Mayoral appointment with the City of Philadelphia’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board, board memberships with LEADERSHIP Philadelphia (’11) and The Welcoming Center, and a trusteeship with the Philadelphia Award.

A professional keynote speaker and writer, Uva has been featured as a recurring bilingual (Spanish/English) television guest commentator and analyst on inclusive issues for Telemundo, NBC and on print publications exploring the intersection of identity and workforce navigation strategies. She is a graduate of Claflin University (BA) and Wilmington University (MSM, OL) and holds a Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University. A native of the Republic of Panama with Spanish fluency, she is a proud/ORGULLOSA Afro-Panamanian immigrant who lives in Wilmington, Delaware with her husband and their two hijos.

Michael DiPiano is Managing General Partner and co-founder of NewSpring.  He is a General Partner of the Firm’s dedicated growth equity funds and serves as a member of the investment committee of all NewSpring funds.

Before co-founding NewSpring in 2001, Mike was a serial entrepreneur and investor.  Mike has led or co-led investment into companies in the business services, healthcare and information technology industries.  Previously, Mike was affiliated with Safeguard Scientifics Inc. and was a division CEO and Director of Chemical Leaman Corporation.  Mike began his career in 1980 with Baxter Healthcare Corporation.  He held numerous positions at Baxter, culminating as Vice President responsible for Operations and Sales of the Industrial Scientific Products Division. Mike received a BS from Penn State University and an MBA from the Stern School at New York University.

Stacy E. Holland, Ed.D., has nearly 30 years of experience developing and implementing educational solutions for children. As Executive Director of Philadelphia School Partnership, Stacy is fostering a positive approach to aligning the education community of Philadelphia on a common vision.

Prior to Philadelphia School Partnership, Stacy was founder and principal of The Holland Group, a boutique consulting firm that served as a strategic advisor to public/private educational systems and philanthropic organizations. Previously, as Executive Director of The Lenfest Foundation, Stacy managed the foundation’s endowment and annual grant budget, and was a content expert and leader within national, regional and local civic and philanthropic communities. Before The Lenfest Foundation, she served as Chief of Strategic Partnerships for the School District of Philadelphia, where she built a new system for promoting the District’s fundraising initiatives and external relationships. Stacy also co-founded the Philadelphia Youth Network, growing the organization to a citywide entity dedicated to integrating services across more than 100 partners providing programming to nearly 20,000 youth annually. Stacy earned a doctoral degree in learning and development from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. She also holds a bachelor’s in marketing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s in student personnel administration in higher education from Columbia University.

Joanna McNeil Lewis graduated from Princeton University with a BA in Art History, worked at Christie’s Auction House in New York City for five years, and since has been a consultant in Bucks County Impressionism.

For the last 40 years, Jody has volunteered at numerous nonprofit organizations and served on the boards of The Philadelphia Zoo, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Kimmel Center and The Agnes Irwin School, among others. She was President and CEO, and Chair of the Board of the Academy of Music from 2007 until 2013 and is currently Board Chair of the Philadelphia Zoo. She helped to create an academic scholarship, which includes support services, that enables students from the Community Partnership School, a PAIS accredited school serving children from Pre-K to 5th grade in a north central Philadelphia neighborhood, to attend SCH Academy. Jody has also established a foundation, The Joanna McNeil Trust, which supports the arts and education, and with a focus on projects that restore or augment specialized lighting at historic properties. She is currently working on the design of a National Light to commemorate USA250.

Magda Martinez is a poet, vocalist, educator and performer whose passion for and belief in the power of the arts and social justice began in her youth. She has written, performed and produced her original works around the country. She currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of The Welcoming Center.

Before joining The Welcoming Center, Magda served as Chief Operating Officer of Mural Arts Philadelphia and as Director of Programs at the Fleisher Art Memorial. At Fleisher, she designed and implemented its nationally recognized diversity and community engagement initiatives, and the arts-based drop-in Teen Lounge program, both of which are featured in several publications. Magda is board chair of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, a board member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education, and an advisory committee member of The Colored Girls Museum. She previously served on the boards of the Bartol Foundation and Taller Puertorriqueño. Throughout her career, Magda has advised organizations including the American Association of Museums, Pennsylvania Humanities Council, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and has presented and shared her expertise at national conferences. She is a founding member of Las Gallas, a Philadelphia-based artist collective, and received a Fellowship in the Arts from the Independence Foundation, a Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Artist Catalyst Grant and the Leeway Foundation’s Transformation Award for her work as a socially engaged community artist.

Clayton Gates C. McNeil graduated from Sewanee: The University of the South with a BA in Economics and History.

Both during and following his time at Sewanee, he was involved with Bomoda, a New-York based data analytics company, where he worked on product development, digital marketing and client acquisition. Gates then returned to Drexel University, where he received his MBA with a focus in entrepreneurship, sparked by his experience working at a startup business. Following his MBA, he has turned his attention towards the Philadelphia area, serving on various boards and in volunteer roles. This includes a seat on the Board of the Arthur Judson Foundation, an organization focused on promoting classical music and the arts in Greater Philadelphia. Gates is passionate about helping improve the quality of life in the region through targeted investing. He believes this can be accomplished through grants that help spur growth in up-and-coming sectors, as well as financial investments in real estate and businesses that encourage others to follow suit.

Rory McNeil is President of Kisimul Management, LLC, a small venture capital and management company.

Kisimul is also the parent company for Thistlewood Properties, LLC, a real estate development company that specializes in high-end residential redevelopment. He served on the board of Germantown Academy and the Agnes Irwin School. In addition, he has served as a board member at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, and as Board member/VP of the Children’s Country Week Association.

David P. O’Connor is general counsel and head of Legal, Compliance & Enterprise Risk at First Eagle Investments, where he also serves as a member of the firm’s partnership committee and is responsible for the firm’s risk management department.

He graduated with a BA from Gordon College and earned a JD with honors from Villanova University School of Law. He began his legal career as an associate in the business and finance department of Ballard Spahr and then moved on to Delaware Investments, where he served as general counsel and head of strategic investment relationships and initiatives prior to joining First Eagle. As part of his longstanding commitment to finding innovative ways to address social inequities, David has worked with Heights Philadelphia since 2008. He currently is a member of the Board of Directors and its Executive Committee and previously has helped the organization navigate two mergers, was co-chair of the search committee for a new executive director, served as treasurer and chair of the finance committee and as a student mentor and writing instructor. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the First Eagle Investments Foundation and has served on the board of advisers for Lift Philadelphia, on various advisory committees for Gordon College, and as a volunteer and board member for the Burlington Emergency Shelter.

Emily is an investment advisor at Goldman Sachs where she advises wealthy individuals, family groups and non-profit organizations.

Emily joined Goldman Sachs in 2013. She graduated summa cum laude from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a BS in Economics. She holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of CFA Society Philadelphia. Emily serves on the Board of Directors and Chairs the Finance Committee of Salus University. Additionally, Emily is Co-Chair of 100 Women in Finance in Philadelphia and a member of the Forum of Executive Women.

Kristina L. Wahl joined The Barra Foundation as a Program Officer in 2010 and became President in 2013.

Prior to joining Barra, she worked at The Pew Charitable Trusts as a Program Officer and spent three years as the Managing Director of Development and Marketing at the Transitional Work Corporation.  After graduating from La Salle University, she joined the Vincentian Service Corps and served as a volunteer at Covenant House in New York City.  Following that formative experience, Kristina earned an MPP from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.  She currently serves on the Boards of the Philanthropy Network of Greater Philadelphia and the Center for Health Care Strategies.  She also is a member of PIDC’s Capitalization Committee.

John C. Williams, Jr. is Senior Vice President – Wealth Management at UBS Financial Securities where he has worked for the last three decades of a career in finance that has spanned more than 40 years.

In addition to his work advising clients on strategic wealth management, he was responsible for establishing and managing UBS’s Philadelphia Suburban Complex in the early 1990s. A graduate of The Episcopal Academy, John earned his BS in Business Administration at Roanoke College. John has brought his experience in the financial sector and his leadership acumen to bear on his work as a trustee at Woodlynde School, a K-12 independent school on the Main Line that welcomes and serves students who learn differently. He currently serves as Vice Chair of Woodlynde School’s Board of Trustees, a role he stepped into following his successful tenure as Co-Chair of the school’s first-ever capital campaign, which realized a $12m campus transformation project. Driven by a genuine concern for the under-resourced, a desire to affect positive change, and a deep understanding of the role philanthropic investment plays in both, John is honored to be part of The Barra Foundation Board.