Rachael DeCruz has fifteen years of experience in the nonprofit sector and philanthropy. Her work centers on how race impacts people’s ability to navigate systems. Previously, Rachael was the Chief of Staff at Race Forward—the country’s largest multiracial, racial justice nonprofit—where she focused on aligning the organization’s values with their strategy, culture, and systems. She has a background in organizing and significant expertise in policy development, strategic planning, and relationship building. Rachael is happiest when she is convening groups of people that share a common vision to help them achieve their goals. She has an established track record of implementing equitable processes and developing organizational infrastructure, and has a strong understanding of the racial justice landscape.

Rachael is also a committed storyteller and filmmaker. She is the director of The Panola Project, a short film highlighting the heroic efforts of Dorothy Oliver to keep her small town of Panola, Alabama safe during the pandemic. The film was released with The New Yorker, and was an official selection of over 35 festivals including Sundance, Hot Docs, and the DOC NYC Shortlist. Rachael is currently working on her first feature documentary about how a bond between two men, forged across generations and decades, gives both of them the power to fight for justice.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE: Policy & Advocacy, Nonprofit & Organizational Equity, Governing with a Racial Equity lens, Application of equity tools to policies, programs, practice & partnerships