The New Philanthropists is delighted to welcome Dr. Choquette Peterson to our board, a leader whose warmth, wisdom, and vision make her exactly the kind of partner we hope to build alongside. She brings a rare intersection of nonprofit leadership, governance expertise, and lived experience as the Founder and CEO of a Black-led nonprofit organization, along with a deep belief that leaders of color deserve more than a seat the table and through representation, they deserve to help shape it. Dr. Peterson’s thought leadership invites us to ask richer questions about how power is shared, whose knowledge counts as capital, and whether our practices truly reflect our values. We couldn’t be more grateful to grow, learn, and lead alongside her as we work to create a more inclusive nonprofit sector.
Who or what has shaped the way you think about leadership?
My leadership has been shaped by my lived experience as a Black woman, mother, educator, researcher, nonprofit executive, and founder. I have learned as much from navigating systems that were not designed for people like me as I have from formal education and professional experience. The communities I have served—and the leaders who have trusted me with their stories—have continually reminded me that those closest to a challenge often hold the most important insights about how to solve it.
My experience with burnout also fundamentally changed how I lead. I once believed leadership required endurance, self-sacrifice, and making myself indispensable. Today, I practice a more liberatory model grounded in shared power, clarity, care, accountability, and sustainability. I believe the goal of my contribution is not to become indispensable; it is to leave people and organizations more capable than I found them.
What about our mission resonates most with you personally?
I am deeply aligned with The New Philanthropists’ commitment to helping leaders of color gain access to board service while also transforming board cultures so that everyone can thrive. Representation matters, but access to a seat at the table is not enough if the culture, practices, and distribution of power remain unchanged.
As both a nonprofit executive who works with a board and someone who serves on boards, I understand how significantly board composition and culture affect an organization’s priorities, decisions, and relationship with its community. I am especially drawn to TNP’s belief that board members should be valued for more than their financial contributions. Lived experience, community knowledge, relationships, and perspective are also valuable forms of capital. That belief closely aligns with my commitment to creating systems in which people of color are not merely present but heard, trusted, influential, and able to thrive.
What unique perspective or experience do you hope to bring to the table?
I bring a perspective that sits at the intersection of nonprofit executive leadership, board governance, racial justice, education, research, fundraising, organizational strategy, and lived experience. As the Founder and CEO of a Black-led nonprofit, I understand board governance from the executive’s side of the table—including the difference between a board that simply oversees an organization and one that serves as a strategic, values-aligned partner.
I also bring experience translating liberatory values into organizational practice. I think deeply about how power is shared, how decisions are made, whose knowledge is valued, and whether an organization’s internal systems truly reflect its stated commitments. I am both visionary and practical: I enjoy imagining what is possible, but I also know how to build the strategies, partnerships, resources, and accountability structures required to move a vision forward.
Where do you see the biggest opportunity for our organization over the next few years?
I see the greatest opportunity in positioning The New Philanthropists as both a pipeline for leaders of color and a catalyst for transforming nonprofit governance. Diversifying boards is essential, but lasting change requires moving beyond placement toward belonging, influence, accountability, and shared power.
TNP can help define what truly inclusive and anti-racist governance looks like in practice—and then equip boards to enact it. This could include strengthening support for leaders after they join boards, expanding education for full boards and executive leaders, measuring shifts in board culture and decision-making, and sharing what TNP is learning through research, tools, and thought leadership.
At a moment when many institutions are retreating from explicit commitments to diversity, TNP also has an opportunity to make a compelling case that inclusive governance is not peripheral to nonprofit effectiveness. It strengthens decision-making, stewardship, community trust, and organizational impact.
What keeps you motivated when the work gets hard?
I remain motivated by a combination of productive hope, responsibility, and evidence that change is possible. I do not believe in optimism that ignores reality. I believe in confronting the brutal facts while refusing to accept that the present is the best we can create.
When the work becomes difficult, I remember that liberatory work has always been collective and intergenerational. We are continuing work that others began before us, and we are creating conditions that people after us will inherit. I also return to the people most affected by the systems we are trying to change. Their experiences remind me why the work matters and why it must be done with—not simply for—the community.
Finally, I have learned that sustaining the work requires sustaining the people doing it. Rest, reflection, relationships, and joy are not distractions from the mission; they help make long-term impact possible.
What are you most excited to accomplish in your first year with us?
In my first year, I am most excited to build relationships, deepen my understanding of TNP’s work, and identify where my experience and network can add the greatest value. I want to listen first—to the team, my fellow board members, program participants, partners, and the leaders of color whose experiences should continue shaping the organization’s direction.
From there, I hope to contribute meaningfully to TNP’s strategic growth, resource development, visibility, and thought leadership. I would be especially excited to help strengthen the connection between TNP’s mission and its own governance practices so that our board can model the kind of inclusive, values-aligned leadership we are asking other organizations to embrace.
By the end of my first year, I hope I will have helped expand TNP’s relationships and reach while also leaving the board and organization more strategically positioned to advance its mission.