Meet Our Founders
LEAVING A LEGACY. MAKING A MARK.
With a passion for driving positive change and a deep commitment to their people, Tish Johnson-Jones, JD and Simone Hardeman-Jones, MA advocate tirelessly to ensure that Black communities have equitable access to education, healthcare, and economic mobility opportunities critical for their advancement and prosperity.
​
As leaders with over 40 years of combined experience, Tish and Simone met while providing visionary leadership and strategic direction to GreenLight Fund Greater Newark and GreenLight Fund Twin Cities, respectively. Their philanthropic advisory work has included galvanizing their local communities to identify the most pressing needs and evaluating organizations from across the country, assessing their ability to expand to their cities and effectively address them. Through listening, research and the development of strategic partnerships with philanthropists, philanthropic organizations, government agencies, nonprofit partners, and corporate sponsors, Tish and Simone have successfully leveraged resources and their expertise to support innovative solutions that address critical community needs focused on the Black community.
​
It was during their tenure with GreenLight Fund, where they saw first hand the need to reimagine philanthropy and the role of Black philanthropists and their direct impact on Black-led organizations. As it stands, research regularly shows that Black-led nonprofits receive significantly less from philanthropy than their white-led counterparts - currently only 2% of funding is distributed to Black-led nonprofits. Tish and Simone are committed to changing this figure by changing the face of philanthropy in Black communities.
​
It is their unwavering dedication to “For Us By Us” philanthropy that fuels their passion and conviction and inspires a broader movement towards equity and justice. As they continue to pioneer transformative initiatives and forge meaningful connections, Tish and Simone remain steadfast in their commitment to building a future where every member of the Black community is empowered to thrive.
Simone L.
Hardeman-Jones, MA
Co-founder, Black Philanthropic Advisory
Simone Hardeman-Jones has over two decades of professional experience and personal passion dedicated to dismantling systems of inequality for our most marginalized communities. With a career that spans political campaigns, senior policy roles in the Obama Administration, spearheading national education advocacy campaigns, and leading a community-centered philanthropic nonprofit organization, Simone has drafted federal legislation, directed and led innovative initiatives, and facilitated cross sector collaborations, all to address the deep rooted systemic inequities that exist in our country. A Minneapolis native, she is deeply committed to her community, serving on the boards of Children's MN, Friends of the Children Twin Cities and the African American Leadership Forum. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and the City of Lakes Chapter of Jack and Jill of America. Simone holds both undergraduate and Masters degrees from The American University in Washington, D.C. and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband and young son.
Tish
Johnson-Jones, JD
Co-founder, Black Philanthropic Advisory
Tish Johnson-Jones, JD has over two decades of professional experience across multiple disciplines ranging from public and corporate finance to education and philanthropy. Despite a diverse resume, her passion for providing support to communities of color serve as a long thru- line across her career. Tish has led education advocacy campaigns for thousands of students and families, drafted equal housing legislation, developed and managed state-wide initiatives, and led government and external relations for the first and only Black-led charter school network in New Jersey. She has also supported the expansion of workforce development and early literacy organizations into the Greater Newark area. Tish has completed numerous fellowships, served as an Adjunct professor and sits on multiple boards. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and Impact100 Essex. Tish graduated with honors from Spelman College and received her Juris Doctorate from Georgia State University College of Law. She currently resides in Newark with her husband and two teenage sons.