Nichole Salaam

I had a very dear, childhood friend pass away waiting for a heart. This was difficult for me because as children we were very close and had grown apart after having gone to different high schools and her, eventually, moving out of state. I am grateful that we re-connected when we did because I had heard she passed a short time afterwards.

As Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), I am responsible for leading the organization’s diversity, equity and inclusion program both at the programmatic and administrative levels. I will also work to identify and drive strategies to eliminate systemic organizational marginalization and promote equity and inclusion practices that will be evidenced through structure, processes, policies, and leadership.

Prior to joining LifeSource, I served as Director of Equity and Engagement at Project for Pride in Living for three and a half years. In that role, I wore many hats however, my primary work involved leading and managing PPL’s three, primary strategic areas of neighborhood engagement, diversity, equity, inclusion and public policy that I believe, provided a strong foundation for the work I’ll do at LifeSource.

Although I’ve had the privilege of doing DEI work in a variety of sectors like higher education and government, I have always valued my roots in non-profits that are often, deeply invested in community. While the mission at LifeSource is admirable (and it truly is), I believe that centering the work of donation through the lens of equity and inclusion will help position the organization to be a specialized leader in the field of organ procurement to best serve all communities.