Swipe Out Hunger Announces Board Leadership Transitions

Today, Swipe Out Hunger is excited to announce leadership transitions for its Board of Directors. Effective January 1, 2023, David Croom now serves as Board Chair. Croom joined the Board of Directors in February 2021 and brings a wealth of experience from his role as the Assistant Director of Ascend at the Aspen Institute, where he leads the Postsecondary Success for Parents Initiative. Croom has a background in postsecondary and policy initiatives from coast to coast. Prior to joining Ascend, Croom was the Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU) Lead and Higher Education Designer at Education Design Lab, strategy officer at Lumina Foundation, and policy analyst in ACT’s office of strategic initiatives. Croom holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy and a bachelor’s degree from MIT’s Sloan School of Management with a minor in political science. 

Croom replaces Libby Jacobson as Board Chair. Jacobson first joined the Board of Directors in 2016 and became Board Chair in 2019. During her tenure as Board Chair, Jacobson built a robust circle of Swipe Out Hunger champions and supported the Executive Leadership transition. She is a tenacious fundraiser, a human-centered leader, and a voice for those facing systemic barriers. Swipe Out Hunger is privileged to have Jacobson continue to serve on the Board of Directors as Chair Emeritus. 

In addition, Christopher J. Nellum, Ph.D., who joined the Board of Directors in January 2022 will now serve as Treasurer. Nellum is the Executive Director of The Education Trust–West, a nonprofit education equity organization focused on educational justice and closing achievement and opportunity gaps for students of color and students from lower-income communities from preschool through college. Nellum has worked with the National Center for Institutional Diversity, Young Invincibles, and the American Council on Education. Nellum completed his undergraduate degree at University of California, Santa Barbara, Master degree at California State University Long Beach, and Ph.D. at the University of Michigan. 

Nellum replaces Michael Block as Treasurer. Block first joined the Board of Directors in 2019. Block, a national and international entrepreneur, brought visibility and a powerful network to Swipe Out Hunger’s mission. As Treasurer, he built internal and external systems that formalized its operations. Swipe Out Hunger is grateful that Block will continue to serve on the Board of Directors. 

Ben Woo, who has served on the Board of Directors since 2015 including as Board Chair and Chair Emeritus, will continue to serve as Secretary and Audit Chair. Woo has been on the Board of Directors since Swipe Out Hunger’s formation and has helped the organization excel in strategic initiatives and long-term sustainability.

“It is an understatement to say how fortunate Swipe Out Hunger has been to have such an engaged, knowledgeable, and passionate Board of Directors,” said Jaime Hansen, Executive Director at Swipe Out Hunger. “At this exciting point in Swipe Out Hunger’s evolution, we are immensely grateful for our Board of Directors who have previously led us and those who are now leading us.” 

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