Daniel Shemesh

Daniel brings his experience and passion for fundraising on behalf of nonprofit organizations to his work at Elevate. His experience spans sectors ranging from urban farming to international development. Most recently, he drafted fundraising materials for Grassroots Business Fund, a mission-oriented venture capital fund, and honed his operational and project management skills at Dalberg Advisors. Prior to these experiences, Daniel worked at the Amir Project and Food Cowboy, two nonprofits devoted to educational farming and reducing food waste, respectively.

Daniel is also a youth soccer coach, and was recently helping to research and write a book on social impact innovation in higher education. Daniel earned a BA in English Rhetoric from Binghamton University in New York.

When not working, Daniel can be found playing and watching soccer, visiting art installations around the area, or catching a show at the 9:30 Club.

Alex has a strong drive to serve the nonprofit community. Before joining the team at Elevate, he interned with the Environmental Voter Project, where he met with local environmentalists to increase voter turnout and to help make environmental concerns a higher priority for lawmakers. He also interned with All Heart PR, where he gained crucial skills in writing and client relations.

Alex graduated magna cum laude from Boston University with a BA in Public Relations and minor in Political Science. As a member of the UNICEF chapter at BU, Alex volunteered with local nonprofits and participated in on-campus fundraisers.

Outside of the office, he can be found exploring museums, playing video games, and reading up on international affairs.

Kai brings passion and experience in community organizing, environmental justice, and food access to Elevate. Before joining Elevate, they interned with DC UrbanGreens where they worked to enhance and implement new methods for their Community Supported Agriculture program providing Southeast DC residents with fresh, locally grown produce.  Throughout their undergraduate career, Kai also served as a core campus organizer of Virginia Student Power Network where they and their fellow organizers built grassroots power to fight for more accessible, affordable, and democratic higher education. Their experiences with nonprofits and community organizing have solidified their interests in nonprofit work and social change.

Kai earned their BA in Integrative Studies with a concentration in International Studies from George Mason University. This interdisciplinary degree program allowed them to focus their studies on globalization as it relates to race and class. During their time at Mason they led a funded undergraduate research project titled Food Deserts: Exploring Local Perceptions of Washington D.C.’s Ward 8 Food System where they interviewed Southeast DC residents regarding their experiences with food access in one of the most food insecure wards of the city.

Outside of work, you can find Kai at a local show supporting DC musicians, at the record store looking to add to their collection of Fleetwood Mac vinyl, rewatching the Office for the fifth time, or volunteering with urban gardens and farms in the DC area.