Meet the Humans Behind the Mission

We strengthen the organizations that strengthen communities.

And yes, we've done this work. We've lived it—the long days before major events, the joy of successful programs, the disappointment of declined proposals, and the deep satisfaction of witnessing transformed lives.

Our team brings together decades of authentic experience across the nonprofit ecosystem. We've served as board members, grassroots organizers, executives, direct service providers, social workers, and philanthropy officers. We've gathered wisdom from every angle of the sector.

We lead with enthusiasm and optimism

Even when addressing complex challenges, we believe this work should energize and inspire. Our facilitation style brings high energy, authenticity, and creates space where everyone feels heard and valued.

We bring both breadth and depth to every engagement

Our generalists see the entire forest—spotting patterns, navigating complexity, and finding clarity in uncertainty. Our subject matter experts understand the individual trees—bringing deep knowledge in specific areas like finance, technology, or governance. Together, we offer the comprehensive perspective your organization needs.

We center the human experience

Every framework, strategy, and recommendation ultimately serves the people doing the work and the communities being supported. Because that's what truly matters.

Bridget Y Samuel, BSW, M.S. (she/her), Founder & UX Designer

Bridget brings 20+ years of nonprofit leadership expertise, with certification in organizational development (OD), human-centered design (HCD), and change management. With experience spanning board governance to grassroots activation, her approach combines strategic vision with practical implementation.

As a "generalist" with a broad perspective, Bridget excels at navigating ambiguity and deriving new patterns from complex situations. Her collaborative leadership style creates safe spaces for authentic dialogue. At the same time, her unwavering commitment to serving marginalized communities has earned recognition from national media outlets, including NBC Nightly News and the New York Times.

Bridget enjoys yoga, reading, dancing, painting, long meditative walks, and playing with her rescue dog, "Twinkie."

Paola Guzman, MSW, (she/ella), Learning Lead

Paola Guzman is VESTEDin™’s Learning Lead, bringing a deep commitment to human-centered nonprofit development and community empowerment. With a background in social work and leadership in immigrant justice and collaborative project design, she centers equitable learning pathways and capacity-building outcomes. Paola has led strategy, operations, and trauma-informed initiatives that streamline access to services and strengthen organizational learning. In her role at VESTEDin™, she curates learning experiences that deepen nonprofit practice, bridge reflection with action, and support leaders in adopting sustainable systems and adaptive leadership behaviors.

ALLISON Booker Brooks (she/her), Senior Capacity Coach

Allison Booker-Brooks is a Senior Capacity Coach with VESTEDin™ and a seasoned nonprofit leader with over 25 years of experience driving organizational strategy and impact. She currently serves as Chief Operating Officer at Northwest Assistance Ministries, where she oversees program delivery, financial management, and team leadership across complex social service systems. Allison’s career spans executive roles at major nonprofits, including YWCA of Houston and United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast, grounding her in strategic planning, operations strengthening, and team development. A licensed social worker and MBA graduate, she brings a practical, systems-informed approach to coaching that helps organizations build resilient infrastructure, scale mission-aligned impact, and strengthen leadership capacity.

Jolea Payne (she/her), Senior Capacity Coach

Jolea Payne is a Senior Capacity Coach with VESTEDin™ and a seasoned nonprofit leader and ICF-certified healing-centered coach, bringing over 17 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, human behavior strategy, and community-centered systems work. She is the Founder and Chief Community Builder of Inspirit Coaching & Consulting, where she supports organizations and changemakers in strengthening culture, leadership, and operations with intentional, values-aligned approaches. Jolea has also led development operations for major educational nonprofits and directed programming that expanded services in under-resourced communities. Her coaching blends systems insight, equity-centered facilitation, and deep commitment to reducing burnout while increasing impact for mission-driven teams.

SUSAN Sessions, CPA

Susan has over 25 years of financial expertise spanning public and private sectors, bringing exceptional tax and accounting knowledge to the VESTEDin™ team. Having started her career at a small Texas CPA firm and then advanced to leadership roles with international accounting firms and multi-billion dollar corporations, she offers a comprehensive understanding of financial management across organizations of all sizes. Susan excels at translating complex financial concepts into accessible language while creating collaborative relationships that help nonprofits confidently address their unique financial challenges.

Geertrui (Giulia) Lauwaert

Giulia brings extensive online community-building expertise to support both members and team operations behind the scenes. With a people-first approach, she ensures seamless coordination while creating welcoming environments for meaningful engagement. She guides new-member integration, manages daily operations, and develops a content strategy to keep the community active & aligned with our shared purpose. Giulia's thoughtful curation enables teams and members to focus on what matters most.