With a goodbye comes a new beginning
April 30, 2021
On June 17, 2019, Michelle Rojas-Soto joined the Encompass team as our Managing Director and our first hire. During this time, Michelle has been instrumental in moving Encompass forward and making our vision come to life. It’s with a heavy heart that I share today is Michelle’s last day with Encompass as a staff member but I am thrilled she’s joining our Advisory Council. I can’t help but reflect back on our time together over these past two years and the strides we’ve made because of her tireless passion.
Because of Michelle we have a:
Global Majority Caucus with 161 people across 22 countries and 19 brilliant members of our Executive Development Cohort
Robust consulting service model that has supported hundreds of staff across a dozen organizations
Racial Equity 101 training curriculum that challenges and moves participants to action
Movement-wide research project underway that will have long lasting impacts on how the movement progresses
Strong internal organizational infrastructure with respect to compliance, finance, technology, and more
In addition, Michelle has authored a beautiful essay for our #EncompassEssays series and has been instrumental in the development of our forthcoming book, Antiracism in Animal Advocacy: Igniting Cultural Transformation due September, 2021. Michelle’s wisdom, calmness, and clarity on the work that is in front of all of us has been my rock these past two years. On a personal note, she has supported me to be a better, more effective, advocate and I will carry that with me for years to come.
Michelle will be joining KIPP SoCal charter schools as the new Chief Talent and Equity Officer, where she will help deliver extraordinary outcomes for all students, teachers, families, and staff and we wish her all the best.
Over the past six months, I’ve been reimagining what our programs will look like. With Michelle’s departure, we’re seeking a Program Director to join our team who can help with the visioning, design, and implementation of this new direction which has been inspired by the Government Alliance on Race and Equity.
We are searching for a candidate who is results-oriented, maintains high racial equity competency, is comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, and is able to work independently from ideation to implementation. If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
There is no replacement for Michelle Rojas-Soto, and yet, we will carry on.