The Mind Trust adds two new hires to Development and Racial Equity teams
INDIANAPOLIS – (May 10, 2021) – The Mind Trust, an Indianapolis-based education nonprofit, today announced it has hired Lauren Lopez as Manager of Racial Equity and Leslie Salazar as Manager of Donor Relations. In these new roles, Lopez will help manage the organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion work and Salazar will help grow The Mind Trust’s individual and corporate giving strategies.
“The Mind Trust is thrilled to expand our team with two talented leaders who will strengthen our work with schools, partners, and supporters,” said Brandon Brown, CEO of The Mind Trust. “We look forward to the ways Lauren will help us make progress toward our racial equity goals and the work Leslie will do to grow connections to individuals and organizations who support our mission of ensuring all students have access to a high-quality education.”
As Manager of Racial Equity, Lauren Lopez will work with Patrick Jones, Senior Vice President of Leadership and Equity, to manage projects that help The Mind Trust, Indianapolis schools, and other partner organizations work toward diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. In this new role, Lopez will manage internal and external projects, research, and events that share the goal of moving Indianapolis toward a more equitable educational system.
Prior to joining The Mind Trust, Lopez taught at schools in Indiana and Ohio for six years, most recently as a math teacher at URBAN ACT Academy in Indianapolis. She was also the Program Manager for The Ohio State University’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. She was named Outstanding Staff Member of the Year at Ohio State in 2019. Lopez earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Ohio State University and a master’s degree in teaching from Marian University.
As Manager of Donor Relations, Leslie Salazar will collaborate with The Mind Trust’s development team to create and execute a strategy for expanding individual and corporate giving. In this new role, Salazar will find engaging ways for donors to connect with and support The Mind Trust’s mission of ensuring every Indianapolis student, no exceptions, has access to a great school.
Previously, Salazar was the Healthcare Marketing Specialist at TrendyMinds. Salazar was also the Program and Event Coordinator for the 500 Festival, where she oversaw an award-winning volunteer program that supported nearly 50 events and programs. She has also held roles in corporate and community engagement with United Way of Central Indiana and Sun King Brewery. Salazar earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations, advertising, and applied communications from IUPUI.
About The Mind Trust
The Mind Trust is an Indianapolis-based education nonprofit that works to build a system of schools that gives every student in Indianapolis, no exceptions, access to a high-quality education. The Mind Trust does this by building a supportive environment for schools through policy and community engagement, empowering talented, diverse educators to launch new schools, and providing existing schools with the support they need to hire world-class talent and achieve excellence. Since 2006, The Mind Trust has supported the launch of 38 schools, 13 education nonprofit organizations, and has helped place more than 1,600 teachers and school leaders in Indianapolis classrooms. More information can be found at themindtrust.org.
About The Mind Trust
The Mind Trust is an Indianapolis-based education nonprofit that works to build a system of schools that gives every student, no exceptions, access to a high-quality education. The Mind Trust does this by building a supportive environment for schools through policy and community engagement, empowering talented, diverse educators to launch new schools, and providing existing schools with the support they need to hire world-class talent and achieve excellence. Since 2006, The Mind Trust has supported the launch of more than 50 schools, 15 education nonprofit organizations, and has helped place over 1,800 teachers and school leaders in Indianapolis.