A New Chapter in GGRF's Story - Welcoming GGRF's New Executive Director

A message from GGRF's Chair of the Board of Directors, Ashley Kollme.

Dear Friends and Supporters of Girls Gotta Run Foundation, 

In these precarious times, I am thrilled to bring some exciting news about recent developments in the leadership of the Girls Gotta Run Foundation. In line with our leadership transition announced in March, our fearless leader and Executive Director (ED) of over eight years, Kayla Nolan, will transition to become our new Chair of the Board. We are pleased to announce that she will pass the baton to our new ED, Danielle Taylor, on September 1st. 

After an extensive and robust international search beginning in March, the Board is thrilled to welcome Danielle, who brings over a decade of experience working in championing women and girls' right to education in Sub-Saharan Africa. She has driven results in a range of organizations in international development, from the Carter Center to Òman Baako, a non-profit organization she founded that works to build stronger, more equitable communities across Africa and the African diaspora. Danielle's background, leadership experience, and passion for vulnerable girls’ education make her the perfect fit for GGRF’s next phase of growth and impact.

As Chair of the Board for the past 6 years, I think I can speak on behalf of the entire Board in saying that we couldn’t be more fortunate to have Kayla take my place as the new Chair. Kayla has been involved with GGRF since 2009 as a Richter Scholarship Research Fellow. She has embodied the values of the organization and has consistently gone above and beyond her job description as she worked tirelessly to increase the size of the organization by ten (yes, ten!) times. Perhaps the biggest legacy she will leave is spearheading the design of our signature programs in Soddo and Bekoji that have impacted the lives of over 1,200 girls, women, and community members during her tenure. From living and working in Ethiopia, to stretching our small budget in the early years; from finding major donors around the world, to engaging thousands of supporters through annual international fundraisers and campaigns, Kayla has truly poured her heart and soul into this organization.

Personally, I am looking forward to serving as a member of the Board and working with Danielle, Kayla, and our dedicated Board leaders as we continue to evolve and meet the multifaceted needs of our talented girls in Ethiopia.

I hope you will join me in raising a toast to Kayla for her incredible service, and in celebration of Danielle’s acceptance of the Executive Director role. Often transitions are bittersweet, but fortunately we will not be saying “good-bye” to our tremendous leader, Kayla, and have gained a truly inspired champion of girls' rights with Danielle.

Donors and friends, I can’t wait for what’s to come for our organization, and mostly for the girls whose lives are transformed as a result of your support.

Danielle Taylor

Welcoming GGRF’s New Executive Director

Throughout her career, Danielle has worked in community development, specializing in the grassroots pursuit of human rights and the empowerment of women and girls in Sub-Saharan Africa. Before joining Girls Gotta Run, Danielle worked with respected international aid organizations to advance the human rights of women and girls globally. Most recently, she founded and led Òman Baako, a non-profit organization that works to build stronger, more equitable communities across Africa and the African diaspora. Danielle holds a Bachelor of Arts from Louisiana State University and a Master of International Policy from the University of Georgia. 

“Greetings from my home office in Atlanta! I am honored to join the team at Girls Gotta Run. Our programs are transforming lives across Ethiopia and setting an example for communities around the world about the importance of investing in girls. I have spent the last decade of my career ensuring women and girls’ right to education in Sub-Saharan Africa and I knew that the Girls Gotta Run Foundation was the right place to continue this critical work. I look forward to engaging with our community of champions and advocates who make this work possible. Let’s run!”