Kara Dunovant

(She/Her)

Director

National Young Women’s Initiatives

As the Director of National Young Women’s Initiatives, Kara Dunovant utilizes her many years of experience  in youth advocacy and nonprofit leadership, along with a deep commitment to serving girls and young women  of color, to advance the mission of The National Collaborative for Young Women’s Initiatives and shift the  power of philanthropy to young women and girls of color.  

Before joining The New York Women’s Foundation and The National Collaborative, Kara served as The  Assistant Director of Youth Initiatives at the Earl Carl Institute for Legal and Social Policy, where she  facilitated the inaugural Young Women’s Initiative and the Young Women’s Advisory Council in Houston,  Texas, in partnership with the Texas Women’s Foundation, a founding member of The National Collaborative.  Kara brings to this work her robust educational training as well as on the ground experience centered around  the lives of young women of color. She is the Founder and Director of The Sparkle Initiative, a community based mentorship organization designed to teach young girls the importance of public speaking to advocate for  themselves and their communities. 

Kara has also contributed her legal expertise and focus on policy in many roles, including at the NAACP Legal  Defense and Educational Fund and NYC Coalition for Educational Justice. Kara graduated with a Juris  Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center in 2020.  

In her free time, Kara is an avid reader, a talented musician, and enjoys traveling and nostalgic television and  music.