WE ARE FAMILY FOUNDATION TEAM
NILE RODGERS
CO-FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN
HE/HIM
Nile Rodgers is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee and a multiple Grammy Award winning songwriter, composer, producer, arranger, and guitarist.
In 2023 he became the first creator to be awarded a Lifetime Achievement Grammy for his legacy in the same year as being awarded a Grammy for his new work with Beyoncé on the smash hit “Cuff It”.
As the Co-founder of CHIC, Nile pioneered a musical language that generated chart-topping hits like "Le Freak”, the biggest selling single in the history of Atlantic Records and sparked the advent of hip-hop with "Good Times” and “Rapper’s Delight”.
His work in The CHIC Organization, including “We Are Family” for Sister Sledge and “I’m Coming Out” for Diana Ross, and his productions for artists such as David Bowie (“Let’s Dance”), Madonna (“Like A Virgin”) and Duran Duran (“The Reflex”), have sold more than 500 million albums and 100 million singles worldwide, while his innovative, trendsetting collaborations with Daft Punk, Daddy Yankee, LE SSERAFIM and Beyoncé reflect the vanguard of contemporary hits.
Nile is the first, and only Producer In Residence at Apple Music and helms the award-winning Apple Music 1’s “Deep Hidden Meaning” radio show celebrating the work of great songwriters. Nile served as the first-ever Chief Creative Advisor for the incomparable Abbey Road Studios and is the Chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame as well as Co-founder of Hipgnosis Songs, the multi-billion-dollar investment fund listed on the London Stock Exchange’s FTSE 250.
In 2001 in the wake of 9/11 Nile co-founded the We Are Family Foundation (WAFF) at first to bring everyone together following the tragedy to start the healing process. It quickly evolved into an organization dedicated to the vision of a global family by creating and supporting programs that promote cultural diversity while nurturing, mentoring, and amplifying the vision, talents and ideas of young people who are positively changing the world.
WAFF is focused on empowering young people globally through its acclaimed youth leadership, storytelling and mentoring program, Three Dot Dash; Youth To The Front Fund, designed to support BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), youth at the forefront of fighting systemic racism, inequality and injustice; and Youth To The Table, bringing youth voices to decision making tables that are shaping humanity’s future.
Most recently Nile received the 2024 World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award for his extraordinary efforts to make the world a more peaceful, equal and inclusive place through his music, his exemplary commitment to fighting systemic racism, inequality and injustice, and by championing innovative youth voices to decision-making tables.
INSTAGRAM: @nilerodgers
TWITTER: @nilerodgers
FACEBOOK: /NileRodgersOfficial
NANCY HUNT
CO-FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
SHE/HER
Nancy Hunt is a Co-founder of We Are Family Foundation (WAFF) and has served as President since its inception in 2002. As President, Nancy is responsible for developing WAFF’s acclaimed programs amplifying extraordinary global youth changemakers, including Three Dot Dash; TEDxTeen, Youth To The Front Fund and Youth To The Table; forging strategic partnerships and spearheading fundraising initiatives.
Directly after 9/11 Nancy was Executive Producer of the We Are Family Project, which brought over 200 celebrities together to re-record "We Are Family" as a start of the healing process. She was also Executive Producer of the "We Are Family" children's music video PSA which brought together over 100 children's television characters for the first time in history to promote diversity and multiculturalism.
Prior to the Foundation, Nancy co-founded Smock Media Inc., an art-based media company in 1999, and Notorious Entertainment, an upscale urban brand in 1996. During her tenure as Partner and Executive Vice President of both media companies, Nancy oversaw joint ventures, the publishing of Smock and Notorious magazines and the extensions of each brand.
She is an award-winning photographer and earned her Master's degree in clinical psychology at The American University.
INSTAGRAM: @nhunt1778
TWITTER: @nancyhunt
Find out what Nancy has been listening to.
JESS TEUTONICO
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
SHE/HER
Jess (she/her) was selected to be a Mentor the first year of Three Dot Dash in 2008 and never left. As Executive Director, Jess powers all things content, partnerships and people. She has an extensive background in creating purposeful gatherings around the globe, community building across countries and borders, and building platforms and collaborations that influence thought-leadership and impact. She’s consulted for global brands including TED and the United Nations, and speaks around the world on youth leadership. She loves dance parties with her son, has a playlist for everything, and is a black belt in Kung Fu.
INSTAGRAM: @jessteutonico
Find out what Jess has been listening to.
ANNIE GREENE
GLOBAL Programs DIRECTOR
SHE/HER
With a diverse background in non-profits, production, and communications, Annie (she/her) is socially conscious and driven to create the best, with the best. From her time spent in Argentina, India, Israel, Palestine, California and New York she found her niche in community engagement early in life, working on the ground with people from all walks of life. As WAFF’s Global Programs Director, Annie oversees strategic development and intersections for the ever-expanding WAFF array of programs, while also spearheading its signature program, Three Dot Dash. Her priority is to ensure that the WAFF community of like-minded yet diverse changemakers remain engaged, supported, challenged, and at the top of their game! She is easily swayed by live music, spicy food, and Thunder basketball, and she'll gladly boast to anyone who will listen, that after joining the WAFF team, her circle grew by more than five hundred amazing humans across more than 75 countries.
Find out what Annie has been listening to.
GIA TUDORAN
CHIEF STORYTELLER / CREATIVE DIRECTOR
SHE/HER
Gia (she/her) is a passion-driven polystoryteller and multifaceted creative who deeply believes that stories have the power to change the world.
After studying Culture Journalism and graduating as Valedictorian, Gia pursued a career in storytelling across mediums. Over the years, she has woven narratives at the intersection of music and social issues for the likes of SPIN magazine and the award-winning The Calvert Journal (now New East Archive), among others. She has also published contemporary YA fiction for Scribd (now Everand), led creative marketing efforts for the biggest streetwear brand in Romania, and even experimented with making music as ENERGIA.
As WAFF’s Chief Storyteller / Creative Director, Gia champions cross-platform storytelling that fosters connection, sparks introspection, and ignites empathy. As a true Gryffindor at heart, when Gia isn’t writing, she’s most likely reading — while her cat desperately tries to get more attention than whatever book she has in her hands.
INSTAGRAM: @fuckcreativeblock
TIKTOK: @fuckcreativeblock
FIND OUT WHAT GIA HAS BEEN LISTENING TO.
ALI CAPLAN
Mentor Program & Community Director
SHE/HER
Ali (she/her) came to WAFF in a full time capacity after interning for the Foundation during her senior year and graduating top of her class at George Washington University. From a diverse background at ICM Talent and PBS, and between Barcelona and Capitol Hill, Ali came to find her calling was to support WAFF and strengthen its global super-community. She’s a New York restaurant connoisseur… in what little spare time she has left.
INSTAGRAM: @ali.caplan
FACEBOOK: /ali.caplan
Find out what Ali HAS been listening to.
CHMBA
Youth To The Front Fund acting director
SHE/HER
Chmba Ellen Chilemba (she/her) entered WAFF’s community as a Three Dot Dash Global Teen Leader, selected for her organization Tiwale in Malawi. She is a community organizer, DJ and producer-artist from Malawi. Her signature sound is African electronic, house and tech, time-traveling synths and Afro percussion. Chmba draws from cultural roots and music ancestry acknowledging a pan-African sense of sonic motherhood.
Her talent has caught the attention of the Queen of Pop, Madonna, who has had Chmba play her prestigious Oscars’ The Party.
Chmba has rocked impressive stages across the globe, including the World Economic Forum, Women Deliver, Glamour Magazine, Tumaini and LiFest. She's opened for Grammy-winning artists like Angelique Kidjo, Nile Rodgers, Metro Boomin and Laura Mvula.
Chmba is more than just a talented artist, she’s a dedicated activist and founder of Tiwale, a collective in Malawi that supports women and queer/trans communities through music tech education and opportunities.
For her work, Chmba has been named a We Are Family Foundation Global Teen Leader, Forbes’ Africa 30 Under 30, Gates Foundation Goalkeeper, Kofi Annan Foundation Fellow and featured on DJ Mag, BBC Radio and Apple Music's ISGUBHU Artist of the Month.
INSTAGRAM: @chmba
FACEBOOK: Chmba
Find out what CHMBA has been listening to.
JAMIE ROACH
Global Programs Manager
HE/HIM
Jamie (he/him) is an actor, playwright, and facilitator. A Graduate of NYU with a Masters in Educational Theater, and Circle in the Square Theatre School on Broadway, Jamie has performed at The Public Theater, BAM, Feinstein's/54 Below, and The Metropolitan Opera House. As a playwright, Jamie has had four plays produced in New York City, including in Play/Date, heralded as "thoughtful drama" by The New York Times.
Jamie designs and facilitates curriculum with four Broadway theater companies, and in business settings including PwC, Google, Facebook, and The Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Additionally, Jamie sits on the DEI Task Force for Roundabout and New Victory Theaters, and co-facilitates DEI training with Disney Theatricals. Jamie is also co-founder of Queer Playback Theatre, which uplifts the stories of the LGBTQ+ community, and “Give Love New York,” which creates playful events for joy and connectivity. Prior to living in New York, Jamie grew up in California, worked in Uganda, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia, and has enjoyed traveling through six continents.
WEBSITE: jamieroach.com
INSTAGRAM: @jiminyroach
FACEBOOK: sirjamieroach
Find out what Jamie has been listening to.
BASTIAN SANCHEZ
Content & Social Media Team
HE/THEY
Bastian (he/him, they/them) was told as a child that he could be anything he wanted to be, and he's spent his life testing that theory. As a professional writer with experience in social media management, publishing, graphic design, music, and education, he's developed a large pool of skills he now dedicates to WAFF's mission.
He loves to create in his downtime, and has taught himself embroidery, needle felting, sewing, knitting, and cosplay crafting, over the years
He has a Psychology degree from Florida State University and two rowdy tortoiseshell cats with his loving spouse.
INSTAGRAM: @bastia_sanchez
Find out what Bastian has been listening to.
MADELINE VELEZ
Chief of Staff
SHE/HER
Madeline (she/her) first came to WAFF to provide support on a one-off project. Since then, she has found her forever home with the Family.
Madeline’s numerous years in critical and wholistic support capacity with influential private families have earned her the self-title of Highly Proficient Multi-Tasker. Commitment, adaptability, and resilience all fuel Madeline’s relentless work ethic as she moves with purpose to bring every project to fruition.
Most importantly, Madeline’s experience has gifted her with an authentic sense of self while deeply caring, honoring and giving to her community. She believes in the good of all humans and values closely collaborating with personalities from all walks of life to get things done — no matter what challenges arise along the way.
Madeline also enjoys traveling and experiencing new places, people, and cultures. In doing so, she believes we make the world a smaller place — therefore, a better place.