Elizabeth Kesner is a nonprofit professional providing strategic people and operations leadership at NewRoot Learning Institute. Elizabeth leads the organization’s People + Operations Team in nurturing the internal logistical, relational, and strategic conditions that will enable NewRoot to meet its social impact goals. NewRoot improves the experiences of young people by increasing the capacity of adults to grow restorative and social-emotional practices in learning environments. Based in Chicago, NewRoot provides training and support to schools, districts, and learning environments across the country. Before NewRoot, Elizabeth spent 11 years with United Friends of the Children in Los Angeles, California, an organization providing housing and education services to young adults who have experienced foster care. Through United Friends education programs, Elizabeth supported students in navigating the complexities of college life on their own. Her 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector have cemented Elizabeth’s commitment to helping social impact professionals and organizations be their best to do their best. A native West Virginian from small-town Appalachia, Elizabeth focused on African American history as an undergraduate student at the University of Virginia. She obtained a master’s degree in educational foundations from California State University, Los Angeles and a certificate in human resources management from the University of California, Los Angeles. Elizabeth lives in Bunker Hill, West Virginia with her incredible spouse and a rotating cast of deer in the backyard.