Our Advisory Board

Ditra Edwards

Ditra Edwards is a Strategic Advisor bringing over 20 years of experiences in working on racial and economic justice issues. Ditra has an intuitive approach and knows what it takes to make complex groups work and how to build relationships and alignment that will ensure success. As someone whose life and work is dedicated to equity, inclusion and sustainability, she draws on a people-centered pedagogy to facilitate efforts to change structural conditions and build community power. Ditra is inspired to work in partnership with communities and organizations fighting for justice. The thread that runs through all of her work is making connections between people, their values, vision, and the change they want to bring about.  

Previously, Ditra served as the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Program Director for The Praxis Project, a nonprofit organization helping communities use media and policy advocacy to advance health justice. During her tenor Ditra, led fundraising efforts, strategy development, and design and implementation of special initiatives. One of the central initiatives was Communities Creating Healthy Environments (C-CHE), an initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to support policy advocacy to advance healthy food outlets and safe places to play in communities of color. Ditra continues to provide support to grass organization, alliances and movement support organizations through research, coaching, training and technical assistance

Axum Teferra joined the Clean Energy Division of MAPC in December 2014. As an Energy Planner, Axum is focused on renewable energy generation initiatives and on MAPC's development of a regional climate preparedness and resiliency plan.

Prior to joining the Clean Energy Division at MAPC, Axum worked for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, where she managed the agency’s cleantech industry and government partnerships, and developed clean energy content and program support for Governor Deval Patrick’s international trade missions. Axum previously provided capacity-building support and planning tools for sustainability programs at Second Nature and conducted technical and policy research for the Charles River Conservancy. She has also worked in policy and planning with the US Congress; Lowerre, Frederick, Perales, Allmon & Rockwell; and Houston Tomorrow.

Hez Norton

Hez Norton has over 20 years experience as an organizer, executive director, interim executive, and consultant with organizations and leaders that are in transition. Hez has served in leadership positions at the Laughing Gull Foundation, TSNE, Resource Generation, and was the founding executive director of North Carolina Lambda Youth Network. Hez also led the youth involvement program in the NC Governor’s Office and was in the inaugural class of NC Public Allies. Hez was a Fellow with the Rockefeller Foundation Next Generation Leadership Program and a Lyndurst Foundation Southern Community Partner. Hez also serves on the board of the National LGBTQ Task Force.

Hez co-authored the report  “Leadership New England: Essential Shifts for a Thriving Nonprofit Sector.” Hez earned a BA from Duke University and a Masters of Public Administration from Northeastern University. 

Mo Barbosa is the Assistant Director for Training and Capacity Building at Health Resources in Action. Prior to joining HRiA, he was Program Coordinator for the Fellowship Center in St. Louis, MO and Director of the Area 4 Youth Center in Cambridge, MA. Mo delivers training, provides technical assistance, and participates in field building initiatives. He promotes the professionalization of the field through his work on legislation, youth worker networks, and partnerships with higher education.  As a trainer, Mo builds the skills of participants while keeping connections to theory. A long time facilitator of community processes, he works with gangs, parents, youth, political organizations, tenant councils and community resident groups.