About Us

The Boarding School

Educating a new generation of board leaders.

Danielle Strasburger and Nathán Goldberg, two Harvard alumni, created Harvard Forward in 2019 as an effort to elect recent alumni to the Harvard Board of Overseers on a climate justice and inclusive governance platform. As they developed the strategy for Harvard Forward, they realized that the mission of having more young people on boards would be applicable beyond Harvard. They reached out to Princeton University young trustees Azza Cohen and Achille Tenkiang, and serial entrepreneur Priten Shah, and formed The Boarding School’s founding team. Once TBS was incorporated, it became the legal entity housing the Harvard Forward project.

Now, The Boarding School recruits young people who are strong candidates to contribute positively to governing boards of the institutions closest to them, and equips them with the skills and information to communicate their perspectives effectively.

OUR WORK

CAMPAIGNS

Appoint young people to your institution’s elected governing board with The Boarding School’s formal support or strategic advice.

Get Involved

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Develop skills and knowledge for the boardroom and beyond through The Boarding School’s young trustee-specific trainings.

Learn More

COMMUNITY

Join our growing network of prospective, current, and former young board members, open to TBS candidates and non-TBS candidates alike.

Join Us

OUR DOCUMENTS AND POLICIES

Bylaws

Certificate of Incorporation

DONATE

Is The Boarding School a recognized nonprofit corporation?

Yes. The Boarding School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in the state of Delaware. We received our 501(c)(3) status in November 2019. You can find our determination letter from the IRS here.

Are donations to The Boarding School tax deductible?

While you should consult your CPA or other tax professional about how to file your taxes, as a 501(c)3 donations to TBS are tax-deductible as charitable deductions. Donations made through ActBlue or Facebook will receive tax receipts immediately, and we will issue tax receipts for all donations above $250 to comply with requirements for donor’s to deduct the donation.

Where does The Boarding School get funding?

TBS is currently funded by grassroots donations and campaign fundraising. As TBS grows, we aim to expand our sources of funding to foundation grants and corporate sponsorships.

Where does the money go when I donate to The Boarding School?

Donations to TBS support our education and advocacy efforts, as well as our general operating budget.

Within our educational programs, donations help fund:

Contract payments to student and recent graduate consultants who help design and coordinate TBS’ educational curriculum, activities, and speakers
Speaker fees, reimbursements, and honoraria

Within our campaign efforts, donations help fund:

Contract payments to student & recent graduate consultants who help develop & implement campaign platforms, field organizing, communications strategies
Paid advertising, social media boosts, and other voter outreach tools
Postage, delivery, printing, and other miscellaneous campaign expenses
(In a post-COVID world) Travel reimbursements and carbon offsets

Within our general operating budget, donations help cover:

Our Executive Director’s salary, benefits, and employer taxes
Accounting and legal fees, as well as directors’ and officers’ insurance
Email and web hosting, software subscriptions, web design
(In a post-COVID world) Travel reimbursements and carbon offsets

What is The Boarding School’s Tax ID Number?

TBS’ Tax ID Number is 84-2956816.

How do I make a matching gift?

Please contact [email protected] for more information about how to match contributions to TBS.

Where do I mail my donation to The Boarding School?

Please contact [email protected] for more information about how to mail donations to TBS.

How do I make a wire transfer to The Boarding School?

Please contact [email protected] for more information about how to make a wire transfer to TBS.

Who do I contact if I have a question or issue with my donation?

Please contact [email protected] with any questions or issues with your donation.

Can I donate if I live outside the United States?

Yes. As a 501c(3), TBS can receive donations from abroad through our ActBlue.

Can I help collect funds for The Boarding School?

Yes. Here’s how you can start a Facebook fundraiser or ActBlue campaign to raise funds for The Boarding School Inc.

Where can I find your financial and legal documents?

You can view the documents and policies to which we hold ourselves accountable here.

OUR TEAM

Julia HuesaExecutive Director

Julia is a 2020 graduate of Harvard College, where she studied Social Studies and Statistics and served as the school’s student body Vice President. She believes organizational decisions should be informed by the people they impact, and young people are no exception.

Elmer Vivas PortilloResearch Fellow

Elmer was born in Cambridge, MA, and graduated from Harvard College in 2020 with a degree in Sociology. He believes that younger generations hold unique and diverse perspectives through which boards can strengthen their governance abilities and maximize their effectiveness.

Scott GiganteYale Forward Co-Founder and Managing Director

Scott holds a Master of Science from the Yale Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and is a current PhD candidate in the Yale Departments of Genetics, Computer Science & Applied Mathematics. Scott oversees Yale Forward’s campaign strategy and data analytics.

Celia RosenGrowth Consultant

Celia Rosen is creating The Boarding School’s growth strategy by building our network of current and former young trustees. Hailing from Stamford, Connecticut, she is a rising sophomore at Barnard College intending to study History with a minor in Religion.

OUR BOARD

Nathán GoldbergPresident, Director

Born and raised in Mexico City, Nathán earned the first-ever Joint A.B. in Philosophy and Statistics at Harvard College. He co-founded The Boarding School because he believes that younger generations tend to be on the right side of history.

Danielle StrasburgerDirector

Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Danielle graduated Harvard College in 2018 with a degree in Social Studies. The mission of The Boarding School is near and dear to her heart, and she’s excited to see more young people with positions on boards.

Priten ShahSecretary, Director

Priten H. Shah is a serial entrepreneur whose projects aim to change power dynamics in various industries and fields. He currently lives in New York City after graduating with a degree in philosophy from Harvard University.

Azza CohenDirector

Azza Cohen is a documentary filmmaker and historian dedicated to storytelling in the public service. She earned a B.A. from Princeton University in 2016, and currently serves on the Princeton University Board of Trustees.

Achille TenkiangDirector

Achille Tenkiang is a Cameroonian-American artist and advocate. Graduating from Princeton in 2017, he was the first student to pursue a concentration in African Studies and now serves as a Member of Princeton University’s Board of Trustees.