Adela is a strategist, grantmaker, researcher, advocate and professor with proud Afro-Carribean roots. Her experiences as a member of historically excluded communities drive her commitment to actualizing equity and expanding opportunities for disabled, Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color (QTBIPOC), women, and immigrant families. She is a values-driven leader who has worked in Philanthropy, nonprofits, and Higher Education for over 15 years, leading sector-wide initiatives that uplift racial equity, Disability Justice, and inclusive approaches to grantmaking and programming. Having served at the Ford Foundation, Open Society, as a Disability Inclusion Fund Advocate at Borealis and as the NBA Foundation's fist-ever Director of Programs, among many other institutions, Adela has worked closely with executive leadership across foundations to create opportunities that advance the inclusion of people of color and people with disabilities. She is a proud alumna of the Rockwood Equity in Philanthropy and Hispanics in Philanthropy Líderes Fellowships.

Adela is currently completing her Ph.D. in Sociology at the CUNY Graduate Center and serves as the CEO/Principal of Build on Purpose, a consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations build and sustain long-term social impact.