Zulayka Santiago

Zulayka Santiago is the Senior Program Director for Equity-Centered Leadership and Philanthropy at MDC, Inc. In this role, Zulayka leads a dedicated team, which includes State of the South and Race Matters Institute, focused on developing collaborative solutions to achieve systemic equity and build community.

After over 25 years of working with groups of humans of varying sizes, Zulayka has become well-versed at serving as liaison across culture, class, generation and political beliefs. She brings first-hand experience working in the public, private, philanthropic, nonprofit and cooperative sectors. Her ongoing commitment is to bring earth-rooted, heart-centered presence for the sake of her own freedom and our collective liberation.

Zulayka obtained a Master of Public Administration Degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Certificate in Nonprofit Management. Her undergraduate degree is in Pan-African Studies from Barnard College, Columbia University. She is a Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity. She was also part of the 06-08 William C. Friday Fellowship for Human Relations through the Wildacres Leadership Initiative. Zulayka has served on various Boards of Directors over the years, most recently the NC Environmental Justice Network and Change Elemental.

Zulayka is a founding member of Earthseed Land Collective in Durham, NC where she is apprenticing with and stewarded by 48 acres of land and the countless species that call that place home. In 2018 Zulayka received her Level I Certification through the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership, one small step on her learning journey as an amateur naturalist. She spends her days nurturing her tendencies toward connection, awe, and wonder.