Our Team

Judi Lopez

Judi Lopez is a transformative media executive whose three decades of leadership have reshaped some of the world’s most iconic entertainment brands and unlocked billions in growth. As President & CEO of the T. Howard Foundation, she brings an extraordinary record of innovation, revenue acceleration, and industry influence to an organization dedicated to advancing excellence and opportunity in media, entertainment, and technology.

Lopez’s career is marked by landmark achievements that reshaped the media landscape, from pioneering transformative distribution and monetization strategies at Hallmark Media, AMC Networks, and The Walt Disney Company to forging new models of partnerships that continue to influence today. Beyond her business impact, she is equally distinguished as a mission-driven leader. Over 17 years with the T. Howard Foundation—including service as Board Chair—she has championed access, helping transform the Foundation into a premier pipeline for the next generation of media and technology innovators.

Her leadership has been widely recognized, earning the Cynopsis Corporate Visionaries Award and repeated recognition on CableFAX’s “Most Powerful Women” and “Diversity” lists. A graduate of Cal Poly University, with additional advanced leadership development combines strategic foresight with operational excellence to deliver lasting impact.

At the T. Howard Foundation, she is advancing a bold vision—creating pathways that empower thousands of students and alumni not only to enter the media and technology industries, but to define and shape the future with impact.

“We don’t just prepare students to join the media and tech world—we empower them to transform it.” 

Sarah Giannakopoulos

With 15 years of leadership experience across media and higher education, Sarah is the Chief Operating Officer of the T. Howard Foundation, where she oversees all business operations, including finance, human resources, IT, staffing, and program development. She has successfully led high-impact initiatives such as transitioning the Foundation to a fully virtual model, designing and implementing a custom CRM system, and producing fundraising events that raise over $1.2 million annually. Through targeted grant applications, Sarah has secured more than $500,000 in funding, including multiple Walter Kaitz Foundation awards and the Montgomery County COVID Relief Grant.

Before joining the Foundation, Sarah served as Senior Manager of Business Administration at CNN’s Washington, D.C. Bureau, where she supervised a team of 14 and led employee engagement programs for 400+ staff. She coordinated major events, wellness programs, professional development initiatives, and corporate partnerships, ensuring seamless operations across multiple departments. Earlier in her career, Sarah held leadership roles in higher education and accreditation, gaining expertise in compliance, operational strategy, and performance management.

A dedicated and highly engaged leader, Sarah is committed to advancing organizational growth, fostering team development, and creating meaningful opportunities for staff, interns, and partners alike.

Jo Pamphile

For nearly 20 years, Jo Pamphile has led the T. Howard Foundation with vision and dedication, transforming it into a national leader in advancing equity and opportunity in media, entertainment, and technology. Under her leadership, the Foundation expanded its flagship internship program, built lasting partnerships with top industry companies, and strengthened its alumni network to ensure career-long support.

As she steps into the role of President Emeritus, her legacy stands as one of growth, innovation, and meaningful change.

Sahara Selby

Sahara brings her unique background and experience to the Foundation, THF interns, and THF partners. She began her career at Bank of America in Charlotte, NC, where she took part in diversity recruiting efforts for undergraduate programs and internships.

Sahara’s mentorship and professional immersion with local colleges and universities only heightened her growing passion to work directly with students. This personal commitment to supporting diversity efforts and mentorship programs, both in and out of the workplace, drew her to the T. Howard Foundation. Sahara earned a B.S. in Marketing from North Carolina A&T State University.

Rich Goodman

Rich is determined to build opportunities for folks to create and share their own story. Greatly benefiting from supportive student affairs professionals while studying at Shepherd University, Rich is an advocate for invested mentorship, and has built a career in college administration since 2015.

Inspired by incredible women supporting him as a TRiO student at Shepherd, Rich eagerly joined the TRiO staff as a grad student to help other first-generation students, low-income students, and students with disabilities. Rich began his post-graduate career building communities in residence life, and soon found his love for career advising and employer relations in 2019. Rich has since advised thousands of students and built relationships with hundreds of community partners to create impactful and equitable career opportunities.

Rich holds a B.A. in Psych, B.S. in Bio, M.A. in Teaching, and M.A. in College Student Development and Administration from Shepherd University in the beautiful town of Shepherdstown, WV. Rich is an unapologetic nerd, traveler, food lover, WV-enthusiast, and he’ll talk to you all day about all of the above.

Dezanae Boston-Bernier

Dezanae (She, her) is a Boston native with a background in higher education administration through her work at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and Georgetown University. Dezanae received her BA in Psychology and M.Ed in Higher Education Administration from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She then grew her career in various student-facing roles, where she honed her skills in student development, leadership development, and student employment.

Dezanae is excited to bring her skills and knowledge to the THF Internship Program as Program Manager. She approaches her work with a person-centered lens, recognizing that a truly transformational experience is carefully curated to support and grow each student. Dezanae is very excited to assist in the management of the impactful T. Howard Foundation internship program.

Douglas Vo

In his role as a Senior Coordinator, Douglas connects with THF’s diverse body of students and works to provide them with opportunities to further their career goals. As an alumnus of the University of Maryland, College Park, Douglas graduated in 2015 with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Entrepreneurship Technology. During his undergraduate career, he was a Hillman Entrepreneurship Scholar, where he gained firsthand experience with business development and leadership. He was able to apply his leadership expertise to a 10-year career in retail management and a period of working in government contracting. Douglas believes in the value of paying it forward and helping younger generations become leaders in their own right, so he is excited to apply his skills and passions to the work of the T. Howard Foundation.

Nicole Asamoah

Nicole is thrilled to be part of the team at T. Howard as Senior Coordinator of the Internship Program. She received her B.A. in Applied Psychology from the Pennsylvania State University and her M.S. in Counseling with a concentration in College Student Personnel from the University of Bridgeport. In addition to her educational background, Nicole has had the opportunity to serve diverse students from their transition into college to the moment they cross the graduation stage. Her passion, warmth, and empathy have helped her guide students on their journeys to their personal and professional goals. As a former academic advisor, she understands the significance that one meaningful internship opportunity or connection can have on the trajectory of a student’s life. She brings her unique perspective, knowledge of higher education, and skills to support the Foundation’s ongoing mission and commitment to the success of their students and internship program.

Ana Cortez

As Program Associate with THF’s TECH Internship Program and as a first-generation Mexican-American, Ana understands how essential equity and inclusivity are in education and the workplace.

Born and raised in Southern California, Ana holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language and Literature from the University of California, Davis. She spent five years at the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House, working behind the scenes in project and facilities management, supporting their mission of comfort and care to families with critically ill children. Ana believes her education, experience, and interpersonal skills contributes to the success of THF students and THF’s mission.

Ana can be found hiking mountains in her free time, visiting state and national parks with her friends, and spending time with her family.

Bethann Mwombela

A proud native of Washington, DC, Bethann is deeply committed to advancing equity and inclusion initiatives. She earned her B.A. in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is pursuing her M.S. in Counseling at Johns Hopkins University.

In her previous role at Share Our Strength, Bethann successfully led partnership development efforts, and she is excited to bring her expertise to T. Howard as Program Associate, Career and Alumni Services. Her experience in mentorship and counseling informs her person-centered approach, ensuring that she effectively supports both students and partner organizations. Known for her authentic collaboration and optimistic leadership style, Bethann is dedicated to fostering meaningful connections that advance the organization’s mission.

Outside of her professional pursuits, Bethann enjoys outdoor adventures, reading new books, hitting the gym, watching reality TV, and listening to Afro-beats and gospel music. She thrives on meeting new people and has a knack for making friends wherever she goes.

Edina Varsa

In her role in Administration, Edina supports the Foundation’s president and COO in industry outreach efforts, the Annual Awards Dinner, and Board of Directors matters, and works with departments as needed.

With early experience in the for-profit world, Edina happened into the non-profit sector and has not looked back.

Her undergraduate degree in Sociology from the University of Maryland underscores her commitment to people. She is thrilled to work for an organization whose members are as passionate about the mission as she is.