About Latoya

Latoya A. Henry has made her mark at the intersection of philanthropy, public relations, fundraising, strategic partnerships, and nonprofit leadership for more than two decades. From New York City to Atlanta and beyond, she has built a career around connecting people, ideas, and resources to causes that matter, all while challenging traditional perceptions of altruism and inspiring a new generation of changemakers.

After breaking ground in the corporate world as a Public Relations Specialist at Citigroup Smith Barney, her entrepreneurial spirit led to her first nonprofit experience at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. As an independent consultant, Latoya spearheaded brand management and media relations for the organization before eventually taking on the role of Interim Director of Marketing. Dedicated to the mission of providing funding and educational opportunities to students attending public Historically Black Colleges and Universities, she helped shape the organization's brand, expand its visibility, and achieve essential fundraising goals, leaving not a single medium untouched: web, print, television, radio, publishing, retail, and event management.

Latoya's forte for event production and storytelling would eventually steer her back to the helm of her own endeavors. As an independent consultant, she lent her expertise to an array of worthy initiatives, including SFK – Success for Kids, A Better Chance, Children of Promise, the National Urban League, and the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS. She was instrumental in creating Swing!: A Summer Cocktail Party with Jazz at Lincoln Center and producing Art + Jazz, a collaboration between Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her creative touch also helped bring The Schott Foundation for Public Education's #PublicSchoolGrad art showcases to New York, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. From producing high-profile fundraising affairs to cultivating corporate partnerships, Latoya developed a reputation for blending creativity, strategy, and social impact with a healthy dose of panache.

Yet, time away from the hustle and bustle would reinforce that being in service and support of others was her true motivation. A year-long stay at the ISKCON of Bay Area Temple in Berkeley, California, prompted a deeper connection to community and relationship building. While there, she continued flexing her public relations and marketing expertise, producing events, developing marketing campaigns, and strengthening the Temple's communications infrastructure, all while deepening her spiritual practice. She emerged from this period of restoration with a re-centered perspective, clearer priorities, and renewed energy for work rooted in purpose.

That commitment to purposeful leadership eventually brought Latoya to Usher's New Look, where she served as Vice President of Programs & Partnerships. There, she moved beyond creating awareness and raising funds to designing and scaling programs that put young people at the center of their own transformation. She led national program initiatives, cultivated corporate and foundation partnerships, strengthened organizational systems, and launched Disruptivate!, a platform designed to amplify youth voices and engage the next generation in conversations and action around issues affecting their communities. Her work included Disruptivate: Environmental Justice, a collaboration with Captain Planet Foundation that would ultimately help shape the next chapter of her career.

Today, Latoya serves as Chief Operating Officer of Captain Planet Foundation, where she oversees organizational operations, program strategy, implementation, and growth. At the heart of her work is a belief that young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are capable of creating meaningful change today. Through initiatives such as Project Learning Garden, the Green Heart STEM Challenge, and Planeteer Alliance, she helps build the partnerships, infrastructure, and opportunities that empower young people to become environmental problem-solvers in their schools, communities, and around the world. Whether cultivating relationships with corporate partners, expanding programs into new markets, or strengthening the systems that allow organizations to grow, Latoya brings both an entrepreneurial mindset and a deep commitment to creating lasting impact.

Her dedication to service extends beyond her professional endeavors. A member of the Junior League and a participant in United Way's Volunteer Involvement Program (VIP), Latoya continues to invest in opportunities that strengthen communities, foster relationships, and cultivate the next generation of nonprofit and civic leaders.

Although her career has evolved from public relations and special events to executive leadership, Latoya has never lost her appreciation for the power of bringing the right people together. She has worked alongside powerhouse corporate partners, from LVMH, JPMorgan Chase, and Mercedes-Benz to Jaguar, Deutsche Bank, and JetBlue, developing relationships that connect business interests with meaningful social causes. What began as a knack for pairing lifestyle and luxury brands with charitable initiatives has evolved into a broader philosophy of leveraging relationships, resources, and influence for the greater good.

"Money sustains our lives and creates opportunity—it's our responsibility to use that support to give back," she shares. Having once coined the phrase "party with purpose," Latoya has expanded that philosophy far beyond the events that helped define her early career. Today, whether she is in a boardroom, a classroom, or halfway around the world, her motivation remains the same: bringing people together, opening doors, and turning good intentions into meaningful action.