Meet Our 2022 ELEVATE Judges
Written by Tanner Alexander, ELEVATE Committee Vice-chair
Beads flying, people cheering and music blaring: These are a few of the sights and sounds of a Mardi Gras parade.
Parades are fun, full of energy and often a spectacle, but let’s face it — they can be chaotic. That’s why every good parade has a grand marshal.
The grand marshal leads the procession and sets the standard for what’s expected. Similarly, the ELEVATE awards wouldn’t be possible without the leadership and insight from our ELEVATE judges.
This year we’re excited to introduce eight bright, vibrant and inspiring grand marshals to lead us into the 2022 ELEVATE awards:
Alan Bacon and Mali Jeffers, co-founders, GANGGANG
These true-life partners and leaders (talk about #RelationshipGoals) bring a love of arts, culture and community to our Mardi Gras parade. Collectively they bring a lifetime of Indy living and well over a decade of community-focused work.
Bacon and Jeffers co-founded GANGGANG, a cultural development firm. Bacon is passionate about improving economic mobility and finding creative solutions to ending poverty. Jeffers has a background in arts, culture and inclusive programming, and she works to eliminate barriers to success, especially for those in the cultural sector.
An Indiana University grad, father of three, musician and writer, Bacon previously worked as senior director of Social Innovation for United Way of Central Indiana. Jeffers is a graduate of the Stanley K. Lacy Leadership Series, an Indianapolis Business Journal 40 Under Forty recipient and a 2015 TedX speaker. She previously led the marketing and city engagement of a $1.3 billion development project in downtown Indianapolis.
The duo traveled to New Orleans for the first time last year — during Mardi Gras. While the city was still enduring the coronavirus pandemic, Bacon and Jeffers could feel the cultural richness and importance of the holiday. Bacon’s favorite Big Easy grub: a steaming bowl of gumbo with andouille sausage. For Jeffers? Hands down, the muffuletta.
Get social with Alan and Mali:
Instagram: @ganggangculture, @malinasimone, @alanbacon7
A’Niyah Birdsong, Miss Indiana USA
Birdsong brings a love for STEM and the courage to disrupt to our Mardi Gras parade. While this Indiana native hasn’t experienced Mardi Gras before, she’s no stranger to New Orleans (or those legendary beignets). When she’s not winning pageants, crowns and the hearts of Hoosiers, she can be found strategizing to improve patient outcomes at Eli Lilly and Company or advocating for women in science, technology, engineering and math. Throughout her life she’s been challenging the status quo, inserting herself in spaces that lack diversity and representation and by refusing to become complacent. We know she’ll bring that fiery energy as she leads our awards.
Get social with A’Niyah:
Instagram: Niyahbird and Missinusa
Jo Garcia, individual giving officer, The Great American Songbook Foundation
Sound the alarms, because this grand marshal is a former ELEVATE Community Ambassador of the Year award winner. Garcia brings a love for music and historic preservation to our parade route. She is passionate about equitable fundraising and diversity, equity and inclusion. She knows nobody does jambalaya like New Orleans and looks forward to getting a sneak peek of this city at this year’s ELEVATE awards.
Get social with Jo:
Twitter: jogarcia2525
Gloria Jimenez, executive director, Indiana Latino Expo
Peru, Los Angeles, Indianapolis and now New Orleans — this grand marshal has seen many great cities and can’t wait to see what Mardi Gras looks like at ELEVATE. Jimenez brings a passion for advancing opportunities for all people and has spent many years advocating and creating equitable spaces for the Latinx community. If she looks familiar, you’ve probably seen her on one of the many TV shows she hosts on Telemundo Indy Channel 19 and WISH-TV. Don’t be surprised if this grand marshal makes you go viral with her love for media and TikTok. Just don’t let her catch you doing any embarrassing dance moves on Feb. 26!
Get social with Gloria:
Instagram: @glojimeneztv
Tiktok: @glojimeneztv
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloria-jimenez-4558856b/
Ericka Sanders, executive director, You Yes You!
From hosting the first father-daughter dance inside an Indiana prison facility in 2014 to being one of the first recipients of United Way's Social Innovation Fund, our next grand marshal is all about making impactful connections. Sanders spends most of her days hosting activities inside local prisons for fathers and their children. She considers herself a voice for voiceless incarcerated men and their children. When she’s not busy reshaping the prison system, she enjoys spending time with her husband, children and cockapoo puppy. If you can’t find a beignet at ELEVATE, don’t blame Sanders: She’s just excited to try one — or several!
Get social with Erica:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/youyesyouproject
Instagram: @youyesyouproject
Taylor Schaffer, chief of staff and chief deputy mayor, Indianapolis
If you want people to talk about your parade, you need a grand marshal like Schaffer. She may have only visited New Orleans once as a teenager, but she’s been serving Indianapolis since 2016. She’s managed communications, policy and much more for the mayor and other executive officials, so we know she can handle anything this parade throws at her. She’s a board president, community leader and a lover of king’s cake — praline, not cream cheese (if you know, you know).
Get social with Taylor:
Twitter: @tschaffer1
Luke Zhang, senior data scientist, Resultant
Visiting New Orleans may be on our next grand marshal’s bucket list, but don’t let his lack of authentic creole crawfish boil fool you: He’s accomplished a lot! Since moving to the United States 12 years ago, Zhang finished top of his class (with a triple major) from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, completed over a dozen online certifications and made significant progress toward a master’s degree. Outside of work, he loves to give back to his community through volunteer opportunities, board memberships and mentorship opportunities. Zhang also writes his own columns for the Indianapolis Business Journal. Don’t be surprised if you see him letting loose and enjoying a brandy milk punch at this year’s event.
Get social with Luke: