Organizational Overview

To solve the world’s most pressing issues, we need to empower those closest to inequity to be drivers of liberatory innovation. We need good trouble.

trubel&co (pronounced "trouble and co") is a tech-justice nonprofit championing underserved youth to tackle complex societal and environmental challenges using equitable data analytics, responsible technology, and inclusive design. Our mission is to accelerate proximate innovators who are committed to liberation by empowering the next generation with the opportunity and tools to fix the problems they care about the most.

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In our approach to democratizing access to technical education, trubel&co grounds career technical education and experiential learning with liberatory design and abolitionist frameworks. Our STEM curricula and curated spaces of civic discourse center identity & place while mobilizing students as agents of change in their own communities, resulting in trubel&co diversifying the fields of STEM and innovation, building critical consciousness, and instilling self-efficacy as the next generation reimagines society for the better.

Our services fall under three core pillars: Learn, Build, and Connect.

• Learn: Accelerating technical capacity and civic discourse via one-time & extended learning environments integrating STEM & liberation, including our summer flagship Mapping Justice, where high school students learn geospatial analytics, explore the intersection of Race, Power, and Technology, and create digital apps for social and environmental change

• Build: Filling the technical deficit within civic initiatives through service-learning, job placements, and advisory work, mobilizing students and staff to directly apply their skills in data, design, and technology to tackle societal and environmental challenges

• Connect: Extending the impact of our pedagogy & amplifying the capacity of alumni via programs on storytelling, upskilling, and networking around liberatory innovation, including public workshops, professional development, conference talks, and more!

trubel&co is backed by NewSchools, NSF, MIT Solve, National Geographic, Camelback Ventures, 4.0 Schools, CIV:Lab, AAG, Society for Science, and other institutional and individual donors.

Learn more about our mission through this pitch video. The team is 100% remote.

Position: Board of Directors

trubel&co is seeking to welcome new board members who bring passion, perspective, and strategic insight to help guide our next stage of growth. As a tech-justice nonprofit at the intersection of STEM education, civic action, and environmental sustainability, trubel&co is committed to building a future where innovation is community-driven, liberatory, and accessible to all. We’re looking for board members who can offer thought partnership, strategic direction, and active support in areas such as fundraising, financial stewardship, partnership building, impact storytelling, and/or nonprofit governance. Ideal candidates are aligned with our mission to close the data divide in the social and environmental sector and are excited to champion a new generation of leaders using geospatial data science, civic technology, and digital storytelling to advance equity in their communities.

Formally founded in 2022, trubel&co has already reached 1000+ students across the country through our Mapping Justice program, virtual workshops, and community partnerships. As we look ahead to expanding our impact, we’re eager to engage board members who can bring their expertise, networks, and commitment to equity to help shape this next chapter. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds, especially those with experience in philanthropy, social impact, public policy, education, or civic tech. If you're curious, committed, and ready to help steward a bold vision, we’d love to connect. In this round of recruitment, trubel&co is strongly prioritizing the following areas of expertise:

• Fundraising & Development

• Legal (ideally in nonprofit governance)

• Technology, Data, and/or GIS (Geographic Information Systems)

• Marketing, Communications, and Storytelling

Our Board of Directors is the governing body legally responsible for strategic oversight, financial health, and mission alignment. Members will work closely with trubel&co’s Founder/CEO and staff to guide the organization through its next phase of growth. This is a volunteer role that averages 3–5 hours per month.

Learn more about our current team and existing Board members here.

Responsibilities

• Fundraising & Financial Oversight

  • Support fundraising efforts, including reviewing materials, opening networks, and promoting events

  • Provide feedback on revenue strategies and budget planning

• Governance

  • Uphold legal and ethical standards, including duty of care, loyalty, and obedience

  • Review and approve policies, budgets, and major decisions

  • Participate in strategic planning and organizational risk assessment

• Support and Advocacy

  • Represent trubel&co in the broader community and introduce us to potential funders, partners, and collaborators

  • Serve as a thought partner to the staff on key decisions and programmatic direction

Give/Get: In line with our commitment to inclusion, Board members are not required to contribute or fundraise a specific amount for trubel&co. We do not set a certain amount, but we do ask board members to contribute time and financial contributions that are meaningful to them. For example, we request trubel&co remain in your top three giving priorities.

What we’re looking for

In line with our commitment to equity, candidates do not need to have certain degrees or a particular number of years experience working full-time. What’s important is that we are looking for candidates with professional expertise in one or more of the following areas:

• Fundraising & Philanthropy: Development strategy, donor networks, campaign design

• Legal: Nonprofit governance, intellectual property, contracts, employment law

• Tech / GIS / Data Science: Experience in spatial data, open data systems, or civic tech

• Marketing & Communications: Brand building, storytelling, social media, strategic comms

Ideal candidates:

• Believe in the transformative power of data for justice

• Have a track record of collaboration and accountability

• Center equity and community in their work

• Enjoy giving strategic advice and opening doors for others

• Are committed to building something innovative and urgent

• Excited about building from the ground up to tackle urgent challenges

We especially encourage applications from “proximate leaders”, those with prior Board experience, and people who have been historically excluded from power due to race, gender, or class.

📅 Time Commitment

• Term Length: 3 years, renewable

• Meetings:

  • 4 full Board meetings per year (2 hours each)

  • 2 quarterly check-ins (30 min each)

    • One before the board meeting on general updates and articulating priority issues

    • One after the board meeting on action items and deeper dive into problem-solving

• Additional Work:

  • Prep and follow-up work (1-3 hours/month); these might include:

    • Share upcoming funding opportunities or make intros to potential donors

    • Attending and promoting trubel&co updates, events, or fundraising campaigns

    • Review financial statements or budgets ahead of approval cycles

    • Contribute feedback to communications or annual report drafts

    • Participate in a short work session (e.g. 1-hour brainstorm on scaling or operations)

    • Review and provide feedback on program strategy or materials

  • Check and respond on Slack for continual updates

  • 1 Staff All-Hands meeting per year (1 hour)

How to Apply

Does this role sound like a good fit? Please submit an application here with any available (optional) accompanying materials (e.g., cover letter, portfolio, lesson plans, blog posts). Please reach out if you have any questions; we want to set you up for success. Send a note to hiring@trubel.co and our team will be in touch.

Application Process:

Click here to apply

Your application will include:

• Short written responses:

  • Who are you? How do you connect with the work of trubel&co?

  • What excites you about joining trubel&co’s Board of Directors? How do you see yourself contributing 3–5 hours per month in a meaningful and sustainable way? What barriers may arise as you meet this expectation?

  • What knowledge, skills, and mindsets would you bring to the Board? How do you want to contribute to our mission? What ideas or new directions would you us to consider?

  • How do you show up for your community? Perhaps you have you used your professional skills to advance equity, particularly for marginalized communities or justice-oriented organizations. You may have previously served on a nonprofit board or advisory committee? Perhaps you support your community outside of formal work and build community resilience. This may include formal or informal roles, or even volunteer-based support. What did you learn about these experiences and what was most rewarding?

  • What questions do you have for trubel&co?

Stage 1: Informational Interviews

• Candidates will be interviewed via phone call

Stage 2: Final Interviews & Reference Checks

• Finalists will be interviewed via Zoom by trubel&co’s Executive Director and one current board member

• Reference checks will follow for selected finalists

🌱 Final Thoughts

trubel&co is at a pivotal stage of growth, and we’re looking for Board members who are ready to roll up their sleeves and help us realize our mission: building a data-fluent future led by those most impacted by injustice. If you’re passionate about equity, innovation, and supporting underrepresented leaders in STEM—this is your moment.

Thank you for your interest and energy.

💌 Questions? Email us at: hiring@trubel.co