What We Do

The New Options Project® is developing innovative tools and approaches that help out of school, out of work young adults (ages 16 – 24) access meaningful career opportunities. In addition, we work broadly to shift the perception of these young adults from social liability to economic and community asset.

What We Believe

A lasting impact demands a market-facing approach. To affect true change we must understand the market’s demand, craft solutions accordingly, and continuously respond to marketplace feedback.

Who We Are

Our team is composed of leaders in the fields of workforce development, youth development, education, public policy, employer engagement, and social entrepreneurship.

Leadership Team

Angela Cobb, Return on Inspiration Labs, LLC

Angela Cobb

Director

Return on Inspiration Labs, LLC


As Director of Return On Inspiration Labs, Angela Cobb leads the New Options Project, an initiative of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation that seeks to connect out-of-school, out of work young adults ages 16–24 with meaningful career opportunities through the introduction of innovative tools and approaches. Angela has two decades of experience in the areas of recruiting, diversity, community, development, strategic philanthropy, and change management. Before joining Return On Inspiration Labs, she served as the first Chief Diversity Officer at Teach For America and was a member of the Leadership Team. Mrs. Cobb has experience launching and leading new philanthropic efforts and business ventures at a variety of organizations, including Allstate and Monster.

Nadia Brigham, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Nadia Brigham

Program Officer

W.K. Kellogg Foundation


Nadia C. Brigham is a Program Officer with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, MI. She was the founding program officer for the New Options Project, an effort focused on prototype development towards market-based pathways to employment for disconnected young people ages 16–24. She also works with the Education & Learning team around life-long learning strategies, particularly racial equity in education strategies for vulnerable children, youth, and communities. Nadia co-leads leads the Grand Rapids place-based strategy team, acting as a liaison to realize the Foundation’s Strategic Framework in four particular neighborhoods in Grand Rapids, MI. On these teams, Nadia serves as a key internal/external liaison and coordinator for the initiative work and for general grantmaking. Prior to joining the Foundation, Nadia was Senior Community Investment Associate for the Heart of West Michigan United Way, where she managed investment councils; performed evaluations of partner agencies; developed strategies to address urgent/emergent social issues; and pursed partner relationships among providers, systems, and funding streams. She has held positions with several Grand Rapids area organizations, working to formulate strategic plans, develop marketing strategies, and lead team building and diversity training sessions.

Andrew M. Brower, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Andrew M. Brower

Program Officer

W.K. Kellogg Foundation


Andrew Brower is a Program Officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation based out of Grand Rapids, MI.

He co-leads the Grand Rapids place-based team, co-directing both strategy and investments. Brower is responsible for developing and coordinating strategic grantmaking activities that address systemic barriers that create vulnerable conditions for historically marginalized communities and children. His work includes implementing programmatic and grantmaking activities to increase social change impact, ongoing analysis of solutions and trends, developing relationships within the field, fostering alliances with community and philanthropic partners, and supporting the overall direction and implementation of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s strategic framework. Brower also serves as one of the leaders for the New Options Project®, an effort focused on prototype development toward market-based pathways to employment for disconnected young people ages 16–24.

Prior to joining the foundation in 2010, Brower served as the founding Executive Director of The SOURCE, a nonprofit focused on retention, supports, assets, career mobility, and workforce and economic development for employees, family members, and employers in one of Grand Rapids’ most economically depressed neighborhoods. Other earlier positions and experiences include serving as a Consultant and Project Manager for the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce, Director of Human Resources for Butterball Farms, and Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras.

Jonathan Njus, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Jonathan Njus

Program Officer

W.K. Kellogg Foundation


Jonathan Njus is a Program Officer on the Family Economic Security team at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, MI. He provides leadership and oversight for the on-the-ground execution of foundation efforts that build economic security for vulnerable children and their families through sustained income and asset accumulation. In this role, he recommends proposals for funding, manages a portfolio of grants, and designs and implements initiatives and projects that ensure family stability and increase workforce mobility for low-income families.

Prior to joining the foundation, Njus served as a senior policy advisor in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy for the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, DC. He was appointed to the Obama administration to advance the Department of Labor’s initiatives around clean energy, job training and worker safety, and was detailed temporarily to the Domestic Policy Council at the White House to work on labor issues. Prior to this, Njus worked for the Center for Economic Progress as the director of advocacy and co-coordinator of the National Community Tax Coalition in Chicago.

Njus has a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Kalamazoo College, and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago.

Suzanne Muchin, Frequency540, LLC

Suzanne Muchin

Partner, Strategy

Frequency540, LLC


Suzanne Muchin is a founder and Lead Strategist of Frequency 540, LLC. Prior to Frequency 540, she founded ROI Ventures, a socially aware strategy firm. For the past 18 years, Suzanne has worked from inside and outside social ventures, designing programs, business concepts, and products that have resulted in more than $100 million in direct and leveraged investments for projects seeking to “matter more.” Prior to launching Frequency 540, LLC, Suzanne was CEO of Civitas, a communication and marketing firm for the early childhood field that was founded by the former president of Harpo Entertainment. Suzanne came to Civitas from Teach For America, where she served for three years as the Vice President of National Programs after having been a TFA Charter Corps Member in the South Bronx.

Rachel Bellow, Frequency540, LLC

Rachel Bellow

Partner, Strategy

Frequency540, LLC


Rachel Newton Bellow is a partner and Lead Strategist at Frequency 540, LLC. Previously, she was a partner and Lead Strategist at ROI Ventures, a strategy firm focused on social impact. After eight years as the Program Director at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in New York, designing and executing funding programs totaling $20 million annually, she spun off Project 180, an incubator for joint ventures between nonprofit and commercial enterprise. In 1999, Rachel became a Partner at Divine InterVentures, Inc., a venture capital firm and incubator, where she was responsible for strategy and acquisitions for its social markets division. She has been an independent executive strategy consultant to Fortune 500 companies and has served on multiple foundation and nonprofit boards.

Partners

Living Classrooms Foundation, workforce.io
Innovate+Educate, Skills4Talent Ecosystem
Chicago Public Schools, Human Achievement Toolkit
Youth Radio, Journalism and Young Adult Advisors
Frequency540, LLC, Communications Strategy and Employer Engagement Platform
Corporate Voices for Working Families, Employer Engagement and Policy
Year Up, Employer Engagement and Policy

About the W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Established in 1930, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation supports children, families and communities as they strengthen and create conditions that propel vulnerable children to achieve success as individuals and as contributors to the larger community and society.