We are designers, archivists, and historians working to create lasting social change.
The Shift Collective
We strive to create measurable and lasting social change by developing inclusive cultural memory experiences that give voice to unheard narratives and perspectives. We help communities tell and amplify their own stories, so that incomplete dominant narratives do not persist. We are focused on inclusive narrative and historical representation in order to support social, cultural and resource equity.
MISSION
We support and design community-driven initiatives to boost social, cultural and resource equity.
VALUES
We are committed to core values of equity, compassion and transparency.
Founding Members
Bergis Jules
Bergis Jules is the Director of Equity Initiatives and the Project Director for Documenting the Now, a project which seeks to develop tools and practices that support the ethical collection, use, and access to archival content generated from the web and social media. The work of Documenting the Now was initially developed in 2014 to support archiving of the protests and activism that took place in Ferguson, Missouri after the murder of Michael Brown, and as those activities played out on social media. Jules’ work also involves helping community-based archives, especially those documenting the lives of marginalized people, to build capacity and achieve long-term sustainability.
Jon Voss
Jon Voss is the Director of Operations and a Senior Strategist. He helped build the Historypin network to over 4,000 cultural memory organizations, co-founded the Linked Open Data in Libraries, Archives and Museums Summit in 2011 and the Cultural Heritage and Social Change Summit in 2016, and has helped design and build community-centered engagement programs around the world. Prior to joining the Shift team in 2011, his career spanned economic activism, impact investing, and technology consulting. Jon uses he/him/his pronouns.
Lynette Johnson
Lynette Johnson is a cultural historian working with cultural heritage institutions to create programs and tools to help them better connect with their communities, mostly around shared local history. Prior to joining Shift in 2017, she held positions as a journalist, art director, and digital media strategist at The Times-Picayune in New Orleans, The Journal News in New York, and The Los Angeles Times, overseeing various newsroom, corporate, and community engagement projects. She has a BA in Communications from the University of New Orleans, and is a Master of Preservation Studies candidate at Tulane University’s School of Architecture. In 2019, Lynette was named a National Trust Diversity Scholar by the National Trust for Historic Places.
The Board
Monique Davis
Monique currently works as the Managing Director for the Center for Art and Public Exchange. (CAPE) is a Kellogg funded initiative that uses artwork, exhibitions and programming as a vehicle to have conversations about race and equity. Monique is responsible for developing programming that expands visitor’s perspectives and inspires new understanding. Monique is deeply committed to the belief that art has the power to transform and inform us. Monique is a CPA, and a graduate of Howard University. Monique also serves on the boards of these organizations: Alternate ROOTS (Executive Committee Board Chair), Visit Jackson (Board Treasurer), United States Department of Arts and Culture (Cultural Agent for Mississippi), and Coleman center for the Arts (At-Large Member).
Chris Panos
Chris Panos is a long time social entrepreneur deeply interested in building communities that are mission driven, vital, and beyond the ken of existing, strictly political or economic organizational structures. He is Principal of Irinda Capital as well as being Board Chair for Zen Peacemakers International, Board President, Zen Hospice Project and an advisor for Wild Hair Media.
Heather Bornfeld
Heather Bornfeld, a Clinical Psychologist who has practiced in San Francisco for the past 20 years, is continually humbled by the power of personal storytelling, both for the individual and within relationships. She provides psychotherapy to adolescents, adults, and older adults, with a specialty in working with persons in late-life.
Nick Stanhope
Nick is founder and CEO of Shift Foundation. His clear vision for an innovative organization that brings together rigorous research, ambitious creativity and commercial expertise to design solutions to challenging social problems has defined Shift. Nick has grown the company from a tiny start-up to an international team, been actively involved in the strategic direction of all our work and established the partnerships that have allowed our products and services to reach scale and sustainability.
David Lubensky
David Lubensky is Principal at Bagatto, Inc where he leads strategic research and design efforts, facilitates executive workshops and brainstorms, publishes sustainability and international health research insights, mentors external research and design teams, and patents novel technologies with his collaborators. His contributions have led to the acquisition of three startups with valuations at over $300M.
Rachel Frick
Rachel is Executive Director, Research Library Partnership, OCLC, overseeing OCLC's work and engagement with the Research Library Partnership, a venue for research libraries to undertake significant, innovative, collective action to benefit libraries, scholars and researchers everywhere. Rachel has nearly 20 years of broad-based library experience, including senior positions at the Digital Public Library of America, the Digital Library Federation at the Council on Library and Information Resources, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the University of Richmond.