Press Release

Indianapolis community leader joins Trust grantmaking team

The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust welcomed Yecenia Tostado in April.

INDIANAPOLIS (April 17, 2023) – In early April, Yecenia Tostado joined the expanding Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust team as a senior program officer in Indianapolis.

“We are thrilled to add Yecenia to our team,” said Jeff Small, vice president of programs at the Trust. “Her deep experience building programs and working directly with individuals striving to better themselves and their communities will help us continue to build strong grantmaking strategies and identify new opportunities for impact in our city.”

Trust program officers are responsible for a large portfolio of grantmaking to help people in need, protect animals and nature, and enrich community life in Arizona and Indiana. As a senior program officer, Tostado will be a key member of the Indiana grants team and report to the vice president of programs. She will serve as a key representative of the Trust in Marion County, foster community partnerships and identify high impact giving opportunities.

“I’m excited to join the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust and be part of an organization making such a strong impact in the Indianapolis and Phoenix communities,” said Tostado. “Throughout my career, I’ve worked to increase education and workforce success and am thrilled to work alongside a team at the Trust that shares a common mission for meeting community needs.”

Prior to the Trust, Tostado was the first executive director of Project Azul, a nonprofit focused on workforce development for blue collar works in Central Indiana. Before Project Azul, she helped launch the citywide Indy Achieves scholarship program, which helps Marion County residents succeed in higher education and 21st century careers. She also previously served as the senior program director at the Indiana Latino Institute and spent several years developing and leading TRIO Upward Bound student support programs in the Indiana University system.

In addition to her work experience, Tostado is active in the Indianapolis community. She currently serves on the boards of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the District Theatre, Leadership Indianapolis and Indiana Humanities. She was recognized as one of Indiana University’s College of Arts and Sciences 20 Under 40 in 2021, the Indianapolis Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 in 2020 and Indy Eleven’s Campeones de la Comunidad in 2019. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in psychology and Spanish and a master’s degree in public affairs from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI where she focused on policy analysis and urban sustainability.

About the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust

The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust seeks to help people in need, especially women, children and families; to protect animals and nature; and to enrich community life, primarily in Phoenix and Indianapolis. The Trust has awarded nearly $375 million in grants and student scholarships since its inception in 1997. For more information, visit www.ninapulliamtrust.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Kristina Perez
Director of Communications and External Relations
kperez@ninapulliamtrust.org
480-887-0083