Our Staff
Though we are small, we are mighty!
Interested in working with us?
826 MSP offers part-time internships, which can be for college credit. Learn more here.
Dr. JAMAL ADAM, Executive Director & LegaCY Funding CONTACT PERSON
Dr. Jamal Adam grew up Somalia and lived in Kenya as a refugee for nine years before he moved to the United States. Jamal has over 20 years of serving multiple roles at multiple educational institutions. In his role, he served as an academic dean, counselor, and instructor at several community colleges in Minnesota. Jamal is passionate about academic success and personal wellbeing of diverse students. In his free time, Jamal volunteers with several non-profit organizations in the Twin Cities where he serves as a member of the Board of Directors and a mentor. He enjoys traveling, long distance running, and most importantly, spending quality time with family and friends.
Dr. Jamal Adam earned his Associate of Arts degree from Minneapolis Community and Technical College, followed by a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Science and Psychology from Metropolitan State University, a Master of Arts in Counseling and Psychological Services from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Policy from University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
Favorite Book: The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini.
Dan mullen-davis, Program manager
Dan Mullen-Davis was born and raised in New Jersey. He studied English literature and education at Rowan University. While teaching, he pursued an MFA in Creative Writing focusing on writing for children and young adults from Sierra Nevada University. He also has an MFA in Creative Writing focusing on creative nonfiction writing from University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe. He’s been a teacher, school secretary, program coordinator for his alma mater MFA program, and is excited and honored to be the Program Manager for 826 MSP. Dan has been writing since he was young and now uses creative writing to enrich the lives of students that come to 826 MSP. When Dan is not writing, he can be found rooting on his beloved Philadelphia Union, taking his friendly dog for a walk, or traveling with his wife and kids across the states to see family.
Favorite Book: The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya
Board of Directors
Interested in becoming a board member for 826 MSP? Email boardchair@826msp.org for more information.
CROWN SHEPHERD is a Marketing Specialist at Wise Ink Creative Publishing as well as a published author, reading advocate, and copyeditor. Crown has dedicated her life to closing the illiteracy rate within the Black community. Crown joined 826 MSP’s board in June 2023.
DANIELLA DE FRANCO has more than 15 years experience as a corporate strategist. She currently works as a Venture Growth Manager at Rippleworks. She volunteers as a consultant and team lead at Compass Pro Bono, which is where she initially began working with 826 MSP. She joined the board in September 2024 and serves as Co-Chair.
KHALID MOALIM is a screen writer whose television and film credits include NCIS: New Orleans, FBI: Most Wanted, Sorry To Bother You, Station 19 and more. He joined the board in December of 2025.
SHELBY DALE DEWEESE (she/her/hers) is a writer and educator who teaches middle school English Language Arts in Minneapolis. She was previously on the staff of 826 Valencia and has been volunteering with 826 MSP and the broader 826 network since 2013. Shelby joined the board in 2022 and serves on the impact committee.
JULIA TANG serves as the Research Operations Director at the University of Minnesota, where she plays a pivotal role in managing and enhancing research infrastructure. With a keen focus on optimizing operational processes, Julia ensures that the university's research initiatives are both efficient and effective. Julia joined the board in January 2025 and serves as Co-Chair.
RICARDO NAKANO has 25 years of experience in Information Technology and corporate consulting. He currently works as a Project Director at Elevance Health. Ricardo joined the board in September 2024.
JOE WATT is the Managing Director of ECMC Group’s Education Impact Fund. His experience spans private equity investing, corporate strategy and M&A in both technology and education companies. Joe is a graduate of the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University where he was an Impact Investing Fellow, as well as the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Joe joined the board in March 2026.