Board Members & Officers
Nancy Eiden
Founder, Board Chair, and Secretary
Nancy is a results-driven leader in financial services. She has over 30 years of executive level experience driving business growth, strategic change initiatives, and product development at global banks and credit unions. Her diverse background includes wealth management, marketing, operations, and regulatory compliance. Nancy is currently an independent financial advisor and holds several securities industry licenses with LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC, including the Series 4, 7, 8, 24, 63, and 65. She is the managing member of a certified Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB).
Nancy is dedicated to advancing financial inclusion and economic empowerment for historically marginalized populations. In addition to First Step Alliance, she serves on the Board of Farm Sahel, a non-profit working to improve gender equity and food security in West Africa. She is also a Certified Mentor with SCORE, the nation's largest volunteer network of small business mentors. Nancy holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with concentrations in finance and management.
John Dalton
Trustee and Vice President
John is a fractional CFO, business consultant and Certified SCORE Mentor, who brings three decades of experience in senior finance roles ranging from startups to global companies. His diverse career includes business development, accounting advisory, financial operations and entrepreneurship. John is known for his creative and collaborative approach to solving complex challenges, and providing sustainable improvements to organizational health, efficiency, and profitability.
John is passionate about financial education and enabling financial services which promote inclusivity and equity. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Richmond and earned an MBA in Finance from the NYU Stern School of Business.
Monisha Mapp
Trustee
Monisha is a seasoned financial services professional. She has more than 20 years of experience with global banks, including as a senior branch examiner and business transformation analyst. She is currently a compliance consultant for Wells Fargo Advisors.
Monisha is actively involved in non-profit organizations that support civil rights and social action, economic empowerment and children’s causes. She holds an MSL in Corporate Compliance from Fordham University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Math, Statistics & Economics from Stony Brook University. Monisha is a Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI) and financial coach.
Zachary Rubi
Trustee, President and Treasurer
Zac is a seasoned marketing professional and is currently a Digital Marketing Specialist with JetBlue Airways. He is also co-founder of Sandbox SEO, an agency helping companies accelerate growth through the intersection of SEO, UX, and software development. Zac’s experience includes digital marketing, SEO, SEM, business strategy, financial modeling, and project management.
In addition to First Step Alliance, Zac volunteers with the Center for Food Action and the Riverside Park Conservancy. He has also worked with the Wharton/SEI Center for Marketing Innovation, a non-profit collaboration bringing awareness to global social impact projects. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, with a concentration in Finance.
Madjalia Seynou
Trustee
Madjalia is the Controller at the Center for Action and Contemplation and a dedicated nonprofit finance professional. She adapts quickly to changing environments and works collaboratively to achieve shared goals.
She is also the Founder and Executive Director of FarmSahel, a nonprofit that helps women in Africa’s Sahel region build economic independence through sustainable permaculture. FarmSahel equips local communities with seeds, seedlings, and natural fertilizers, along with the training and educational resources they need to thrive.
Madjalia holds an Master of Science in accounting from St. John's University.
Carmen Halford
Trustee
Carmen E. Halford is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Transactional Clinic at Suffolk University Law School. Her work focuses on entrepreneurship law and economic empowerment, with extensive experience advising entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofits on corporate, finance, intellectual property, and commercial matters.
Previously, Carmen was a Clinical Instructor at Harvard Law School, where she taught and supervised transactional legal work and developed a course on second-chance entrepreneurship and economic independence. She has also practiced corporate and finance law at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Kleinberg Kaplan.
Carmen holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and New York.