Founded in Los Angeles, CA. Working nationally. Committed to nonprofits doing the most essential work.
WHO WE ARE
Mockingbird Incubator is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization that trains early-stage nonprofits and provides fiscal sponsorship to social justice projects across the United States. We work with nonprofit leaders who are building the organizations their communities need.
We give organizations the operational knowledge, governance tools, and financial infrastructure to make that work more impactful. We believe the nonprofit sector benefits when organizations share a strong foundation.
OUR STORY
Mockingbird Incubator was founded in 2018 after a pattern became impossible to ignore. Nonprofit leaders kept coming to us asking for help, but many were not yet in a position to grow strategically because they did not have the organizational foundation to build from. They had a mission. They had the commitment. What they did not have was the administrative infrastructure to sustain and scale their work.
We built the Incubator Program to close that gap. Since then, we have graduated more than 20 cohorts and trained over 400 founders and nonprofit leaders in the fundamentals of running an organization that can deliver on its mission.
HOW WE THINK ABOUT THIS WORK
We think of Mockingbird Incubator as a teaching hospital. Our goal is not just to train nonprofit leaders and send them on their way, or to handle the back office for our fiscally sponsored projects while they deliver programs. It is to make sure every organization and project we work with understands the system they are operating in, builds the knowledge to navigate it confidently, and grows stronger over time.
We also believe that nonprofits are not in competition with each other. We are all part of the same ecosystem. The issues communities face are always changing, and new organizations bring new relationships, new approaches, and new ideas that existing institutions cannot always adapt to. A sector with diverse and aligned organizations is a stronger sector. That is the belief that underlies everything we do.
What We Stand For:
Community-led organizations are essential, not optional
Ethically grounded Infrastructure is how nonprofits serve their communities well
The nonprofit sector is stronger when organizations learn and grow together
Accountability and transparency are values, not just compliance requirements
New organizations bring new thinking, and that is good for the sector
Meet Our Team
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Jessica’s background is in research and outcomes evaluation for multiple government, academic and non-profit institutions. At CASA of Los Angeles, she managed a large scale data system conversion project, as well as all original research and strategic planning. With Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), Jessica worked with a wide range of constituents, stakeholders, and agencies to create effective program evaluation strategies. Working with the GRYD Office Jessica designed and managed the Summer Night Lights program evaluation for multiple years in addition to participating in the development of the Intervention Crisis Response and Intervention Family Case Management research components. Prior to that Jessica worked on multiple National Institute of Justice and National Institute of Health Studies on the California Juvenile Justice system and Gang Social Identity studies with the USC Center for Research on Crime and Social Control. She holds a Masters in Urban Planning with an emphasis on Social and Community Development from the University of Southern California Sol Price School of Policy Planning and Development.
Jessica Payne
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Pamela has more than 7 years of experience in the financial sector of Colombia. Prior to coming to Los Angeles to pursue a Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California, Pamela studied Financial Engineering in Bogota, Colombia and worked for the 3 of the 4 biggest pension funds in the country in the areas of Risk Management, Strategy Evaluation and Portfolio Administration, administrating $220 million government entities' trust business in local government securities market. Pamela's background is in quantitative evaluation and financial analysis. Pamela is a passionate about helping nonprofits and social enterprises to solve the most challenging social problems and be able to connect and support them in finding innovative profit models.
Pamela Gutierrez
Rachel M. Goldman, CNM, M.S.
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Rachel joined Mockingbird Analytics in 2021 with over ten years of experience as an educator, instructional coach, enrichment coordinator, curriculum writer, and board member. Since beginning at Mockingbird, Rachel has raised over $40 million on behalf of nonprofit clients across the country through both private and public grant programs. A graduate of New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized and Drexel University’s Westphal College, she is passionate about helping nonprofits reach their goals through sustainable fundraising and financial planning. Rachel is also a proud City Year LA and TFA LA alum with particular interest in education, youth development, and arts & culture. In addition to her leadership at Mockingbird Analytics, Rachel serves as Mockingbird Incubator’s Chief Financial Officer, and leads the financial management of both the nonprofit and its fiscally sponsored projects.
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Mikka Tokuda-Hall joined the Mockingbird Incubator team in August 2025. She has a background in education and nonprofit communications as well as documentary editing. Mikka studied English Literature and Ancient Greek at Oberlin College and has a M.A. in English and American Literature from New York University. Originally from the Bay Area, Mikka now lives in Los Angeles with her husband, their young son and their dog. She loves working in her vegetable garden, sewing, knitting and camping with her family.
Mikka Tokuda-Hall
Meet Our Board of Directors
Jose (Jose Ibarra-Virgen) Ibarra, MPA
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Jose is a social services professional with over twenty years of experience working in program development, outreach, counseling, Human Resources and project management for community-based nonprofit organizations. Areas of expertise include public housing, gang violence prevention/intervention, emancipated foster care youth, early child development, skills development, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS services, sexual health education, mental health treatment.
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Leonard Hyman is a Senior Performance Auditor for the City of Long Beach. He has worked in program performance evaluation for local governments for the past five years. He has previously worked for the City of San Jose and the City of Los Angeles. He is a policy wonk with a keen interest in civic innovation, good governance, and emerging technology. His career has spanned the public, private and nonprofit sectors. He received his Master's in Public Policy and his B.A. in English from the University of Southern California.
Leonard Hyman
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Victoria Palacio Carr is the Deputy Director of State Strategy at the Legal Action Center (LAC). At LAC, Victoria leads the development of partner engagement strategies and serves as project manager for the No Health = No Justice campaign and the Black Harm Reduction Network. In her role, she works to advance state-based health and criminal justice reform and policy solutions. Moreover, she is passionate about tackling complex social justice and racial equity issues that impact communities of color. Before working at LAC, Victoria was a research assistant at the Center for Law and Social Policy. There, she supported advocacy efforts to improve access to work support programs for low-income communities and justice-involved populations. Victoria received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from California State University Long Beach and a Master of Public Policy from American University. She is also a Certified Associate Project Manager (CAPM). Victoria is from Los Angeles, California, and has a lifelong passion for social justice, guiding her professionally and personally.
Victoria Palacio
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Jennifer Fei is the Founder and Principal of ōen studios. She is a strategist, facilitator, and advisor based in New York City. She founded ōen studios to advance the visionary leadership and impact of justice-driven organizations through strategy development, capacity building, and impact storytelling. Through past senior leadership roles, she has managed large cross-functional teams and budgets, led successful multi-million dollar non-profit fundraising campaigns, and implemented global partnership programs. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from UC Berkeley and her Master’s in International Policy from Stanford University. With extensive professional experience in philanthropic, corporate, research, and non-profit organizations, she is passionate about leveraging her skills and expertise for the benefit of impactful leaders and teams and in service of a more just and equitable world.
Jennifer Fei
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Brittany Bogue is a user experience professional with over a decade of experience working with a wide-range of education organizations across non-profit and private sectors. Her experience ranges from small colleges to large publishing organizations focused on everything from student services to user experience. She cares about accessibility, community building, and arts-based approaches to civic engagement. She holds a Master of Education degree from the University of Georgia.
Brittany Bogue
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Saudith is a Scrum Master with ten years of experience working for organizations throughout southern California. Originally from Mexico, she also spent time abroad studying and working in France. She cares about social justice and expanding access to housing, healthcare, and education. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Languages from the University of California, Riverside.
Saudith Sanchez
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