Who We Are
Since 2011, Districtly Speaking, has been the amplifier of powerful conversations that drive social change and empower communities.
Whether it's intimate stakeholder roundtables, panel discussions, town halls, or podcast interviews, we create safe, inclusive spaces that value a wide range of thought leadership.
At our core, we believe in the power of collective voices to enact positive, lasting change. Districtly Speaking guides you to achieve your most ambitious goals through strategic, thoughtfully-designed engagement.
Meet the Team
Jonelle Henry | Founder & President
I've always been the one sparking conversations in the room, the one asking the questions everyone else is thinking, the small talk expert in networking situations. I know when to let a conversation play out and when it's time to interject with a clarifying question. Instead of just talking, I turned my love for great conversation into a dynamic career path.
My roots are in media and communications. I'm a multi-passionate entrepreneur, respected journalist, and leader in my field with over 20 years of media and communications experience. I currently teach media and politics at the Washington Center. Previously, I served as a senior producer for C-SPAN, covering elections, foreign policy, the White House, and Congress. I hold a bachelor's degree in Broadcasting from the University of Florida and completed my master's degree at Johns Hopkins University in Communication in 2012, focusing on the intersection of race, media, and politics.
I'm well-versed in today's issues and can navigate just about any conversation. I'm the person you want in the room for ideas and collaboration, bringing my expertise and passion to empower others and drive positive change. I'm the curator of "dope conversations" and social events, known for bringing all kinds of stakeholders to the table on pressing issues.
Nicole Townsend | Junior Media & Content Creator
Hi, I’m Nicole Townsend! I am originally from Brooklyn, New York, and East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. I am a Senior Journalism major and Pre-Law minor at Emerson College who is passionate about all forms of storytelling, including print and visual. I focus on stories mostly centered around Race and Culture and enjoy the interviewing, researching, and writing process of curating a story.
Furthermore, I also enjoy talking to people from underrepresented communities who are often misrepresented in the media. I also enjoy doing leadership as I have been on the executive boards for multiple clubs and organizations that create safe havens for people of color and provide them with a safe space for their voices to be heard. I want to pursue law school and become an investigative journalist and lawyer.
In my future career, I hope to not only inform people of the news through the stories that I publish but also to be an advocate for change and to help the communities and community members in the stories that I will be producing.
Rabeh Ramadan | Junior Media & Content Creator
Hello! I’m Rabeh Ramadan, a senior college student studying political science at the University of Central Florida. I’m a proud Muslim Arab-American originally from Florida, and nearly all of my family is from Syria and Lebanon.
I have interned for multiple Florida state representatives while studying at UCF, along with being able to participate within the UCF Democrats and the Orlando Sunrise movement; I’m also fortunate enough to have experience in volunteering for my communities.
I am particularly passionate about federal policy and advocacy for marginalized groups in America and the Middle East, and hope to work within federal legislation to address these issues during the length of my career.
My primary goal is to make a lasting, positive impact through politics and federal policy, in addition to raising awareness around issues that impact everyday citizens across the world.
