Danyetta Najoli, executive director of the nonprofit Motherless Daughters Ministry, will receive the 2026 Emerging Leader Award from OneSource Center.
OneSource Center, which supports Greater Cincinnati nonprofits through consulting, training and resources, created the award to address the underrepresentation of leaders of color in executive roles. The organization uses it to spotlight diverse talent and equip honorees with tools to grow. Each year, recipients receive a full scholarship to the Nonprofit Leadership Institute’s EXCEL program – a nine-month executive training initiative – along with a year of professional coaching.
OneSource CEO Christie Brown said Najoli embodies the qualities the award honors.
“She exemplifies the resilience, vision and dedication that this award was created to celebrate,” Brown said. “Supporting diverse leaders like Danyetta is essential for building a more inclusive and effective nonprofit sector.”
Bringing lived experience to the job
Najoli took on her role at Motherless Daughters Ministry in January, bringing more than 25 years of experience in human services. Her career includes coaching and leadership development, along with positions in both corporate and nonprofit sectors. She previously coordinated disability support programs at LADD and spent more than a decade as a community builder with Starfire.
At Motherless Daughters Ministry, she leads efforts to support women of all ages who have lost their mothers through death, estrangement or other circumstances. The group provides mentoring, resources and community programs to help women navigate grief and healing.
Najoli credits her own experience with mother loss for shaping her leadership style and the compassion she brings to the role.
“Being selected as the recipient of the 2026 Emerging Leader Award is special to me because it shines a light on the Motherless Daughters Ministry and the work we are doing to lift up women,” Najoli said. “It is a great honor to receive this award.”
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