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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOr
General BOARD MEMBERS
Anne Strickland
Judith
Street
Malenia Swinton
Jay Arrington
​
sonali Ratnasinghe
Executive director
sonali@generalservicesfoundation.org
My name is Sonali Ratnasinghe and I am the Executive Director of General Services Foundation! I am from Apex, North Carolina with a passion for community service and entrepreneurship. In addition to my own fundraising, I love to grow community impact by empowering other leaders. I am a UNC Chapel Hill Student, Leadership Triangle Goodmon Fellow, and North Carolina's Governor's Award Winner in Service.
As Executive Director, I am responsible for ensuring the organization is on track to achieve its mission by developing plans of action, overseeing the organization, and creating sustainability. I oversee all fundraising and projects, keep track of financials, and engage with our supporters and nonprofits. I plan and assist in executing projects the larger-scale initiatives. I lead the organization by supporting its members and their needs and delegating tasks to Board members.
General BOARD MEMBERS
Anne Strickland
Anne Strickland currently serves as Executive Director of the Alliance of Comprehensive Planners and as part of the leadership team of YCC, a Wilmington-based association and events management company where she wears many hats. She earned her BA in Communications from Appalachian State University, and MS in Technical Communication from NCSU where she became passionate about project management, user experience, and operations. Since, she has leveraged these skills into a successful career in nonprofit leadership where she has directed teams in the areas of membership, events, operations, communications, and DEI+B, leading grassroots community campaigns and grant-based projects while building organizational capacity. Anne is passionate about community and weaves service to others into both her professional and personal lives. She is an avid volunteer, and is thrilled to join the General Services Foundation Board. Anne also serves as an At Large Director for the Junior League of Raleigh's Board of Directors. She lives with her husband, two dogs (Beans and Violet), and new kitten (Slinks) in downtown Garner.
judith street
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Malenia Swinton
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Jay Arrington
Judith is CEO of Street Leverage, LLC a client management suite firm serving residential real estate
brokers in the Triangle and the Triad. She is an Attorney-at-Law by profession and a residential real
estate broker.
Judith’s expansive experience includes international legal experience as in-house counsel for
residential developers and high impact private sector clients ranging from shipping and logistics to
international franchise operations.
Judith’s Board experience includes the David Keane Foundation, Sherry Braswell Ministries and
Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill. Judith maintains a keen interest in women’s rights and has
attended the Commission on the Status of Women. She loves volunteering at Dress for Success of
the Triangle.
After a stint in New York City (2013-2015), Malenia began the search for a social-driven role where she could make an immediate impact in the lives of black and brown children. She began working at Communities In Schools (CIS) of Durham in 2015, holding multiple roles during her time - the last being Chief Executive Officer/Executive
Director. There, she oversaw the implementation of evidence-based learning models in schools aimed at driving student success and increasing graduation rates; and piloted initiatives for the national affiliate, including data quality improvement and corporate partnership development. Since then, she’s worked at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, providing marketing and communications expertise. In her current role as VP of Community Engagement with Youth Mentoring Collaborative, she manages the mission-critical work of providing capacity-building services to mentoring programs in three states (NC, SC, and VA).
Since 2013, Malenia has managed her own consulting business, providing results-oriented services to nonprofits and small businesses on the east coast. She also independently works with HIGOL, a North Carolina-based consulting group that provides communications, leadership, strategic planning, and other critical nonprofit consulting services.
Malenia earned a degree in Integrated Marketing Communications at Winthrop University; and later earned professional certificates in Nonprofit Management and
Executive Leadership from Duke University. She is also a veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard. In her spare time, Malenia enjoys reading, creating new recipes, mentoring, and volunteering in the Durham community.
Jamal "Jay" Arrington is a widely respected leader in the fields of higher education, philanthropy, and mentorship. Born and raised in a small town in the Midwest, Arrington developed a passion for learning and community service at an early age.
After earning Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Counseling, Arrington began his career as a teacher, working with students of all ages and backgrounds. He quickly realized the importance of mentorship and positive role models in the lives of young people, and made it his mission to become a mentor to as many students as possible.
Over the years, Arrington's dedication to education and mentorship led him to pursue higher education, earning a Master's degree in Human Services & Marriage and Family Therapy. He went on to serve as a counselor prior to transitioning into higher education as an admissions counselor and Director of Recruitment at several universities, where he worked tirelessly to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students.
Outside of his professional work, Arrington is a devoted father and family man, and is committed to creating a better future for his children and the next generation. He continues to be an advocate for education and mentorship, and is widely admired for his leadership, compassion, and commitment to making a positive impact in the world.