Organizational Culture Director
LaVonne Pepe is proud to be Clean Water’s inaugural Organizational Culture Director. A seasoned nonprofit leader with over a decade of experience driving excellence on mission-driven teams, LaVonne believes that an organization’s ability to achieve its goals with pride starts internally. She is passionate about strengthening psychological safety, enhancing collaborative relationships, and fostering inclusive and equitable work environments where individuals feel empowered to show up unapologetically and are trusted to do their best work. She brings a multidisciplinary approach, drawing from her background as a social worker, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practitioner, and expert in interpersonal violence and workplace harassment prevention. Her specialties include program design, training and facilitation, leadership development, and strategic planning.
LaVonne received her Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Pennsylvania and her B.A. from the University of Maryland, College Park – Go Terps! She is the Founder and Principal Consultant of a boutique consulting firm and has previously worked in nonprofits and higher education. Most importantly, she proudly shares that her mission is to leave a legacy that makes her daughter proud and to tick off as many boxes as possible that contribute to a brighter future for the next generation of Brown girls like her.
You’ll hear LaVonne describe herself as “A Maryland Gal,” “A Stereotypical Virgo,” “A (hopefully) Not-so-Basic Millennial,” “An Unexpected Elder Emo,” and “More Outsidey than Outdoorsy” - among other things. When she’s not at work, you’ll find her spending time with her family, working her way through multiple books at a glacial pace, or trying to convince her wife that there’s no such thing as too many concerts.
