About AYE, LLC
Mission statement
Advancing Your Excellence, LLC is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to strengthening the operational infrastructure of mission-driven organizations, with a special focus on historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), minority-serving institutions (MSIs), and BIPOC-led nonprofits. AYE specializes in building sustainable advancement, organizational development, and strategic planning frameworks that are equity-centered and community-informed.
We are committed to providing personalized support and guidance in order to develop creative solutions that create a sustainable advancement of operational infrastructure that meets our clients’ needs and supports the organization's efforts. At AYE, we do not offer one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, tailor our approach to honor the culture, capacity, and aspirations of each organization. Our work is deeply relational, driven by values of transparency, collaboration, and excellence.
Samira Malik, MS
Founder & Principal
Samira has 20+ years of experience in operations within higher education and within the non-profit sector. Ms. Malik’s professional experience has included direct oversight for strategic design, development and implementation of operational infrastructure within Institutional Advancement.
She has been successful in ensuring effective execution of aligning business support and partnership functions, ensuring that processes and procedures are in alignment with the priorities of the institution and supports the work of meeting the institutions’ fundraising goals. She graduated from University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science in psychology and University of Maryland Global Campus with a Master of Science in Data Analytics.
Samira is a member of Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Association of Advancement Services Professionals (AASP), Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA) and Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy (WOC). She serves on the Advisory Board for Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) and is a board member for Kendal-Crosslands Communities.
Kymberly Graves, JD, CAP®
Senior Consultant
Kymberly Graves brings over 15 years of experience in the philanthropic sector in higher education and non-profits, including fundraising and development strategies, leadership engagement, and board governance and operations. Kymberly recently served as the Board Administrator for the Morgan State University Foundation, and before that as an Assistant Secretary to the Board of Trustees at Northeastern University. Her additional university experience includes launching an inaugural planned giving program at Lincoln University (PA) and providing board administration for their Foundation Board. Earlier in her career, Kymberly served as an Educational Policy Liaison for the late Congressman Elijah Cummings and was a US Department of Education Presidential Appointee.
Kymberly earned a JD from the University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law and a BA from the University of Maryland at College Park. She also holds the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy - CAP® designation from the American College of Financial Services and the Board Professional Certificate of Completion from the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB). As an active member of The Links, Inc. and a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Kymberly serves on several community service-based committees.
RaEssa Coleman
Consultant
RaEssa Coleman is an innovative program development strategist with over a decade of experience designing, managing, and scaling educational programs that prioritize equitable access and community impact. Known for her strategic vision and operational execution, RaEssa specializes in building capacity, inclusive learning experiences, leading strategic planning processes, and creating culturally responsive content that drives meaningful outcomes for underrepresented learners and mission-driven organizations.
A proven leader across K–12, nonprofit, and edtech spaces, RaEssa combines her deep understanding of pedagogy, adult learning theory, curriculum design, and stakeholder engagement to build programs that are both high-impact and scalable. She has led the development of digital and instructor-led programs, managed complex LMS implementations, and supported national rollouts of learning solutions that improve efficiency and close opportunity gaps. Across every engagement, RaEssa brings a data-informed, equity-centered approach that aligns tools, training, and systems to performance goals.
RaEssa’s leadership spans across organizations like Emory University, Georgia Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, Federal Aviation Administration, Savvas Learning Company, and Metro Atlanta school districts. Her contributions have resulted in increased adoption of high-quality instructional materials, improved student outcomes, and elevated teacher performance. She has also supported school transformation as a former mathematics department chair, STEM program director, and academic program manager.
Now, through her consulting work, RaEssa partners with mission-driven organizations to design scalable solutions that empower members, improve achievement outcomes, and close opportunity gaps. She is especially passionate about integrating emerging technologies and instructional best practices in ways that honor community voice, cultural identity, and long-term sustainability.
Monet Simpson
Consultant
Monet Simpson is a curriculum strategist and learning and development specialist with extensive experience designing inclusive, equity-centered programs and strategic plans for mission-driven organizations. Her work bridges instructional design, culturally responsive pedagogy, and strategic planning to help teams implement high-impact programs grounded in community voice and long-term sustainability.
Monet has led initiatives with national education companies and grassroots teams, including McGraw Hill, Zia Learning, CSA Education, and New Foundations Educational Consultants. She specializes in aligning day-to-day operations with big-picture outcomes—scaling programs, improving stakeholder engagement, and building systems that drive measurable change.
Her practice is deeply informed by her academic background in African American Studies and Women & Gender Studies, as well as a decade of experience working alongside educators, nonprofit leaders, and advocacy groups. Monet is especially passionate about equity-centered design, racial justice, and representation—values she brings to every project and partnership.