Our Founders
The leaders who helped bring the Bayou Collective to life
Rooted in Houston and grounded in shared responsibility, Courtney Taylor and Kelli King-Jackson co-founded The Bayou Collective to support Black-led organizations through collective giving and long-term investment.
Courtney Taylor
Courtney Taylor is a senior vice president of community development in banking, with experience spanning business, community development, and the nonprofit sector. Her work focuses on leading community investment strategies, building nonprofit partnerships, and advancing financial education initiatives across Houston and throughout Texas.
Courtney co-founded The Bayou Collective because she believes collective giving is a powerful way to sustain Black-led organizations and expand access to opportunity. Her commitment to education, workforce development, and supporting young women is reflected in her long-standing engagement across Houston’s nonprofit and civic landscape.
Kelli King-Jackson
Kelli King-Jackson is the founder of a social impact firm that advises leaders and organizations investing in Black communities across the South. As a leadership coach, she has spent nearly 900 hours coaching Black women and femmes leading in predominantly white spaces, supporting them as they navigate responsibility, power, and sustainability in their roles.
Kelli co-founded The Bayou Collective because she believes collective giving is essential to resourcing Black-led organizations in ways that honor their leadership and lived experience. Her philanthropy work has included advising grantmakers on equitable investments and supporting more than $135 million in funding to the Southern United States, alongside ongoing community engagement and local giving.
About Our Founding Members
Our Founding Members are Black women and allies who committed early to The Bayou Collective, offering their participation, resources, and belief in the power of collective giving to help bring this work into being.
Necole S. Irvin
Necole S. Irvin most recently served as Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs for the City of Houston, where she guided cultural investments and policies that expanded access to arts and cultural programs across the city. Her leadership helped drive the redesign of Houston’s arts grant system. Necole is a philanthropic professional with experience spanning law, public health, culture, and policy, and she is committed to advancing sustainable, community-centered change.
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