Doing Small Things in Great Ways

“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

It is easy to be overwhelmed by the current social issues facing our communities. “Most people think, ‘I can’t make a difference, so why do anything?’ The truth is everyone can do something – no matter how small. Collectively small efforts add up to significant change,” remarks Dianne Millner (DCI 2018).

With this philosophy in mind, Stanford DCI established the Racial Justice and Equity Initiative following the rise in police brutality and protests occurring across the country during the summer of 2020, including the horrific murder of George Floyd. The initiative, conceived by James White (DCI 2018) and co-launched with Tori Gonzalez (DCI 2019), quickly grew to include a diverse group of DCI alumni from across the U.S.. There are now three working groups – Community Initiatives, Poverty and Inequality, and Police Reform. All continue to grow and evolve, as each initiative strives to tackle not only local, but global issues in this area.

Members of the “Community” group, chaired by Dianne Millner (DCI 2018), decided to focus their efforts in Oakland, CA – just 34 miles northeast of the Stanford campus, but in many ways an entirely different world.

Representatives of DCI’s Racial Justice and Equity Community group share their experiences at DCI’s Community Celebration held in April 2023. Pictured (l-r): Brandel France de Bravo (DCI 2016), Scott Baker (DCI 2020), Sandy Baker (DCI 2020), Lofton Holder (DCI 2020), Rich Goldberg (DCI 2015) and Dianne Millner (DCI 2018).

Oakland

“Oakland is in many ways a city that represents change,

that represents the call for change,

that represents the future and imagining a different future.”

Angela Davis (2019)

Members of the group met with Mayor Libby Schaff and other Oakland officials to identify a non-profit that had a need for what DCI could offer. East Side Oakland (ESO) Ventures was selected as a good match.

ESO is an entrepreneurial support organization founded in East Oakland, California in 2020. Their mission is to nurture local entrepreneurs to enable them to go from idea to revenue. ESO selects a cohort of individuals for a 10-week business incubator program that includes mentoring from professionals to work on mindset and business execution. These entrepreneurs have potential and just need some guidance to establish and grow their businesses. The DCI community includes many seasoned individuals with strong business backgrounds who were willing to share their experiences and provide the guidance the ESO entrepreneurs were seeking.

Exploding with energy

“The ESO entrepreneurs are real, hard working, roll up your sleeves type of people” notes David Epstein (DCI 2019), himself an entrepreneur, former CEO and professor of finance. He describes *Safira, the entrepreneur he coached as “exploding with energy.” A single mom, middle school teacher and professional boxer, she has dreams of opening “The People’s Gym” in Oakland.

Safira was looking for someone who could guide her through the steps to grow and monetize her business. “It’s a pleasure working with people like Safira because she’s interested in making a better life for herself, and she’s willing to put the work in to do that.” Although The People’s Gym is still in its infancy, with the knowledge David shared, Safira is now ready for the next steps to make “The People’s Gym” a reality.

Pay it forward

Rich Goldberg (DCI 2015) has always considered it an obligation to share his experience with others. His background includes diversity management – professionally with AT&T/Bell Labs and Cisco, plus with Stanford’s Clayman Institute for Gender Research during his DCI year. A notable difference between his professional colleagues and Stanford students and the underrepresented entrepreneurs in Oakland is access to mentors, funding, and other resources.

Rich was matched up with *Nick who started his own IT-based business that provides security equipment (residential and commercial). Having worked for a larger company in the same field, Nick felt the corporate approach wasn’t personalized enough. His goal is to implement high-touch engagement with his customers.

When mentoring, Rich believes it is up to the individual. He provides guidance; the entrepreneur makes the decisions and takes action. It is a long process to build the trust to have this type of rapport between the coach and entrepreneur.

Rich remarks “I asked the questions to get Nick thinking about what he needed to do to achieve customer service, loyalty and satisfaction. The way you do a business plan is wrapped up the same way whether it’s Cisco, Stanford or Oakland. It starts with a vision. What are important steps to take to get to vision? How to measure success?”

“Nick asked me to be his reference for a grant; we were both excited when he received the grant.” Rich continues to provide support and stays connected with Nick online.

Always learning something from the people I help

With a strong legal background and extensive experience with science and technology matters, Cynthia Cwik (DCI 2018/19) was an ideal match for *Joseph, an entrepreneur who founded a company has developed a digital treatment that safely and sustainably reverses heart disease without medication or surgery. The company is in the start-up mode including pilots, fundraising, and partnerships.

“Digital health involves many important legal issues including security and privacy. I tried to give Joseph a bit of guidance on those issues, and also pointed him to additional resources. Support is easily available to Stanford students, whereas for others it is more difficult to access the resources you need.”

Joseph’s company is facing significant challenges right now, including financing, yet he maintains an upbeat can-do attitude. Cynthia enjoys keeping current with the company’s continued growth through periodic updates.

“As a mentor/coach, I’m always learning something from the people I help. It is great to have exposure to many different types of people – not just the people in my immediate circle,” reflects Cynthia on her interaction with Joseph and many other individuals she has mentored in the past – in the US and abroad.

What’s next?

This first outreach by DCI’s Racial Justice & Equity Community group has proven that small contributions can make a big difference to an individual, which will have ripple effects in the community. The current group is investigating other worthy programs that the DCI community can support, and in turn positively impact the local community. Through these efforts they have all been inspired to stay engaged, give back and make a difference together.

By Kristin Goldthorpe, Communications Manager, Stanford DCI

*Entrepreneurs’ names were changed to protect their privacy.

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"Mary Ellen exemplifies the mission of the DCI Fellowship. Through her intellectual leadership, strategic insight, and deep commitment to inclusion, she has made significant contributions to the Stanford Center for Neurodiversity and Human Potential.

As a trusted advisor to the Center, she has helped shape ideas and initiatives that advance understanding, opportunity, and belonging for neurodivergent individuals. Her work contributes to a growing global dialogue on how diverse minds strengthen organizations, enrich communities, and unlock human potential. Her efforts embody the transformative influence that one dedicated leader can have in creating a more inclusive and innovative world."

Dr. Lawrence Fung

Director, Stanford Medicine Center for Neurodiversity and Human Potential, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories & Clinical Translational Neurosciences Incubator)

Mary Ellen with Dr. Lawrence Fung and Tarena Shanaberger (Microsoft) at Stanford's Neurodiversity Summit 2026.

Mary Ellen addressing attendees at Stanford's Neurodiversity Summit 2026.

At the same time, I found deep fulfillment mentoring students across the university. Guest lecturing in Design Thinking classes for both graduate and undergraduate students allowed me to blend storytelling, leadership experience, and coaching, helping students explore how to design meaningful lives aligned with their values and aspirations. Their curiosity, resilience, and willingness to rethink their own paths inspired me daily and reminded me how energizing it is to support people at pivotal moments in their lives.

The impact of DCI didn’t end when the program did. It sparked two defining new paths. The first was my continued partnership and Advisory role with Dr. Fung and the Center for Neurodiversity and Human Potential, where I remain engaged in helping expand the reach and impact of neurodiversity research. The second was the creation of a transitions‑focused program rooted in identity, mattering, and design thinking — themes often overlooked during major life changes. After returning to Ohio, I developed and began piloting this program across the NE Ohio region helping people navigate change with greater clarity and confidence. I am now exploring university partnerships to scale its reach.

Alongside these new endeavors, I continue serving on public and nonprofit boards, applying decades of leadership experience to organizations committed to expanding opportunity and inclusion. Across all of this work, research, coaching, board service, the through‑line is clear: helping people and institutions recognize potential that might otherwise be overlooked.

DCI didn’t just open a new chapter. It reshaped the trajectory of my engagement - connecting lived experience, scholarship, and purpose in ways I never anticipated — and in ways that continue to allow me to grow.