Our Story

Inspire Access was founded because we believe in a world that works better for everyone. A world where our brightest minds and innovative businesses have access to the capital. Where leaders are funded based on merit, not privilege. We saw the opportunity for philanthropic capital lying dormant in Donor Advised Funds to be invested in these leaders, mitigating one of the defining issues of inequality in the US today, the gender and racial wealth gap.

The Inspire Access team has years of experience investing in underrepresented founders and has seen the enormous potential that breaks through when more equitable funding occurs.

When we learned that there is almost $200B sitting inactive in Donor Advised Funds, we recognized an opportunity to narrow the investment gap by unlocking this capital, and Inspire Access was born.

Our Team

Patrice King Brickman

Patrice King Brickman is the Founder and CEO of Inspire Access. After years of witnessing a world that worked for some people, but not for others, she designed a platform that is working to close the investment gap for women and people of color.

Patrice is also the founder and Managing Director of Inspire Capital LLC, a venture fund launched in 2015 that invests predominantly in women and minority-led businesses. She is also a founder and investor in WE Capital, and a founding member of the Conscious Leadership Forum and Soul Circle. She is a member of TIGER 21 and the Economic Club of Washington, as well as a minority owner in Monumental Sports, home to the Washington Capitals, Wizards, and Mystics.

She has served on several non-profit boards both locally and nationally. While her primary passion has been centered on poverty and homelessness, as she has worked most intimately with that population, she has also been involved with the arts and education. Patrice currently serves on the boards of Halcyon, Wolf Trap, and Ascend at the Aspen Institute, and has served on the boards of Children’s National Hospital Foundation, the National Center for Children and Families, Peer Health Exchange, and the Washington Area Women’s Foundation. She is a limited partner in numerous funds, most notably, Lafayette Square, Rethink Impact, Black Star Fund, Revolution Growth, Arborview, Razors Edge, NextGen Partners, Knightswan, Sinewave and Halcyon.

Patrice lives in Potomac, Maryland, and has four children, Anna, Leah, Kenna, and Lane.

Leah Brickman

Leah Brickman is the Co-founder and Head of Programs at Inspire Access. Previously, Leah served as Manager on the Advancement team at JUST Capital where she was responsible for supporting JUST Capital’s philanthropic initiatives through donor engagement and stewardship, she also led the organization's next generation network, JUSTGen.

Prior, Leah worked on the Social Impact team at Marsh McClennan developing their internal communications and supporting the globalization of their volunteering and matching gifts programs. Earlier in her career she was at Dana Farber Cancer Institute’s fundraising organization, the Jimmy Fund, and Ascend at the Aspen Institute.

Leah received her B.A. in Human Services and International Affairs from Northeastern University in Boston.

Kat Braun

Kat Braun is the Development Assistant at Inspire Access. Kat Braun brings a diverse skill set and a passion for philanthropy to the organization, with expertise in administrative support, project management, and donor communications.

Kat's proficiency in CRM management, data entry, and donor reporting showcases her ability to effectively organize and manage databases, ensuring accurate and efficient record-keeping. Her strong project management skills, including time management and multitasking, enable her to oversee projects from inception to completion, supporting organizational missions with precision and dedication. Adept at both verbal and written communication, Kat excels in proactive outreach and engagement, fostering meaningful connections with donors and stakeholders.

Board of Directors

Laurie Martin

Managing Director at Pitcairn Trust Company

Laurie Martin is a Managing Director at Pitcairn Trust Company with more than 30 years of experience in the investment management industry. Laurie currently manages the Single-Family Office team at Pitcairn and works with families to protect their legacy and grow their wealth, from generation to generation. She focuses on estate planning, investments, and education with an emphasis on being a trusted advisor for each family member. Laurie sits on the Strategic Leadership Committee for Pitcairn, providing guidance on short-term needs and longer-term goals for the firm.
Prior to Pitcairn, Laurie was with Fortigent, one of the nation’s largest independent wealth management consultants. Laurie managed the Consulting team and worked directly with Advisors in offering an independent investment platform and comprehensive investment reporting. Laurie began her career at Ayrshire Associates working with clients and providing research for the firm.
Laurie holds both the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) designation. She graduated from the University of Denver with an MBA in Finance and graduated with a BS degree from the University of Delaware.
Laurie currently lives in Gaithersburg, MD with her husband and two children. When she isn’t working, she enjoys running, reading, organizing, and spending time with her family.

LeRoy Pingho

LeRoy Pingho has held executive roles in startups as well as Fortune 50 financial services and telecommunications companies. As a former senior executive at MCI Telecommunications, Fannie Mae and Charles Schwab, he envisioned, built, scaled, and managed major organizations and multi-year capital and operating budgets. In 2003, Mr. Pingho founded PAC, Inc., a bootstrapped management and IT consulting firm, which grew into an enterprise with over 1,500 associates and more than $150 million annual revenue, which was sold in 2007.
LeRoy currently serves as the Chair of Slauth Technologies, Anywyse Audio , Otto Learning, Edgagement, and as an advisor to several other companies.
LeRoy has served as Executive Chair of Curator Solutions; Executive Chair of Virtual Job Shadow; Executive Chair of ProctorExam; Executive Chair/CEO of QuadLearning; Executive Chair/CEO of Overture Technologies; Chair of BlueAlly; and, is also the founder and CEO of Great Elm Solutions, a management consulting firm in the Washington, D.C. area.
LeRoy has a long history of serving on charitable and NGO boards such as Medstar Foundation, The Washington Area Women’s Foundation, So What Else, Manavar, and CUP International.
LeRoy lives in Potomac, Maryland, with his wife Anne, children Jordan, Haley and Maya, and two chocolate labs – Cooper and Callie.

CEO at Great Elm Solutions

Hillary Baltimore

Philanthropist

Hillary D. Baltimore currently volunteers with and supports a variety of organizations, primarily focused on education and underserved segments of the population. Her areas of expertise include fundraising, outreach and marketing, and program development. Understanding the importance of active participation in philanthropic endeavors, Ms. Baltimore consistently seeks opportunities to broaden her knowledge of best practices and to align herself with organizations that desire to have the greatest long-term impact on the individuals they serve.
She has served on several independent school boards and held leadership positions at a number of not-for-profit organizations. Currently, she serves in the following:
Bullis School, Potomac, Maryland - 2015 to Present. MsBaltimore currently serves as Secretary and member of the Executive Committee for the Bullis Board of Trustees. Prior to this position, she served as Vice Chair and Chair of the Governance Committee.
Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, Vienna, VA - 2012 to 2023. Ms. Baltimore has held several leadership positions including, member of the Executive Committee, Chair of the Nominating Committee, member of the Education Committee, and Vice Chair and Secretary of the Board of Directors. Ms. Baltimore just completed serving as Co-Chair of the $50 million Campaign for Wolf Trap – Our Next Chapter. The Campaign raised $75 million.
N Street Village, Washington, DC, 2015 – Present. N Street Village is the largest provider of housing and supportive services for women experiencing homelessness in Washington, DC. Ms. Baltimore has chaired the annual gala the last eight years, has served as the Chair of the Development Committee and currently serves as Co-Vice Chair of the Board.

Ernita Thomas

Executive Vice President of Finance at The RLJ Companies LLC

Ernita Thomas serves as the Executive Vice President of Finance of The RLJ Companies, LLC, a holding company founded by Robert L. Johnson that provides strategic investments in a diverse portfolio of companies that includes real estate, private equity, 401k fintech services, automobile dealerships, content streaming, gaming and sports betting.
As Executive Vice President of Finance, Ms. Thomas is responsible for overseeing the finance function of the highly diversified company, including financial and management accounting, regulatory reporting, budgeting, planning and forecasting.
Previously, Ms. Thomas was an Assistant Controller at Freddie Mac, where she provided reporting and credit analysis related to securitizations and mortgage guarantees.
Before working at Freddie Mac, Ms. Thomas was with The Carlyle Group for ten years in a variety of roles, including Manager of Accounting, Assistant Controller and Associate Vice President. Ms. Thomas was responsible for corporate financial and managerial accounting functions, budgeting and forecasting, and corporate compliance.
Ms. Thomas began her career as a staff accountant at the Rushmore Funds where she was responsible for the preparation of semiannual and annual reports for all funds.
Ms. Thomas graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1991 with a B.S. in accounting, and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Anne Mosle

Vice President & Executive Director of ASCEND at The Aspen Institute

Anne Mosle is a Vice President and Executive Director of Ascend at the Aspen Institute and she also serves as Co-Chair of the Aspen Institute Forum on Women and Girls. With more than 20 years of experience in philanthropy, policy, and practice, Mosle is a nationally recognized leader in bringing those sectors together to build pathways to opportunity for children, women, and families with low incomes.
Prior to the Aspen Institute, Mosle served as a VP and Executive Officer of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), where she served on the executive council and oversaw $140 million in annual investments. Mosle led the creation of WKKF’s Family Economic Security Portfolio and launch of their Mission-Driven Investing program. In addition, Mosle was responsible for the Civic and Philanthropic Portfolio and New Mexico place-based investments.
Mosle currently serves on the board of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, the Executive Governing Board of the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation State Strategy Advisory Committee, National Trustees Council of America’s Promise, and Leadership Council of the Washington Area Women’s Foundation.
She lives with her family in Washington, DC.