Leadership

Sara Weiss is the Executive Director of the Julian Bond Institute, responsible for the Institute's operations, research partnerships, publications, and strategic communications. She brings extensive experience in financial services policy, community investment, and the design of research programs that connect academic rigor with real-world policy impact.

Sara's approach to research is captured in her foundational conviction for JBI: that community-engaged research is not a supplementary approach — it is foundational. The people most affected by financial inequity are not just subjects of research; they are essential partners in producing it. That principle shapes JBI's methodology from research design through dissemination.

As Executive Director, Sara oversees JBI's fellowship program, research advisory council, community partnerships, and The Viewpoint — the Institute's video podcast on financial equity.

Areas of Focus

• Research operations
• Community investment
• Financial services policy
• Strategic communications
• Partnership development

Graciela Aponte-Diaz serves as Vice President of Community Engagement at the Julian Bond Institute, where she leads JBI's work to build and sustain relationships with the communities at the center of its research. She brings extensive experience in community organizing, policy advocacy, and engagement strategy — with a particular focus on Latino communities and the intersection of financial access, immigration, and economic mobility.

Graciela has spent her career working to ensure that the voices and lived experiences of underserved communities shape the policies and institutions that govern their financial lives. At JBI, she oversees the Institute's community partnerships, the MemoryFox storytelling program, and JBI's outreach to community organizations, faith communities, and advocacy groups across the country.

Areas of Focus

• Community partnerships
• Latino communities
• MemoryFox outreach
• Community organizing
• Immigration & financial access