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About

Where Education Meets Experience

NEXTDC (formerly the American Experience Foundation) enriches the lives of students through inspirational experiences and educational opportunities to cultivate the next generation of hospitality industry leaders. NEXTDC invests in young people, connecting them with travel and tourism professionals, entrepreneurs, and executives to help ensure they can enter college and career with confidence.

Student photo
“The mentors I met through NEXTDC made me believe I can accomplish more than I imagined.”
Meet Marcus
Student photo

“NEXTDC showed me I belong in this industry and gave me the confidence to keep going.”

Meet Layla

Get to Know NEXTDC

2025 Annual Review

2025 Annual Review

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2024 Annual Review

2024 Annual Review

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2023 Annual Review

2023 Annual Review

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2022 Annual Review

2022 Annual Review

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2021 Annual Review

2021 Annual Review

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Network

Network

Network

Professional events and networking opportunities to connect students with hospitality industry professionals
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Network

Professional events and networking opportunities to connect students with hospitality industry professionals
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Educate

Educate

Educate

Scholarships to qualified students and alumni from DC's high school Academies of Hospitality & Tourism, Culinary Arts, Sports Marketing and Mass Media

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Educate

Scholarships to qualified students and alumni from DC's high school Academies of Hospitality & Tourism, Culinary Arts, Sports Marketing and Mass Media

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Experience

Experience

Experience

Internships and work-based learning educational programs for students to learn about careers and build professional skills

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Experience

Internships and work-based learning educational programs for students to learn about careers and build professional skills

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Travel

Travel

Travel

Field trips to our nation’s capital and destinations across the northeast to explore college and career possibilities

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Travel

Field trips to our nation’s capital and destinations across the northeast to explore college and career possibilities

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NEXTDC Staff

brittany

Brittany Anderson

Program Manager

202-789-7064
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Christen

Christen Miller

Senior Partnership Manager

202-789-7009
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Charlie

Charlie Ross

Partnership Coordinator

202-789-7050
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Claire

Claire Carlin

Executive Director

202-789-7048
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​​​​​​Haleluya

​​​​​​​​​Haleluya Demeke

Partnership Manager

202-789-7052
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Lisa

Lisa Waldschmitt

Associate Director

202-789-7065
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2025-26 Advanced Internship Program

a yellow pattern of stars

Alana Hill

Ballou High School, Mass Media '26

a yellow pattern of stars

Brian Blanco

Coolidge High School, Mass Media '26

a yellow pattern of stars

Matias Figueroa

Jackson-Reed High School, Hospitality & Tourism, '26

a yellow pattern of stars

Maximus Carter

Ballou High School, Hospitality & Tourism '26

a yellow pattern of stars

Promise Parraway

Ballou High School, Hospitality & Tourism '26

2025 Career Ready Interns

Claudia Burgess

Claudia Burgess

Jackson-Reed High School, Hospitality & Tourism '26

DaMya Holmes

Da'Mya Holmes

Maya Angelou PCHS, Hospitality & Tourism '26

Destiny Israel

Destiny Israel

Ballou High School, Hospitalty & Tourism '26

Heldena Tsehaye

Heldena Tsehaye

Coolidge High School, Mass Media '26

Heydi Medina Ferman

Heydi Medina Ferman

Coolidge High School, Mass Media '26

Jesus Crespo Castillo

Jesus Crespo-Castillo

Coolidge High School, Mass Media '26

Kobi Sana

Kobi Sana

Monmouth University

Layla Armstrong

Layla Armstrong

McKinley Tech High School, Mass Media '26

Luiz Zelaya Velasquez

Luiz Zelaya Velasquez

Coolidge High School, Mass Media '26

Micah Bracey

Micah Bracey

Jackson-Reed High School, Mass Media '26

Phoenix Hollingsworth

Phoenix Hollingsworth

Jackson-Reed High School, Hospitality & Tourism '26

Samiah Penny

Samiah Penny

Coolidge High School, Mass Media '26

Sean Baltimore

Sean Baltimore

IDEA Public Charter, Mass Media '26

William Wills

William Wills

Jackson-Reed High School, Mass Media '26

ZyKayla Nicholson

ZaKayla Nicholson

Ballou High School, Hospitality & Tourism '26

2025 College Intern

Ty Monroe

Ty Monroe

Wake Forest University, Communications '28

Coolidge High School, Mass Media '24

Board Members

John Snedden

Chair

Owner, Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company

Tanisha Lewis

Vice Chair

Vice President for Business Compliance and Community Engagement, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority

Skye Curry

Secretary

Luxury of SPC Hospitality

Greg Casten

Treasurer

President, Oceanpro Industries

Michael Akin

President, LINK Strategic Partners

Bianca DeStout

Senior Sales Manager, Visit Cincy

Shalis Ricks

Offsite Sales Manager, Encore

Stacy Eacho Smith

General Manager, Rebel Hotel Company

Hilton Washington, DC Capitol Hill

Elliott L. Ferguson, II

President & CEO, Destination DC

Bill Heater

Vice President & General Manager, Big Bus Washington DC

Destiny Kibalama

Director of Recruiting & Human Resources, Clyde's Restaurant Group

Elif Sen

Regional Director of Hotel Operations, Cambria Hotel Washington D.C. Navy Yard Riverfront

Rauf Shakir

Chief Executive Officer, USA Guided Tours

Gail Smith-Howard

General Manager [Retired], Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill

Alex Wilson

Director [Retired], Jackson- Reed High School Academy of Hospitality and Tourism

Student Advisory Board

Zoe Roberts

Chair

George Mason University Class of 2022

Lauren Brown

Howard University Class of 2022

Kwame Brown

Full Sail University Class of 2023

D'mani Harrison-Porter

Morehouse College Class of 2019

Diamond Hunter

Temple University Class of 2022

Mattison McDonald

Washington & Jefferson College Class of 2027

Ty Monroe

Wake Forest University Class of 2028

Tadjanique Phillips

Columbia Heights Educational Campus Class of 2019

JP Roberts

Eastern Connecticut State University Class of 2026

Anura Sharma

Georgetown University Class of 2026

NEXTDC Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Mission

 

NEXTDC recognizes and celebrates personal and cultural differences within our organization and in our work. We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all program participants, staff, volunteers, and stakeholders. NEXTDC strives to empower and support those from traditionally underrepresented communities—especially young people—in order to foster meaningful transformation across racial, cultural, and generational boundaries. We believe in the value of every individual and affirm that each person is deserving of dignity and respect in the workplace and beyond. This commitment is not only a matter of professional responsibility but also a dedication to cultivating a supportive environment built on acknowledgment and appreciation for a diversity of experiences and beliefs. NEXTDC is committed to ensuring that our employees, as well as our partner educators, scholars, and other stakeholders, can work, learn, and grow in an environment free from discrimination and free from any conduct, comment, gesture, graphic, or contact that may cause offense or humiliation.

NEXTDC Sustainability Mission

 

NEXTDC views sustainability through a lens of People, Purpose, and Place, encompassing a wide range of actions and policies that affect the long-term health of our natural and built environment, the communities where we live and work, and the people we serve. With close ties to the hospitality and tourism industry, NEXTDC follows and promotes the United Nations Tourism’s definition of sustainable tourism: “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities.” NEXTDC’s mission is to connect students and young people with professionals and executives who look like them, sound like them, and share similar backgrounds and lived experiences. To achieve this, we actively seek diverse partnerships that create meaningful opportunities. We also promote authentic representation by empowering partners, scholars, educators, and stakeholders to tell their own stories in their own words whenever possible. NEXTDC supports community capacity building and engagement by hosting programs, events, and outings across all four quadrants of the city. We prioritize local suppliers and businesses for purchases, incorporate reusable and sustainable materials into events and programs, and encourage the use of public transportation—especially for staff—while recognizing that transportation access may not always be safe or practical for every participant. In partnership with Destination DC, NEXTDC also monitors energy, water, and other amenity usage in its office. Together, we pursue future reduction goals, including compliance with the DC Department of Energy and Environment’s Building Energy Performance Standards.

 

 

NEXTDC Was Built Through Strategic Collaboration 

The foundation of the NEXTDC brand was shaped by research led by Link Strategic Partners whose early visioning and planning helped define the purpose, positioning and long-term direction of the brand. This effort was brought to life through a digital experience led by MMGY Global, whose expertise guided the development of the NEXTDC website and digital presence. Together, these partners in collaboration with Destination DC's in-house creative and content team, played a critical role in transforming an idea into a platform designed to inspire students and connect them with the experiences, education and industry leaders shaping the future of hospitality and tourism.