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New View EDU Episode 86: Exploring Community Collaborations

April 07, 2026

Available April 7, 2026

Find New View EDU on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many other podcast apps.

Guybe SlangenAs independent schools strive to expand the impact they have on their communities and the world, what creative models exist to help them achieve their public purpose? On this episode of New View EDU, host Morva McDonald invites Guybe Slangen (pictured) of Horizons National to speak about the innovative summer programming the organization designs in collaboration with schools nationwide, expanding equity, access, and community spirit. They are also joined by Jennifer Cherney of the Gateway School in New York City, one of the local partners who can speak to the school experience of working with this unique model.

Guybe describes the background of the founding of Horizons National as having risen out of the Civil Rights Movement in1964, as a direct response to the inequities and division exposed by national news. He draws a parallel between those origins and the news cycle today, pointing out that as we still see polarization and inequities around us today, the work of deepening community collaborations is really about meeting the moment as independent school leaders. He says independent schools have a deeper obligation to equip students not only as learners but as changemakers, and that robust engagement with the broader community is an opportunity to lean into schools’ greater purpose.

Of course, on the practical side of the equation, schools and boards need more than just nobility of purpose to make it possible to engage in new programming, especially that which expands outside of the existing student body. Guybe and Jennifer share perspectives on common challenges and questions that may come up for schools who are interested in participating in programs like Horizons, especially around fundraising and resources. Hesitations about “cannibalizing” fundraising efforts to support summer programming are real and common, but Jennifer points out that research suggests that schools that adopt community-based initiatives tend to see an increase of 15-20% in fundraising efforts. Donors feel they are doing tangible good and participating in something that serves a social responsibility.

Guybe theorizes that the idea of serving “not just our kids, but all kids” is the effective bridge between the philosophical and the practical, the difference between having an ethos of social justice and actually “walking the walk” with programs that demonstrate that purpose. He is careful to distinguish that the positive effects of collaborative programs like Horizons are deeply reciprocal—they don’t only impact the marginalized students who generally populate the summer programs, but rather inspire and uplift students and teachers within the independent school communities they touch. He and Jennifer share stories of students who, after exposure to Horizons programs, embarked upon life-and-career-altering explorations that continue to this day; the rewards of ongoing relationships forged in the summer programs and strengthened through school-year touchpoints; and the professional benefits to teachers who work with the Horizons model. They point out that teachers from both independent and public schools who stay engaged during the summer with Horizons programming tend to experience less burnout, gain valuable new skills and perspectives, and return to their classrooms in the fall with renewed purpose and vision.

Although Horizons National is a specific, singular model, the ideas sparked by this conversation can carry through to other possible program expansions. At its core, the question of community collaboration arises from a deep sense of purpose and pursuit of equity as school leaders. How schools approach strengthening their missions and deepening their reach within their communities can be informed by learning about existing opportunities like Horizons and understanding more about what’s possible.

Key Questions

Some of the key questions Morva, Guybe, and Jennifer explore in this episode include:

  • What is the work of Horizons National, and how does it expand into community-based programs?
  • What are the misconceptions or hesitations schools may have about collaborating with programs like Horizons?
  • How do these community-based partnerships strengthen mission and provide reciprocal value to independent schools?
  • How can independent schools grow and diversify their communities through collaborations rooted in public purpose?

Episode Highlights

  • “You don't have to look far to the same headlines now, that we are still a divided nation. Opportunity is not equal for everybody. And then you put that in the context of these independent schools that are all mission-driven. And every independent school, regardless of the context or the setting or the history, has, in their mission statement, some version of civic engagement, social impact, global citizenship, 21st-century skills, you name it. I mean, that is what independent schools do. It's not just about educating the students while they are within the campus of that independent school. No, you're setting them up for life and also to be change makers in the greater community.” (12:19)
  • “People really want to feel like they are part of the collective, that it's not just, and there is this old notion that, OK, if you're raising money for an independent school, you have people there that have deep pockets, you don't need my contribution. This is the kind of initiative that brings people to your door. Let's say I want to be able to contribute. I don't have $100,000 to give to you, but I do have something and I want to contribute. I want to be part of something.” (17:32)
  • “We have a host of public school teachers, charter school teachers who obviously are coming into our program. They're more familiar with serving this population. Maybe they actually teach those same students during the school year. They're also seeing the benefits of this, you know, where it's smaller classrooms. There's more hands-on experience, with assistants, with literacy instructors, you know, and they're able to really kind of roll up their sleeves and focus in ways that unfortunately they just can't during the school year. So that's kind of also giving them this kind of renewed energy, renewed creativity, renewed sense of purpose.” (34:05)

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Full Transcript

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About Our Guests

Jennifer Cherney is a distinguished nonprofit executive with over two decades of experience driving transformational growth across the independent school and social service sectors. As the chief advancement officer at The Gateway School in New York City, Jennifer leads fundraising, strategic partnerships, and community engagement for the premier institution serving children with language-based learning disabilities. Throughout her career, she has directed advancement at six independent schools and played a central role in securing more than $250 million in contributions, grants, and bequests.

At Gateway, Jennifer has spearheaded multi-million-dollar capital campaigns and forged groundbreaking partnerships, including an innovative summer program for systemically under-resourced children with learning differences. Developed in collaboration with the New York City Mayor’s Office and the national nonprofit Horizons, this initiative now serves as a national model for inclusive educational programming.

Beyond her institutional leadership, Jennifer is the principal of JAC Fundraising L.L.C., where she advises nonprofits on mission-driven growth. Her consulting portfolio includes the $20 million Housing Works Capital Campaign and strategic planning for the Parsonage Hill Education Foundation. Her global footprint includes serving as a philanthropic advisor to Patrons of the World’s Children Hospital—a program recognized at the Vatican by Pope Francis and Pope Leo—and advancing the Happiness Initiative by Peers (HIP) mentorship program, which received the endorsement of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

A forward-thinking leader in the intersection of education and technology, Jennifer is an advisor to the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) and its Next-Generation AI Foundation. In this capacity, she is a key organizer for the AASF AI-X Summit 2026, a global convening of scholars from MIT, Harvard, Stanford, and other elite institutions to explore the future of AI in health, finance, and education.

Jennifer is the author of The Development Sourcebook and a frequent speaker at national conferences and on platforms such as The Nonprofit Show. She serves on the board of the Harvard Kennedy School New York Alumni Network, is an ambassador for Every.org, and mentors young women through the Global Give Back Circle.

Jennifer holds a B.A. and M.A. in English from Long Island University and an executive certificate in nonprofit leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School. With a strategic vision and an unwavering commitment to neurodivergent students and social services, she continues to redefine the impact of modern philanthropy.

Guybe Slangen is the senior director of expansion at Horizons National, where he supports the growth of the organization’s network to expand access to transformative programs for students nationwide. He works closely with Horizons team members to identify opportunities, nurture relationships, and ensure the success of affiliates.

With nearly three decades of experience in education and nonprofits, Guybe previously served as director of community engagement at San Francisco Friends School (SFFS) for 16 years. He helped launch Horizons at SFFS, the pioneering West Coast Horizons affiliate, supporting students and families in the surrounding Mission District. Guybe also serves on the board of the National Network of Schools in Partnership (NNSP), a division of the Close Up Foundation.

Guybe is a graduate of Dickinson College and holds a master’s in educational leadership from Columbia University’s Teachers College. He was raised in an international family of educators, which has profoundly influenced his commitment to diversity and equity in education. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and daughter.