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Merika Childers is the Development Manager at The Clean Slate Initiative (CSI). In this role, she manages day-to-day execution of development strategies including research, database, and acknowledgements — collaborating across CSI teams to help deliver on the organization’s fundraising goal.
With over 11 years of nonprofit fundraising experience, Merika has a proven track record of building donor relationships, identifying new revenue opportunities, and increasing donor engagement and retention. Merika started her career in development at the Orlando Museum of Art then continued her career doing fundraising and events for organizations including University of Central Florida Athletics and United Way. Most recently at the American Heart Association, she oversaw the Go Red for Women campaign.
Merika is an Orlando native and graduate of Flagler College. In her spare time, she loves to explore new food experiences, travel, and leisure.
Reframing the Picture: The Power of Imagery in Second Chance Stories
Too often, media coverage, blog posts, and social media posts about legal system reform are accompanied by harmful, stereotypical imagery, reducing people to the moment of their worst mistake. We have a responsibility to make sure we're not silently reinforcing those stereotypes in our storytelling. Learn more in this update from Morgan Kelly, Senior Marketing & Communications Strategist.
Second Chances and Health: Clean Slate Conversations During Public Health Week
During National Public Health Week 2025, CSI joined two critical conversations to explore how arrest and conviction records affect public health. Learn more in this update from Stacey Ferguson, VP of Marketing & Communications.
Clean Slate is a Public Health Issue
What if your past was the biggest barrier to your health? For millions of people in the U.S., an old arrest or conviction record makes it harder to access the building blocks of a healthy life. During National Public Health Week, we must recognize what the research makes clear: Clean Slate is a common sense public health intervention. Learn more in this update from Caitlin Dunklee, Campaign Strategist.
