AmeriCorps Alums Cameron Greenop, Khaira Hightower, and Christina Onuoha join a national network of Segal Fellows, hosted by The Eli J. & Phyllis S. Segal Citizen Leadership Program at Brandeis University.
WASHINGTON, DC (October 6, 2026) - Service Year Alliance today announced, in partnership with the Eli J. & Phyllis N. Segal Citizen Leadership Program, the winners of the 2026 AmeriCorps Alums Segal Leadership Award: Cameron Greenop, Khaira Hightower, and Christina “Chris” Onuoha. Their selection inducts them into lifelong membership as Segal Fellows.
The Segal Program, hosted by The Institute for Economic and Racial Equity at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, inspires and activates generations of civic and community leaders across sectors, issue areas, and lived experiences, including alumni of national service programs. As Fellows, they will strive to uplift equitable systems and create a more just world through connection and action.
“Service Year Alliance is proud to recognize Cameron, Khaira, and Chris as the 2026 AmeriCorps Alums Segal Leadership Awardees,” said Kristen Bennett, CEO of Service Year Alliance. “During their service, each of them addressed significant challenges, built skills and relationships, and found new ways to strengthen the communities around them.Their continued impact as AmeriCorps alums demonstrates the transformative and enduring experience of service on shaping the lives of those who serve.”
Awardees were selected from over 130 AmeriCorps alums across the country, the most competitive process to date. Cameron, Khaira, and Chris now join a network of more than 170 Segal Fellows working to make a difference in their communities across sectors and issue areas. The Segal Program organizes fellows in cohorts to inspire peer-to-peer learning, complete a strengths-based curriculum, take part in ongoing development opportunities, and gain access to a network of mentors and change agents focused on building more resilient and connected communities.
“The Segal Program is thrilled to welcome Cameron, Chris, and Khai as lifelong Segal Fellows,” said Susie Flug-Silva, Director of the Eli J. & Phyllis N. Segal Citizen Leadership Program. “Over the past 18 years, we’ve cultivated a vibrant network of civic leaders committed to advancing equity, justice, and meaningful change across communities, sectors, issue areas, and lived experience. We are eager to welcome these new Segal Fellows into our community, to learn with and from them, and to work together to create a more just world.”
The award was established in honor of Eli Segal, and his wife Phyllis. Often described as the "father of AmeriCorps,” Eli Segal served as the first CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, and under his leadership AmeriCorps was created.
Meet the 2026 AmeriCorps Alums Segal Fellows:
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Cameron Greenop completed two service years as an AmeriCorps VISTA, focusing on making programs, systems, and opportunities more accessible and effective for residents of New York State. During his first service term as an eLearning Coordinator, Cameron supported his host organization by improving online learning platforms, coordinating virtual trainings and webinars, and evaluating courses for accessibility. His second service year largely focused on a year-long research project supporting adult education program evaluation, which led to sharing actionable improvements for programs serving adult learners.
Always asking “How can I make this easier for others?”, Cameron continues to apply a service-first mindset to his role as a research scientist as he works to strengthen the mental health resources and support available to Medicaid recipients. Through the Segal Citizen Leadership Program, Cameron hopes to continue developing as a leader, advocate, and public speaker while helping create more inclusive and responsive communities. -
Khaira Hightower is a two-time AmeriCorps alum. She completed service years with the Center for Children & Young Adults and at the Devereux Behavioral Health Center, a psychiatric hospital providing trauma-informed treatment and care to youth with intellectual and behavioral health needs. Khaira was hired by the health center after completing her service year. Today, she helps with day-to-day support services, which includes facilitating an advisory council for youth residents elected by their peers to represent their residential units.
Through these experiences, she has developed a deep commitment to ensuring people with specific needs have a meaningful voice in their own care and community. She believes leadership can begin with small acts of initiative and is grounded in accountability, continuous learning, and creating spaces where others can grow. As a Segal Fellow, Kaira is eager to learn from peers with different experiences, develop as a leader, and bring what she learns back to the communities she serves. -
As an AmeriCorps member with FoodCorps, Chris Onuoha focused on supporting students at two Title I Atlanta Public Schools, Parkside Elementary and Benteen Elementary. At Parkside, she worked with teachers to incorporate garden-based lessons, partnered with the PTA to organize garden workdays, and collaborated with a local Girl Scout troop to create a pollinator garden that empowered students to have a leadership role with the garden.
Chris has carried this experience into her ongoing work in agriculture and environmental education, including leading an agriculture-focused internship program at a high school in southwest Atlanta. In this role, she supports students in growing food and exploring career and educational opportunities. As a Segal Fellow, Chris is eager to learn alongside other service-minded leaders, and bring a spirit of generosity to the network. As an avid composter, Chris likens her enthusiasm for joining the Segal Fellowship community with the mindset of an earthworm, “always contributing my best to the ecosystem around me and trusting that the result is more valuable when we each contribute generously.”
For more information about the award: visit our website or contact Susie Flug-Silva at [email protected] & Nick Zevely at [email protected].
