Cristen Moore

Cristen Moore is the director of equity and inclusion for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. As equity and inclusion director, she guides the foundation’s overarching equity strategy to advance equitable outcomes in postsecondary education, leads the organizational equity learning journey, and manages relevant equity-centered grantmaking.

Moore brings to Lumina over a decade of experience in public policy and community engagement. She provides strategic guidance across stakeholder groups to advance equitable policies for communities of color with expertise in increasing educational attainment. A trusted thought partner and committed collaborator, Cristen works to bridge the gap between public policy and the communities it affects, prioritizing an intentional commitment to social justice, diversity, racial equity, and inclusion.

Most recently, Cristen served as the director of equity and change management at HCM Strategists, a public policy and advocacy firm, and provided a portfolio of services, including supporting the development of strategic plans and development of equity-minded leadership and coalitions. Her work spans institutions, higher education systems, state-level government agencies, community-based organizations, and the workforce sector, and she led this work for nonprofits such as Ascendium Education Foundation, ECMC Foundation, Strada Education Network, and Lumina Foundation. Before joining HCM, Cristen worked on Capitol Hill as a Barbara Jordan Scholar in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and served as a legislative fellow in the House of Representatives.

A proud graduate and advocate of a historically Black college, Cristen received her bachelor’s from Howard University and earned her Master of Public Administration from George Washington University. Cristen is an Indianapolis native, a dog mom, and an aunt to four nephews and one niece. She resides in Indianapolis’ St. Clair Place neighborhood and enjoys patronizing the local restaurants and shops.