Proud to Announce the Winners of Apollo’s Inaugural Citizenship Pitch Competition

In October, we launched a Citizenship competition and invited all employees from around the globe to pitch a nonprofit organization they are passionate about for the opportunity to win up to $50,000 for that organization.

In October, we launched a Citizenship competition and invited all employees from around the globe to pitch a nonprofit organization they are passionate about for the opportunity to win up to $50,000 for that organization. Citizenship received nearly 90 submissions, and ten finalists were selected to pitch to a panel of judges, including three members of the Management Committee and the Global Head of Citizenship.

This #GivingTuesday, we are excited to announce the three winners and organizations who stood out among the many powerful pitches we received. Citizenship seeks to find innovative ways to support our employees’ wide range of interests and desire to engage in their communities, and this competition is a testament to that. We are thrilled to recognize our 2021 Citizenship Pitch Competition winners and the organizations that are important to them:

• 1st Prize ($50,000): Stan Shamayev (Principal, Private Equity) and Salina Sabri (Principal, Credit) pitched America Needs You (ANY), a nonprofit organization committed to serving and supporting low-income, first-generation college students across the U.S. by providing resources and programming that help them graduate college, succeed in their careers and achieve economic mobility. Stan first became involved with ANY as a Fellow in 2012 and has since served as a Mentor Coach and Associate Board member. Salina began serving as an ANY Mentor Coach in 2018 to channel her passion for career development and supporting a diverse workforce, and now serves as an Associate Board member.
• 2nd Prize ($30,000): Nicholas Doering-Dorival (Managing Director, Real Estate) pitched Oliver Scholars, a nonprofit organization that identifies high-potential Black and Latinx 7th graders in New York City and provides extensive training and resources, helps place them in top private day and boarding schools and supports them throughout their high school journey and beyond. Nicholas was part of the Oliver Scholars 1993 cohort and he credits the program for his trajectory over the last three decades. He now serves as a trustee of Oliver Scholars and devotes most of his volunteer time and resources to the organization.
• 3rd Prize ($20,000): Gregory Sills (Managing Director, Finance) pitched Per Scholas, a nonprofit organization that provides tuition-free skills training and access to employers to individuals who are typically underrepresented in technology careers. He has been on the Board of Directors since 2008 and is extremely passionate about the impact the organization has in diversifying the workforce, creating greater economic equity and expanding opportunity to talent who have been traditionally excluded from the technology sector.

At Apollo, we are committed to expanding opportunity to create a positive impact in the communities where we work and live. Our Citizenship program is central to advancing that mission. Since it was established in 2019, Citizenship has launched various initiatives across our Firm to inspire our employees to get involved and drive social change through strategic philanthropy. From the thousands of hours volunteered by Apollo employees on an annual basis to the more than 1,500 non-profit organizations that have been impacted by Citizenship Grants, our employees have embodied our value of Lead Responsibly and exhibited their passion for giving back.

This #GivingTuesday, all Apollo employees have received $250 in charitable currency to donate to an eligible organization of their choice. We believe we can make the most meaningful impact when we act as OneApollo and our entire firm is engaged. Today and every day, we celebrate how our team is making a difference.