The principals of AbēkaM have an extensive history of working in the philanthropic, community and youth service-provider sectors. As a result, we have a unique ability to nurture relationships, create effective collaborations, address gaps in existing services and co-create solutions with promise.

Makeeba McCreary
Founder, Executive Director


Stephanie Additon
Founder, Managing Director

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Makeeba McCreary
Founder, Executive Director

Makeeba McCreary is a founding partner and CEO of AbēkaM, a non- profit whose focus is bringing resources to underserved youth, their families and communities by supporting corporate responsibility in urban, marginalized communities. Much of her grounding experience began with navigating the systems of juvenile justice, social service, foster care and public education. Makeeba began her professional career in direct social service working with Boston’s homeless population at the Pine Street Inn in the Men’s Unit and then evolved into a career focusing on intervention and prevention models for “at-risk” youth. Makeeba has worked alongside academic professionals, district administrators and urban classroom teachers with the goal of improving the quality of leadership in public schools and non profits to create opportunities for youth serving professionals to become more experimental in their strategies- particularly when serving minority children. Furthermore, Makeeba has worked in the service of several non-profit organizations by leading fund development strategies including annual operating goals in excess of $2M, event execution in excess of $500K and major donor cultivation and engagement. In 2009, Makeeba partnered with Stephanie Additon to form AbēkaM so they might pursue their mutual interests of community resource building and continue their exciting work in the world of directing urban community investment through Corporate Responsibility. Makeeba McCreary has a BA in psychology from University of Massachusetts Boston, a Masters Degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and is currently completing a Doctorate of Education from Teachers College, Columbia University in Organizational Leadership and Educational Administration.

As her work in philanthropy has evolved, it has become increasingly clear to her that opportunities for the corporate and non-profit world to connect provide rich resources for both sides and that these opportunities do not take place without facilitation of the dialogue. Makeeba also focuses on spending as much time as possible with her son, Gary Xavier and quiet weekends with a good espionage novel.

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Stephanie Additon
Co-Founder, Managing Consultant

Throughout the years her work has centered on supporting disenfranchised youth and families to connect resources in education, the community, and the juvenile justice system. As her work has developed she has become dedicated to not just supporting one child or family at a time but creating macro supports and systems for entire communities.

Stephanie began her career in direct social services in Rhode Island supporting youth in the care of the state. Later she was the Director of Youth Services for a large Community Action Agency serving “at risk” youth who were struggling with teen pregnancy, unemployment, educational and retention issues. For 6 years, she developed innovative youth programs with the Department of Children, Youth and Families, Department of Labor and Training and Department of Human Services of Rhode Island while managing staff teams who provided the direct service. In, 2001 she co-founded the Family and Community Engagement program, RI which has a mission is to support families and students in navigating the public education system and to provide recommendations to district administration on best ways to improve policy and systems for full family engagement in schools. Later, she became a member of the COMPASS Consulting team working in urban school settings to improve planning and problem solving with teacher for challenging youth. She has also been working on the Jordan Fundamentals Grant team since 2007.

In 1998, Stephanie Additon graduated from Cambridge College, in Massachusetts - on a part-time basis. Her schooling focused on Family and Community systems and the level of need both have to interface in a strengths based and team oriented way to support youth and families.

Stephanie is partner of Updike’s Newtowne Coffee Roasting Co. a micro coffee roasting business that she owns with her husband Mark in, North Kingstown RI. They specialize in daily roasted coffee from all over the world offering their brand in their specialty shop and café. Stephanie and her husband have two young daughters, Lilly and May who love going to the beach in their home town of Narragansett, RI.