Derek Steele, a proud HBCU graduate of Morgan State University, is an experienced problem solver who started his professional career as an electrical engineer at Northrop Grumman. Soon after beginning his first job, he began volunteering with Inglewood’s Social Justice Learning Institute (SJLI), where he worked redesigning local food access systems to solve health disparities and food insecurity in the community.

Off the success of his volunteer work, Steele was hired as SJLI's first Health Equity Programs Director. Under his leadership, his team taught over 15,000 families lessons in nutrition, physical activity and urban agriculture; built 126 urban gardens in the community; began the Inglewood Farmers' Market and Inglewood Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA); significantly influenced the passing of two major state bills impacting food insecurity in the California; and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, provided over one million pounds of produce to families throughout LA County.

As SJLI experienced significant growth, quickly becoming a thought and movement leader in health, educational, racial and social equity, Steele was promoted to Associate Director of Operations and Finance.

In 2021, Steele was promoted once again to Executive Director. To this role, he brings his system-building experience, engineering perspective and unique skill set to help solve the inequities and inequalities that plague communities of color, particularly the Black community.