Rachel Branaman

Rachel Branaman is a seasoned nonprofit executive and professional fundraiser with more than two decades of experience in nonprofit operations, fundraising, leadership development, and organizational management. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Modern Military Association of America (MMAA), the nation’s largest organization dedicated to LGBTQ+ service members, military spouses, veterans, their families, and allies.

Branaman’s career is rooted in a deep commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ). She is the founder and principal consultant of Talem Consulting, a national, woman-owned firm that equips nonprofits with tools to strengthen capacity, enhance fundraising, and advance equity-centered practices.

Her extensive background includes leadership roles such as Interim Development Director for several organizations and Executive Director of Alley’s House, where she led direct service programs for teen mothers. She has also held development positions at notable institutions including the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Jewish Community Center of Dallas, and Dallas Heritage Village.

Branaman served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Namibia, where she worked as an HIV/AIDS educator and community development volunteer, an experience that deepened her global perspective and cultural responsiveness.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in French from Austin College and a Master’s in Nonprofit Management from Regis University, where she graduated summa cum laude. She is also an alumna of the Leadership Texas program and actively advocates for health equity, civil rights, and Peace Corps reform. She serves on the board of the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU).

In her leadership at MMAA, Branaman has been instrumental in strengthening organizational infrastructure, launching new programs, and shaping legislative policy priorities that reflect the organization’s mission to support and empower a fully inclusive military community.