Dear Menlo Park Council Members, Thank you for your support of the Palo Alto Community Fund, in particular over the last six months. I am proud to say we have been able to inject over $1.7 million into our community since the beginning of 2020, to help local nonprofits and the most vulnerable during these unprecedented times. And of course, we intend to continue to raise funds to help with relief and rebuilding. To help us do this, I am thrilled to introduce our new Executive Director, Lisa Van Dusen, who joined us in July. As a longtime social impact leader in Silicon Valley and engaged Palo Alto resident, Lisa is uniquely suited to lead our organization and fulfill our mission of improving the quality of life for everyone in Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and Menlo Park. (Lisa replaced Cammie Vail, who retired after 16 years in the Executive Director position. ) Please feel free to contact Lisa or myself if you have any questions or would like to learn more about how we can work with the City to improve the lives of our residents. Best Regards, Bruce Gee Palo Alto Community Fund, Board Chair [ https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/zeXjUpqUAhwyma9UxMA9oYUxsHKenhq6mE2I-Dd3vzPsu6I_fV0sLs91IvsG_vb3ZG8Qkt5g8kPIfoAmOC_Sxt7N06Z_FBAJhpd3AXd3ZH9jWoRA10Zdp4SAvnDi0AxmHGJC7-0x ] For Immediate Release Contact: Bruce Gee bruce.gee_at_(domainremoved) (650) 814-5613? Lisa Van Dusen lvandusen_at_(domainremoved) (650) 799-3883? August 11, 2020 Palo Alto Community Fund Welcomes Lisa Van Dusen as new Executive Director The Palo Alto Community Fund (PACF) has hired longtime Silicon Valley social impact leader Lisa Van Dusen to be its new Executive Director. Van Dusen joins PACF as it helps meet the unprecedented needs laid bare by the global pandemic, surging economic inequality and increasing focus on systemic racial injustice. “Lisa is uniquely suited to lead our organization and help us navigate the extraordinary challenges in our community, seizing promising opportunities as our organization continues to evolve,’’ said Bruce Gee, president of PACF. “Lisa’s collaborative, inclusive leadership will guide us as we build on PACF’s legacy of local grantmaking and supporting those in our community who need help.” The Palo Alto Community Fund (PACF) https://paloaltocommfund.org/ >, was founded more than 40 years ago as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community foundation focused on the unique needs of our community, and channels charitable giving of local donors to effective organizations that improve the quality of life for everyone in Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and Menlo Park. Following the outbreak of the pandemic this spring, PACF established a COVID-19 Relief Fund to support those most in need in our own backyard. This year alone, PACF has raised and invested more than $1.7 million in our community. Van Dusen has dedicated her career to helping build thriving communities through philanthropy, advocacy, entrepreneurship and media, bringing more than 30 years of cross sector experience to her new role. Most recently, Van Dusen was Chief Relationship Officer at Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund (SV2) where she led innovation and learning initiatives that deepened awareness, engagement and giving to address social and environmental challenges in Silicon Valley and globally. Her accomplishments include expanding and diversifying SV2’s donor community, introducing field-leading impact investing and spearheading advocacy program offerings. Van Dusen, who has lived in Palo Alto for 35 years, has held a variety of professional and civic leadership positions, including launching two groundbreaking local media ventures—Cable Communications Cooperative of Palo Alto (Cable Co-op) and Palo Alto Online. She revived and co-led Leadership Palo Alto and created and hosted First Person https://www.lisavandusen.com/interviews >, a video interview series featuring Silicon Valley trailblazers. In addition to her experience as a social entrepreneur, Van Dusen brings expertise in sales, marketing and communications with the Palo Alto Weekly and other organizations. She has served on a variety of nonprofit boards including, Palo Alto Art Center, Planned Parenthood (Golden Gate), WINGS Guatemala and in numerous civic leadership roles. She has been recognized extensively, including as a Silicon Valley Women of Influence, TEDx speaker https://www.lisavandusen.com/blog/tag/TEDx >, Leadership Midpeninsula Senior Fellow and California College of the Arts Leading by Design Fellow. “The Palo Alto Community Fund has been a hidden gem and much-needed hyperlocal bridge connecting the unparalleled resources in our community with our equally staggering and growing needs,” said Van Dusen. “I am honored to join PACF’s exceptional Board, dedicated nonprofit partners, generous donors and compassionate neighbors to collectively envision and create a community where everyone can thrive.” “Lisa’s combination of integrity, energy, creativity and commitment to our community makes her the perfect leader for PACF going forward,” Gee said. “Her ability to listen, cultivate relationships and collaborate strategically with all members of our community will help us bring our shared vision to life.” About the Palo Alto Community Fund For more information about PACF you can visit our website at: Palo Alto Community Fund (PACF) https://paloaltocommfund.org/ >. About the PACF COVID-19 Relief Fund For more information about the recipients of the first allocation of funds, please visit our COVID-19 Relief Fund FAQ. https://paloaltocommfund.org/covid-19-relief-fund-faqs/ > Received on Tue Aug 11 2020 - 16:10:44 PDT
