2024 State of the Nonprofit Sector

Solomon Belette is a seasoned senior-level strategic leader with a diverse background spanning the nonprofit, civil, educational, and philanthropic sectors. Belette is fueled by a profound commitment to human dignity and social justice. Throughout a dynamic career, Belette has dedicated his efforts to serving the most vulnerable, demonstrating resourcefulness, collaboration, and a track record of success. He has earned his undergraduate and graduate level degrees from Saint John’s University and John F. Kennedy University respectively. Belette’s entrepreneurial drives have inspired him to establish two consulting firms, SISAR and USAFI, designed to assist both domestic and international organizations in capacity development and resource mobilization. He currently holds a Visiting Professor position at the University of Juba and has served as Adjunct Instructor at Santa Clara University. His other professional experiences include serving as Managing Director for the East Contra Costa Community Alliance (ECCCA), Founder of the US Africa Initiatives (USAFI), Director of the Sanford Institute of Philanthropy, CEO of Catholic Charities of the East Bay, and Regional Director for Migration and Refugee Services. He currently serves on the board of the Village Community Resources Center, Man2Man Urban Youth Advocate, as Board President of the Antioch Community Foundation, and Regional Advisor for NCG’s Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative.

Belette is a dynamic leader whose strategic vision and commitment to positive change have left an indelible mark across diverse sectors. (Nov 2023)

Georgia is a passionate nonprofit executive with experience leading bold change throughout all life cycles of an organization. She has served as Executive Director of Thrive Alliance since 2016, where she leads a cross-sector network of nonprofit, public sector, and private sector leaders working together to strengthen the San Mateo County and the broader region. Her previous roles include CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of the Coastside, Director of Education & Training and Senior Consultant for the Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership, and Director of the Center for Nonprofit Management at Stonehill College. She began her career in nonprofits working in development and grantmaking at the Newton Schools Foundation.

Georgia serves as a board member for the Palo Alto Community Fund and as a founding board member for Leadership Council San Mateo County. She is on the Advisory Council for AbilityPath, an advisor for the SF Urban Film Festival, and a graduate of Leadership San Mateo. Georgia is an American Leadership Forum (ALF) Senior Fellow and a graduate of ALF Class XLI.Back East, Georgia was a founding board member for the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, a trustee for the Massachusetts 4-H Foundation, and a board member for the Boys & Girls Club of Brockton. Georgia has her M.B.A. from Boston University and a B.A. from Wellesley College. She lives in Redwood City with her husband Armaghan and their son Keyaan.

Kyra has been a long-time nonprofit professional, community leader, and public servant in our Silicon Valley community. Previous to her role at SVCN, she was senior policy advisor in the City of San José’s Mayor’s office, focused on housing and homelessness, and, before that, directing attorney at the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, leading teams of public interest attorneys in high impact policy advocacy and litigation. Kyra has a JD from the University of Michigan Law School and a BA from the University of Arizona. Kyra is an American Leadership Forum senior fellow, a recipient of the SCCBA Professional Lawyer of the Year, and a Silicon Valley Business Journal Woman of Influence. She lives in downtown San José with her husband Eric and daughter Kassia.

Debbi Lerman is the Director of the San Francisco Human Services Network (HSN), a public policy association of about 80 community-based nonprofit agencies dedicated to addressing issues critical to the health and human services sector and the people they serve. She has worked in the nonprofit sector since 1980 and joined the staff of HSN in 2001.

She previously organized and coordinated two job training and placement programs for low- income persons and women in the construction industry, including serving as the Executive Director of the Seismic Retrofit Employment Consortium. She also spent fifteen years with environmental organizations, including Executive Director of the Toxics Coordinating Project, and positions with Rainforest Action Network and the California League of Conservation Voters.

Debbi has been a member of the California Bar since 1984. She holds a J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley and a B.S. in Earth Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.