Meet The New Local Philanthropic Leaders in Silicon Valley

2020 saw a changing of the guard in the Silicon Valley philanthropic community, against the backdrop of seismic changes in the world, and in our backyard. Leaders who have taken the helm of some of Silicon Valley’s philanthropic institutions in the past year have had to address compounding crises, while also challenging philanthropy to meet the moment, reassess entrenched practices and dismantle existing power dynamics.

Join us to hear from these leaders about how they are navigating their new roles in a time like no other, and are crafting their vision for their organizations moving forward. This will include reflections on their work in Silicon Valley and with Silicon Valley donors, in particular.

We will begin with a panel conversation moderated by Dwayne Marsh, NCG’s new CEO, to hear from each of these leaders directly. We will then move into a more interactive format where each leader will “host” you in their own breakout room. This will be an opportunity to ask them anything, start conversations, and connect in a deeper way. During this portion of the event, you will be able to move among breakout rooms, to meet any or all of these leaders.

Join us to:

• Learn how incoming leaders at philanthropic institutions are navigating a time of incredible need and turned it into an opportunity to elevate philanthropy and philanthropic collaboration.
• Hear how key local institutions in Silicon Valley are rethinking practices and working with the community, and in partnership to share power and meet the moment.

Drawing on more than 27 years of experience in nonprofit and organizational management in various leadership roles from Chief Operating Officer in a US healthcare system to Country Director for International NGO’s, Carla provides strategic and operational leadership to effectively guide the academic contributions of Stanford PACS to the third sector – civil society. A big believer in knowledge creation and dissemination leading to transformation change in civil society, Carla hopes to help PACS and SSIR (Stanford Social Innovation Review) reach larger audiences, contribute to the development of original research in this sector, and create spaces for philanthropists to expand their effective and strategic giving strategies. Carla holds an MSc in global management from the Robert Kennedy College business school in Zurich.

 

Sandy helps to guide the Sobrato family’s individual, collaborative and collective philanthropy. Prior to joining Sobrato Philanthropies, Sandy was Vice President, Partnerships & Engagement at the Skoll Foundation, where for 16 years she spearheaded flagship partnerships and provided leadership, integration, and alignment across Skoll activities to create broader impact from the work of leading social entrepreneurs. Sandy has held a variety of positions in nonprofit leadership and began her career in corporate finance in New York. She received a Bachelor of Arts in History and International Relations from Brown University, a Master of Arts in Administration and Policy Analysis from the Stanford School of Education, and a Master of Business Administration from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

 

Dwayne brings 27 years of experience in the public, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors with a career commitment to advancing racial and economic equity. Prior to NCG, Dwayne served as co-Director of the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE); Vice President of Institutional and Sectoral Change at Race Forward; senior advisor in the Office of Economic Resilience (OER) at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; held multiple roles at PolicyLink, the national organization committed to economic and social equity; and directed the FAITHS Initiative at The San Francisco Foundation. His career has been defined by supporting communities traditionally marginalized from full participation in our economy and society to build power and leverage lasting systems transformation.

 

David brings almost three decades of non-profit, government, and private sector experience to the job and a deep commitment to equity and social justice. David previously served as Executive Director of the Northern California Innocence Project at Santa Clara Law School, Deputy Director of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom’s Office of Criminal Justice, and Justice Director at the mission-driven consulting firm Resource Development Associates. He’s also taught at UC Berkeley Law School and served as Executive Director of the UC Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice. Earlier in his career, David worked for the W. Haywood Burns Institute for Juvenile Justice Fairness and Equity, Legal Services for Children, and the National Council on Crime and Delinquency. David is an active impact and angel investor and a long-time mindfulness meditation practitioner. He is a graduate of Stanford Law School and Brown University, and lives in San Francisco’s Bernal Heights neighborhood with his wife Kara Dukakis and their two daughters.

 

Target Audience

This program is open to NCG members, members of Magnify Community, and nonmember Individual donors, nonmember Institutional donors, and nonmember philanthropic advisors/consultants.

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