In 2018, NCG launched a Senior Fellow program as a platform for philanthropic leaders to advance a body of work, reflect, share insights with our members and the sector more broadly, and provide guidance, mentorship, and support to NCG staff and our member community. This expansion of our community enables us to engage senior leaders and their continued contribution to the field.
Our first Senior Fellow was Pam David, a nationally recognized and highly respected leader who served as the Executive Director of the Walter and Elise Haas Fund for 15 years. Pam reflected on her fellowship with NCG:
“Too often, we have let senior leaders step down from their positions without figuring out a way to continue to use their experience and expertise to benefit the sector as a whole. NCG’s establishment of a Senior Fellow program is an exciting model that creates a meaningful ‘off-ramp.’ In my short experience as NCG’s inaugural senior fellow I found a smart and vibrant set of colleagues at NCG who helped me launch programming to support new family foundation leaders. I look forward to seeing what the next Senior Fellow can accomplish with NCG.” - Pam David
Following Pam’s inaugural fellowship, NCG is able to further solidify this opportunity, and we are opening a call for proposals for our next Senior Fellow. Lauren Dachs, President & CEO of the S.D. Bechtel Junior Foundation, notes:
“New philanthropists have been creating foundations and other giving vehicles at a rapid pace since the 90s. We’ve learned from our own experience that effective, impactful giving requires wisdom as well as the capacity to innovate, and a high tolerance for risk. The NCG Senior Fellow program is an ideal way to bring our most senior, seasoned grantmakers together with the learners and experimenters entering the field in order to accelerate their path to success.”
We are excited to see what our next Senior Fellow will bring to the NCG community!
To apply, or to nominate someone to be considered, take a look at the Senior Fellow job description.