Leila Roberts

Leila guides her community foundation’s mission investing and helps leverage public and private capital for community projects that advance a just economy. Humboldt Area Foundation + Wild Rivers Community Foundation (HAF+WRCF) serves Humboldt, Del Norte, and Trinity Counties in California, Curry County in Oregon. Within that region, HAF+WRCF honors 18 Indigenous peoples and the federally and non-federally recognized nations that represent them. Leila arrived in sacred, unceded Wiyot lands a decade ago, after a 25 year career with transnational, national, and local institutions, including Planned Parenthood in the Philadelphia area, United Way Worldwide in D.C., BRAC in Bangladesh, the Climate Justice Alliance nationwide, the North Coast Small Business Development Center in Humboldt, and more. In her HAF+WRCF role, she asks: how can we leverage public and private capital to grow well-being and heal harm? Who has access and opportunity? Who benefits? Who controls and governs? She has a Master's degree in International Sustainable Development, and currently serves on the board of Cooperation Humboldt. Leila is an Arab-American child and grandchild of immigrants from North Africa (al Maghreb) and Great Britain.