Disability Inclusion in Philanthropy
The Weingart Foundation is proud to join 15 grantmakers across the country in the Presidents’ Council on Disability Inclusion in Philanthropy. Led by the Ford and Robert Wood Johnson foundations, the Council is a five-year, $10 million initiative to champion inclusion of people with disabilities in our own institutions, grantmaking, and throughout the national philanthropic community. Grant funding will be multi-year unrestricted support to key U.S. organizations run by and for people with disabilities whose work will lead to transformative change. For more than 20 years, the Weingart Foundation has supported efforts to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Over the past several years, however, the Foundation’s commitment to racial and socioeconomic equity has shifted our perspective to include a sharper focus on disability inclusion and rights. We look forward to joining with colleagues through the Presidents’ Council as we move towards incorporating a disability justice lens throughout our grantmaking and organizational practices.
Board News
We are pleased to announce that Aileen Adams has become the new chair of the Weingart Foundation Board of Directors as she begins her sixth year of board service. Aileen brings extensive public and private sector experience to her new role, including her term as former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor, Office of Strategic Partnerships during the administration of former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. In addition, we thank out-going chair Monica Lozano, President and C.E.O. of College Futures Foundation, for her leadership and commitment to our Foundation. Monica will remain on the board and begin her 15th year of service. We also welcome Whittier College President Linda Oubré as a new board member. In addition to executive positions with the Times Mirror and the Walt Disney companies, Linda has held leadership positions at San Francisco State University and University of California, Davis. For a full list of our board, click here.
Staff Leadership
We are pleased to announce that the following team members will assume additional leadership roles. Joanna Jackson, who joined the Foundation in 2008, has been promoted to Vice President, Programs, and is now responsible for the management of our responsive grantmaking program and staff. She will also oversee Learning, Assessment and Planning and lead Strategic Planning for the Foundation. In these areas she will work closely with Joyce Ybarra, who has been promoted to Director of Learning, Assessment and Planning. In addition, Vy Nguyen, our Director of Special Projects and Communications, has additional responsibilities which include oversight of the Special Opportunity Fund and management of our special initiatives team. Karren Lane also assumes new responsibilities as Program Director and will be leading our strategy work in South and Southeast Los Angeles, in addition to the Youth Organizing Capacity Building Initiative.