From the COVID era to the recent Los Angeles wildfires, philanthropy faces mounting crises, and a new generation of foundation leadership is ready to tackle these challenges. The Center on Philanthropy & Public Policy welcomed three of these leaders — Weingart Foundation President and CEO Joanna Jackson, Ralph M. Parsons Foundation President and CEO Jennifer Price-Letscher, and California Wellness Foundation President and CEO Richard Tate — for an illuminating discussion about their personal stories, professional journeys and philanthropic vision for the future, moderated by Grant Oliphant, CEO of San Diego’s Conrad Prebys Foundation.

In introducing the panel, Cinny Kennard, executive director of the Annenberg Foundation and chair of The Center’s Board of Advisors, remarked, “These new leaders inspire me, as well as the entire field, in how they are shaping new ways forward to ensure philanthropy’s effectiveness in enhancing lives and strengthening communities.”

Oliphant opened the conversation with humor, joking about being on the “wrong side” of the generational divide before asking the panelists what led them to their current roles. Jackson and Price-Letscher reflected on beginning their careers in advocacy and social services, where firsthand experience shaped their leadership approaches. Tate shared how his time as a USC student during Los Angeles’ 1992 civil unrest and the 1994 Northridge earthquake informed his views on the need for philanthropic outreach to communities.

Jackson recalled being raised in a family of social activists and how her experiences as a Black child instilled a deep commitment to a more equitable society. After working at a small arts organization in Oakland, Calif., she began her philanthropy career at The California Endowment and then joined the Weingart Foundation in 2008, where she steadily rose through the ranks. She emphasized the importance of listening to the communities that philanthropy serves. “It’s how we remain relevant,” Jackson said, adding that the Weingart Foundation’s changes over the 16 years she has worked there have been “very much an evolution that is in alignment with my own personal values and mission.”

Price-Letscher confessed that she grew up not knowing that philanthropy was a profession. Like Jackson, though, she was raised in a home that shared the values she would later promote as head of the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation: civic engagement, community well-being and fostering opportunities. “I was hired with a mandate of evolution, not revolution,” Price-Letscher said. Yet when radical events occur — such as the devastating wildfires — she said, “we need to be ready” to “push forward in new and exciting ways.”

Tate, a man of color and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, shared how his father’s family fled racial violence only to face inner-city poverty and redlining. He also noted that his parents married just two years after the 1967 Loving v. Virginia decision legally allowed their mixed-race union. “I come from humble but ambitious people who aspired to not only do work that supported their families but also contributed to their communities in realizing a brighter future together,” Tate said. When he joined the California Wellness Foundation, Tate added that he was inspired by then-President and CEO Judy Belk’s vision for what philanthropy can accomplish. “The foundation’s intersection of health and wellness with racial and social justice was deeply resonant for me.”

All three of these leaders view their work as a calling and not just a vocation. Their long experience in philanthropy positions them not just to lead their organizations but also the field itself. In addition, they represent the growing diversity among foundation leadership. Nearly 40 percent of nonprofit CEO positions are now held by women, and more LGBTQ+, and people of color are advancing to leadership roles as well.

The CEOs discussed changes in the national scene and how these ripples affect their work. These include sometimes excessive scrutiny of philanthropy and the nonprofit sector and anti-inclusive policies that risk depriving people of opportunity. “We need to keep building bridges,” Price-Letscher said — a process that must include confronting issues that have been overlooked for too long.

As the discussion concluded, Oliphant commended the new CEOs for their combination of humility, willingness to learn and commitment to building thoughtful yet evolutionary initiatives. “At the same time, there’s a remarkable determination around your vision and a strong commitment to confronting the challenging aspects of change,” he added. He further stressed the need to “find balance between the immediate charitable impulse and the longer-term tough questions that philanthropy is uniquely positioned to address.”

“Philanthropy’s toolkit has expanded, and its playbook has become more nuanced, intricate and complex over the last 25 years,” noted James Ferris, PhD, Center director and the Emery Evans Olson Chair in Nonprofit Entrepreneurship and Public Policy at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, in wrapping up the conversation. “But to have those innovations yield greater impact requires bold philanthropic leadership. These leaders are poised to do just that.”

This salon, the first in a series, launched The Center’s 25th anniversary of thought leadership in bringing together key thinkers and decision-makers from philanthropy, nonprofits, government, business, and the academic community to explore strategies to drive impact in improving lives and communities. Over the coming year, Center anniversary salons will cover a range of issues that examine how philanthropy can change and transform communities.

The Center on Philanthropy & Public Policy promotes more effective philanthropy and strengthens the nonprofit sector through research that informs philanthropic decision-making and public policy to advance community problem solving. The Center is a part of the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, which works to improve the quality of life for people and their communities, here and abroad.

For more information: Please contact Bhanu Anton Cruz, Senior Associate Director, The Center on Philanthropy & Public Policy, at bcruz@usc.edu or 213-740-1776.