The Center Announces Newest Members to its Board of Advisors

May 3, 2021 – The success of The Center over the last twenty years has been largely attributable to the wise counsel, inspiration and support of its first-rate Board of Advisors. We are pleased to announce a distinguished group of philanthropic leaders who will be joining The Center’s board as it builds on its accomplishments in the next decade. Please join me in welcoming our newest members:

 

Elizabeth Gonzalez, Chief Program & Strategy Officer, College Futures Foundation

Elizabeth Gonzalez is the chief program & strategy officer of the College Futures Foundation, which partners with organizations and leaders across California to catalyze systemic change, increase college degree completion, and close equity gaps. A long-time philanthropy professional working for national, state, and regional foundations in support of advancing intergenerational mobility and public-sector systems change strategies, Elizabeth works closely with the CEO to manage the development and implementation of the Foundation’s strategy. Previously, she was a portfolio director at The James Irvine Foundation, where she oversaw education and workforce portfolio – the Better Careers initiative, postsecondary success grantmaking, and Linked Learning, Irvine’s effort to integrate academic and career-technical education for better student outcomes in high schools throughout California. Prior to her work at the Irvine Foundation, González was a postsecondary success program officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation overseeing a national portfolio of municipal partnerships for college success. A first-generation college graduate, Elizabeth earned a B.A. from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a focus on poverty, social labor market inequality and social policy. She currently serves on the board of Grantmakers for Education.

 

Cinny Kennard, Executive Director, Annenberg Foundation

Cinny Kennard serves as the Executive Director of the Annenberg Foundation, one of the largest family foundations in the United States, supporting innovative projects that advance public well-being, spark new ideas, and spread knowledge. Over the past several years, the Foundation has evolved from a traditional grantmaking institution to one that is also directly involved in the community with its unique charitable activities through which large-scale solutions to systemic problems are pursued. She has held executive leadership positions in the nonprofit sector for almost two decades. Prior to joining the Annenberg Foundation in January 2015, Cinny was the Senior Vice President in charge of Programming at the Smithsonian Institution. and served as a Senior Advisor to the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands. Prior to that, she served as managing director/managing editor of NPR West from 2003 to 2009. As part of her broad leadership responsibilities, she had editorial and operational oversight of the facility She serves on the editorial advisory board of Global Post, an online international newsgathering operation; the DuPont Columbia University Jury; and is a longtime member of the Trusteeship of the International Women’s Forum.

 

Robin Kramer, Managing Director, Smidt Foundation

Robin Kramer is managing director of the Smidt Foundation, whose flagship philanthropic initiative, Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, she led over the past three years. She brings to this work a varied background in public, private, and nonprofit leadership. Previously, she was commissioner for the Port of Los Angeles and served as chief of staff to two Los Angeles mayors, Antonio Villaraigosa and Richard Riordan— the first woman in the city’s history to serve in this post. She has held senior positions at the Broad Foundation, the California Community Foundation, and the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands; she also worked extensively as an independent consultant for a variety of entities focused on advancing access, equity, and engagement in civic life, public education, and the arts. A volunteer board member for many community-serving nonprofits over the years, she completed two terms as chair of the Pitzer College board of trustees, and she is currently a member of the board of the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation. A 1976 Coro Fellow in the “paleoterrific era,” she holds an MA in urban studies from Occidental College and a BA in political studies and journalism from Pitzer College.

 

Molly Morgan, Managing Director, J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Molly Morgan is a Managing Director in the Private Bank at JPMorgan’s Los Angeles office. She is a twenty-six-year veteran of JPMorgan. Molly is responsible for advising clients on wealth management matters including financial planning, investments, tax strategies, estate planning and charitable giving. In 2016, she was identified as one of the top 50 advisors in the U.S. Private Bank at JPMorgan. Prior to joining the Private Bank in Los Angeles fourteen years ago, Morgan spent twelve years in corporate banking in Chicago and Los Angeles and four years with a marketing communications firm in Paris. Molly is currently a board member of the Music Center’s Blue Ribbon and the Photographic Arts Council Los Angeles. She is a former board member of Art Center College of Design and Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation. Morgan holds bachelor’s degrees in economics and French from Duke University and a master’s degree with a concentration in finance from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

 

Terri Mosqueda, Vice President, Development & Donor Relations, California Community Foundation

As the head of development and donor relations, Terri Mosqueda provides strategic leadership in all aspects of asset development, new partnerships and leveraging the impact of donations from donors. For more than a decade, Mosqueda has played a driving role in CCF’s donor and community outreach strategies, most recently serving as senior director of donor relations. Previously, she served as a senate fellow in the Office of State Senator John Vasconcellos. Mosqueda holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Stanford University.

 

Marie Queen, Executive Director, The James J. and Sue Femino Foundation

Marie Queen has worked closely with her family’s foundation as Director and Trustee since 2008. Prior to her interest in family philanthropy, Marie’s career was in brand management and marketing for Nestle USA and The Capital Group Companies. Marie earned a BA from Wellesley College and MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. Marie has been active in many community organizations, including serving on the Boards of Union Station Homeless Services, Polytechnic School, and the Wellesley Club of Pasadena. She also enjoys learning about family philanthropy in Los Angeles through her involvement with USC’s Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy and Southern California Grantmakers. Marie and her husband are avid sports fans and participate on the Athlete Career & Education Committee of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation.

 

Nina Revoyr, Executive Director, Los Angeles, Ballmer Group

Nina Revoyr is the Executive Director of Ballmer Group’s philanthropic efforts in Los Angeles County and California, which are aimed at improving economic mobility for children and families disproportionately likely to remain in poverty. Prior to joining Ballmer Group, Nina spent two decades in the fields of child and family services and education. Most recently, she was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Children’s Institute, Inc., which provides evidence-based mental health services, child welfare and enrichment programs, and early childhood education to over 25,000 children and families annually in Central and South Los Angeles who are affected by violence and poverty. She has also worked for SafeSpace in New York City; for Head Start in Los Angeles; and as chief of staff for the president of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education. She received a B.A. from Yale University and an M.F.A. from Cornell University.

 

Fred Ali, Chair of the Board of Advisors notes, “These amazing leaders represent the full  spectrum of philanthropy – family foundations, community foundations and corporate leadership positions. They will  enrich the deliberation in The Center’s next phase of work, ensuring that the work continues to be at the forefront of thought leadership, as well as building upon its national reputation for rigorous, useful and usable analysis. The Center, with the board’s support, is committed to strengthening philanthropy through sharing knowledge and building networks among foundation leaders and philanthropic families.”

 

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
Gregg Millward, Senior Director of Development, The Center on Philanthropy & Public Policy at [email protected] or (213) 740-1776.