Every Voice Shines New Light

The value of an idea increases exponentially when it’s shared. From our staff, partners and grantees to the people impacted by their efforts, each perspective offers new insight into the critical issues at the heart of our work.

Our Contributors

Sepi Aghdaee

Sepi supports the Fund’s grantmaking across programs and issues, including longtime community partnerships in the Bay Area.
Cathy Cha

Cathy leads the Fund’s work to advance rights and create opportunities for all people.
Denis Chicola

Denis works to ensure that communications are at the core of the Fund’s efforts to advance rights and create opportunities.
Matt Foreman

Matt oversees the Fund’s extensive support for the drive for equal rights and opportunities for LGBT people.
Victor Garcia
Walter J. Haas

In his leadership of the Haas, Jr. Fund, Walter J. Haas is guided by a commitment to serving the community and to creating opportunities for all people to succeed.
Ira Hirschfield

Ira oversees the Fund’s investments and leads its work on selected community partnerships.
Jennifer Kirschenbaum
Paula Morris

Paula has worked with the Fund’s Flexible Leadership Awards program since its inception in 2005, and was its program director until January 2015.
Beth Rayfield

Beth Rayfield is the director of institutional advancement at the Center for Community Change (CCC) and former development director at CHIRLA.
Robert Ross
Jennie Lehua Watson

Jennie leads the Fund’s work to advance rights and create opportunities for all people.
Evan Wolfson

Evan is the founder and President of Freedom to Marry, a longtime Fund partner and key player in the campaign to win marriage equality nationwide.
Linda Wood

Linda leads the Fund’s work to strengthen leaders, organizations and movements that are advancing social change.
Sylvia Yee

Sylvia served as the Fund’s Vice President of Programs

Philanthropy leaders convene in Southern California

More Truth-Telling and Candor

July 21, 2010 | by

Can we make more room for honesty in philanthropy?

In this guest blog for the Center for Effective Philanthropy, Linda Wood connects the Fund’s leadership work to the larger conversation about transparency in philanthropy.

“Talk about sharing sensitive material! Wow.” This was just one of a number of similar comments the Haas, Jr. Fund received from nonprofit and foundation colleagues reacting to the level of truth-telling and candor…

The Seeds for Transformation

February 22, 2010 | by

Spring 2010 Letter from the President

The U.C. Berkeley Initiative for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strives to expand people’s understanding of what it means to be inclusive.

Students and faculty at U.C. Berkeley have a history of being at the forefront of important social justice movements. Today, this tradition of activism and open debate continues as California’s budget crisis has tur…

The Power of Positive Coaching

February 15, 2010 | by

Connecting the dots between great coaching and nonprofits that thrive

Vice president of programs Sylvia Yee weaves together two different strands of coaching and how it can help forward social change in this Letter from the VP.

Haas, Jr. Fund grantee Coaching Corps started its signature program in 2005 to bring high-quality sports opportunities and good coaching to young people in disadvantaged communities throughout the Bay Area. As…

Voices from the Field

Hear insights, challenges and breakthroughs from our grantees’ inspiring work.

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Cynthia Buiza

Executive Director, California Immigrant Policy Center

Recognizing trailblazing Asian American women who are leading and influencing social justice movements in California.

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First Person Stories

See the issues at the heart of our work through the eyes of those most closely affected.

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Jirayut “New” Latthivongskorn

Future (undocumented) doctor

New once kept his undocumented status a secret from everyone outside his family. Today, he is proudly the first undocumented medical student at UCSF.

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Cynthia Buiza

Executive Director, California Immigrant Policy Center

A Park For All

An Immigrant’s Perspective on Crissy Field

Lessons from California

Successes of California's Grass-Roots Activists Offer Lessons for All Grant Makers

Statement on Family Separation and Detention

Philanthropy Responds to Inhumane Family Separation and Detention Policies.

Cristina Jiménez

Advancing the Dream of Dignity for All Immigrants

Every Voice Shines New Light