Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) announces Catherine Crystal Foster has joined the San Francisco Advisory team as Vice President. In this role, Ms. Crystal Foster will leverage her expertise in social impact to develop and implement major grantmaking programs and provide strategic guidance across program areas for philanthropies of all types.

Ms. Crystal Foster comes to RPA from Magnify Community where, as CEO and co-founder, she worked with Silicon Valley philanthropists to make bold and catalytic investments in the community, designed innovative philanthropic tools, and advanced an equity-focused giving movement. Previously, she served as Executive Director of the Westly Foundation, expanding grantmaking and the Foundation’s signature prize for young social innovators. An entrepreneurial social sector leader, other earlier experience includes engagements at the Peninsula College Fund, and Policy & Advocacy Consulting, where she advised a breadth of nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, ranging from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to The California Endowment to the Children’s Defense Fund.

“We are very excited to have Catherine on our team. She brings an innovative and entrepreneurial approach to philanthropy that will help accelerate our clients’ pursuit of social impact,” said Greg Ratliff, Senior Vice President and head of RPA Advisory.

“It is a delight for me to be a part of an organization building on such a strong legacy of thoughtful and effective philanthropy. I am excited to work alongside this team of talented and knowledgeable change agents to advance solutions to some of the greatest challenges of our time,” said Ms. Crystal Foster.

Ms. Crystal Foster chairs the Advisory Board of the Palo Alto Community Fund, serves as an advisor to multiple social sector organizations, and is a volunteer Court-Appointed Special Advocate. A Senior Fellow of American Leadership Forum, she received her BA from Yale University and JD from Harvard Law School.

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