Open Call Approach Used to Increase
Transparency & Diversify Pool of Candidates
GIG
HARBOR, Wash., April 16,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Russell Family
Foundation (TRFF) today announced new members joining its
Board of Directors and Grant Committee. The Board of Directors
expands with Evlyn Andrade,
executive director of EarthCorps, and Rashad Morris, principal and founder of Impact
Donor Strategies. The Foundation's Grant Committee welcomes Arianna
Muirow, program director and senior researcher at Criterion
Institute, and Brandon Parsons,
director at American Rivers.
The new members support TRFF's mission-focused, community-driven
work addressing the climate crisis while prioritizing equity,
justice, and belonging. As board members, Andrade and Morris will
work alongside Foundation leadership and staff on strategic
planning to fulfill TRFF's grantmaking focus, investment goals and
strategies, and overall direction.
"We are ready to welcome Evlyn and Rashad to the TRFF family and
know their unique strengths and life experiences will energize our
mission," said Sarah Cavanaugh, TRFF
Board President. "As TRFF integrates equity and access with climate
action, the addition of their voices will be an enormous gift."
Andrade is a passionate advocate for racial equity and the
pursuit of social, economic, and environmental justice. As
executive director at EarthCorps, Andrade supports delivering on
the organization's vision, strategic planning and efforts to focus
on racial equity and environmental justice. Prior to
EarthCorps, she served as policy advisor on land use, environment,
and environmental justice to a San Diego County Board
Supervisor.
"I'm honored to bring my lived experience, expertise, and
passion for environmental justice and racial equity to the TRFF
Board of Directors," said Andrade. "This is an exciting opportunity
to harness this powerful platform to address the urgent
environmental challenges of our time and work towards a more
just and equitable society for all."
Morris has 20-plus years of experience in politics, policy
development, advocacy, and nonprofit governance. Through his
consulting firm, he provides support to philanthropic foundations,
individual major donors, nonprofits, and government agencies on
organizational effectiveness, program design, and strategy. Most
recently, he served as director of strategic partnerships at Earth
Alliance, a short-term philanthropic project led by Laurene Powell Jobs and Leonardo DiCaprio.
"It's an honor to join the Board of Directors at The Russell
Family Foundation, an organization that has modeled humble yet
catalytic philanthropy for decades," said Morris. "I look forward
to supporting the Foundation as it continues to uplift local
leaders and resource community-driven solutions across the Puget
Sound region."
Muirow and Parsons will advise on grants awarded under the
Foundation's Environmental Education and Food for Climate Solutions
portfolios, ensuring grantees reflect TRFF's values, priorities,
and goals for each program. Environmental Education has been a
longstanding focus since TRFF's inception, supporting organizations
that offer outdoor environmental education experiences for youth;
Food for Climate Solutions launched in 2023 and aims to foster a
thriving local and regional food system and more equitable access
to local, healthy, and sustainably grown food.
"As the Foundation remains focused on repairing our Earth, we
are excited to welcome two professionals who have worked at the
intersection of climate issues and sustainable reparative change,"
said Chris Rurik, TRFF Board of
Directors Vice President, and Grant Committee Chair. "Arianna and Brandon have direct experience on
the issues we support, and I look forward to the positive impact
they will have on our grantmaking process."
Muirow is a systems change leader and financial activist
passionate about fair economies, food systems and climate justice.
At Criterion, Muirow leads research and publications efforts around
topics like addressing unequal power dynamics in finance,
increasing community participation and governance in investment
processes, and mapping innovative finance ecosystems.
"Our current food system is simultaneously one of the major
contributors to carbon emissions impacting climate change and is
also extremely vulnerable to our changing climate. The Russell
Family Foundation's Food for Climate Solutions program is exactly
the type of focus needed to grow equitable, healthy, and
sustainable local food systems. Engaging youth in outdoor
environmental education is an integrally connected avenue to grow
leaders in environmental stewardship," said Muirow. "It is an honor
to join the Grant Committee and be part of the Foundation's
inclusive decision-making process to support food system change in
our community."
A former TRFF grantee, Parsons is a registered landscape
architect with 10-plus years of experience working with local
communities to develop projects that restore habitats, increase
resilience, and foster conservation. At American Rivers, he works
closely with industry leaders, NGOs, Federal and State agencies,
policymakers, and private foundations to protect and promote the
health of rivers in the United
States.
"As a former grantee, I have experienced firsthand the
impact that TRFF investments can play in helping local
organizations be courageous and develop innovative projects and
partnerships that create momentum for larger systems change," said
Parsons. "I am humbled to join the Environmental
Education and Food for Climate Solutions grant committee to help
support the next generation of environmental stewards in the
Northwest."
The Foundation used an open call approach to filling the
positions to encourage a diverse pool of applicants and increase
transparency throughout the process. It used a similar
approach in 2022 when filling spots on its Investment Audit
Committee and shared key insights on this uncommon approach in
philanthropy. During both recruitment phases, candidates expressed
appreciation for removing barriers to get into family philanthropy
and how unique it was for TRFF to implement such a transparent and
inclusive process. The new board and committee members will serve
three-year terms before possible renewal.
"I am thrilled to welcome these new members who are
exceptionally talented professionals, activists, and changemakers.
At The Russell Family Foundation, we strongly believe an open call
approach to filling board and committee positions allows us to
consider a broader group of candidates with new opinions and
diverse perspectives," said Kathleen
Simpson, CEO of TRFF. "We've learned a lot about how to do
this effectively as this is the second time we've taken an open
call approach, and we will continue to share those lessons with the
philanthropy community."
About The Russell Family Foundation
The Russell Family Foundation (TRFF) invests in people and
places to advance environmental sustainability and address the
climate crisis. Its vision is to support a thriving, equitable, and
sustainable earth. It does so through its commitment to Net Zero in
its investment portfolio and operations, grantmaking programs in
environmental education and food for climate solutions, and a
leadership development program for grassroots leaders in
Pierce County. Founded by
George and Jane Russell, TRFF has
been a way for extended family members to make a positive
philanthropic impact locally, regionally, and globally since 1999.
For more information, visit www.trff.org.
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SOURCE The Russell Family Foundation