Philanthropy is a field created through the accumulation of power and money. Like so many fields — and so many of us — it needs to be healed as it helps heal. Is this possible? Is there even an alternative?
Two leaders deeply committed to healing and justice get real with each other (and us) about their journeys to philanthropy, and how they’re navigating personal identity, beliefs and power. They have worked hard to leverage the “best” of philanthropy to support communities while simultaneously trying to transform philanthropy from the inside out. If you want to know how to get a grant, this isn’t the event for you. But if you want candor and truth-telling, deep hope and humor, and a conversation you haven’t heard before, join us.
Featuring:
Mailee Walker, Claneil Foundation
Mailee became executive director of the Claneil Foundation in 2007. Prior to joining the Claneil Foundation, she was vice president, communication/program officer of the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation. She previously served as executive director of the Stanford Medical Youth Science Program and project coordinator for the Neighborhood Improvement Initiative in California. Mailee serves as a board member of Ones Up and The Philadelphia Award. She is an advisory board member for the Center for Effective Philanthropy. She is a member of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy and Asian Mosaic Fund Giving Circle. Mailee earned a BA in urban studies from Stanford University and an MBA in change management from the Wharton Graduate School of Business. She is an alumna of the Coro Fellows Program, the Center on Philanthropy’s Jane Addams Fellowship, and Leadership Philadelphia. She lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband, two kids, two in-laws and a dog.
Lisa Jackson, Ph.D., Imago Dei Fund
Lisa is the Managing Partner for the Imago Dei Fund based in Boston, MA. Lisa has worked in the social sector for over two decades in a variety of roles. She began her career in education and psychology as a professor at Boston College. Her research there was focused on agency and self-efficacy in youth at the intersection of racial and gender identity. Realizing how much she enjoyed working with youth and being more directly engaged with schools, Lisa decided to leave academia to manage a federally funded college access and success program for the Boston Public Schools (GEAR-UP). As her eclectic trajectory evolved, Lisa stepped into organization leadership positions focused on evaluation and assessment, risk management, research and strategy development.
Prior to joining the Imago Dei Fund (IDF) in 2018 as its Managing Partner, Lisa served as the Vice President for Research at The Center for Effective Philanthropy, and the Managing Partner for Portfolio Investments at New Profit, Inc. Both of these experiences shaped her perspective on philanthropy providing a solid foundation for her to step into her role at IDF.
Lisa serves on several boards including College Advising Corps, SPARK Microgrants, New England International Donors, Compass, My Life My Choice and Boston Schools Fund. She is also a former elected member of the Brookline School Committee. Lisa has a Ph.D. in Education from Stanford University, and a B.S. in Psychology from Howard University.