Renée Branch Joins the Council on Foundations as Director of Diversity and Inclusive Practices
Washington, DC—The Council on Foundations is pleased to announce that Renée Branch has joined the Council as the director of diversity and inclusive practices. In this role she will work with leaders and organizations across the philanthropic sector to advance diversity programs and awareness and to address diversity needs. Branch will report directly to Steve Gunderson, president and CEO of the Council on Foundations.
“Renée has the perfect combination of experience, vision, and personal qualities to make a lasting impact advancing diversity throughout the philanthropic community,” said Gunderson. “Renée brings a demonstrated track record of success to the Council, with innovation and knowledge to build the teams that advance new ideas and strategies in diversity and inclusiveness.”
Branch has 15 years of senior-level experience in management, public administration, and development. She comes to the Council from Washington State University in Vancouver, Washington, where she served as the diversity faculty fellow and as an adjunct professor. Previously, she worked for the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington in Vancouver.
The addition of Branch is a critical step in positioning the Council as a leader in promoting diversity and inclusive practices in all of philanthropy—the mission of the Council's Committee on Inclusiveness. The committee has developed a series of key initiatives that are designed to address the pipeline of talent coming into grantmaking organizations and nonprofits, the cultural environment of those organizations, and the image of the philanthropic sector as having valuable knowledge about diversity and inclusion in complex modern society, here and in other countries. Arturo Vargas, vice chair of the Community Technology Foundation of California, executive director of the NALEO Educational Fund, and chair of the Committee on Inclusiveness, said, “these key initiatives developed by the committee provide unique opportunities for close collaborations and partnerships among the Council, grantmaking organizations and colleague groups. The members of the Committee on Inclusiveness are committed to working closely with Renée as we move these initiatives forward.”
The Council on Foundations is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit membership association of more than 2,000 grantmaking foundations and corporations. Assets of Council members total more than $282 billion. The Council is a vision and voice of philanthropy at the national level and a valued partner globally. The Council provides the opportunity, leadership, and tools needed by philanthropic organizations to expand, enhance, and sustain their ability to advance the common good. For more information about the Council, visit www.cof.org.