April 2016 – After an extensive national search, we are pleased to announce the appointment of Yolanda Caldera-Durant as Talent Philanthropy’s inaugural Director of Programs. In this role, Yolanda will advance research, education and other activities that seek to maximize foundation investments in a diverse, effective, impactful and sustainable nonprofit workforce. She begins May 9, 2016.
This new position has been made possible with generous support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Ford Foundation.
In announcing the appointment, Rusty Stahl, President and CEO, had this to say:
“On behalf of our team, I am thrilled to welcome Yolanda to this important leadership role! Her blended experience in foundation grantmaking and developing nonprofit leaders will enable her to advance our mission. Her passion for supporting diverse voices in the field will advance our values. And her ability to get things done will enable her to develop high quality programs and services for the field.”
Yolanda offered the following:
“I am excited to join Talent Philanthropy to work on its important mission of increasing philanthropic investment in building a strong, sustainable and diverse nonprofit workforce and talent pipeline. I look forward to engaging with our partners from across the country to advance this important movement.”
Ms. Caldera-Durant joins us from the Connecticut Health Foundation, where she has served as Senior Program Officer on health equity issues and, concurrently, Program Director of their Health Leaders Fellows Program. Previously, she was a Program Associate at the New Haven, CT office of the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Before that, Yolanda was Program Director at the Fairfield County Community Foundation where she did grantmaking focused on economic opportunity and health and human services, and concurrently directed the foundation’s Center for Nonprofit Excellence.
Yolanda’s community leadership includes serving as Co-Founder and past Co-Chair of the Greater Bridgeport Latino Network and the Advisory Board of the Progreso Latino Fund at the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven. She is the Co-Coordinator for Las Comadres New Haven/Bridgeport, part of a national network that builds connections and community among Latinas. Caldara-Durant also serves on the board of Project Access, which serves to increase access to medical care and services for underserved patients in the New Haven area.
Yolanda holds an M.S. in Nonprofit Management from the New School University and a B.A. in sociology from the University of Connecticut.
Talent Philanthropy, a project of Community Partners, is a national campaign to maximize foundation investments in a nonprofit workforce that is diverse, high-performing, impactful, and enduring. Launched in 2014, The Project is informed by an Advisory Council composed of stakeholders from across the nonprofit sector. We benefit from the generous support of national and local funders including the Kresge Foundation, Packard Foundation, Annie Casey Foundation, American Express, Durfee Foundation, Kellogg Foundation, and the Ford Foundation.