Chris Desser, Chair
Chris is a fellow at the Tomales Bay Institute, a think tank focused on developing the concept of The Commons and an overarching analytical structure and its implications for organizing across sectors and disciplines. She is the founder of Women's Voices. Women Vote. She has coordinated a variety of events and networks, including the Funders' Working Group on New Technology, Living with the Genie: Governing Scientific and Technological Transformation in the 21st Century, and Earth Day 1990. Chris co-founded the Muir Investment Trust and has served on many boards, including the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the Constellation Fund, Ploughshares Fund, Foundation for National Progress, Blue Water Network, Rainforest Action Network, The Pacific Institute, and the Pesticide Action Network. From 2005-2006, she served as a Commissioner for the Environment for the city and county of San Francisco.

Susan Fassberg, Secretary
Susan's professional background is in business development, public relations and marketing, with a strong emphasis on media and social change. Her clients have included Salon, Ask Jeeves, Los Angeles Magazine, the BBC, ZDF, ARD, ABC-TV and NBC-TV. Last year she created content for "50 Simple Things You Can Do to Fight the Right." This year she's launching a line of products that highlight the import of biocultural diversity.

Ludovic Blain III
Ludovic Blain is a progressive entrepreneur, having created and strengthened projects domestically and on three continents. Ludovic is currently the National Campaign Coordinator for the Marguerite Casey Foundation's Equal Voice for America's Families Campaign, and his past experience includes the New Progressive Coalition, Demos and over a decade of environmental justice work with the New York Public Interest Research Group. Ludovic initiated a program focusing on generational attitudes in progressive non-profits with the Building Movement Project. He received honorary citizenship from The Gambia for his organizational development work with the national youth organization there. He holds his hometown of The Bronx close to heart and is currently based in Oakland.

Sally A. Carlson
Sally is Managing Principal of her own consulting firm, S.A. Carlson & Associates. She has many years experience in corporate finance and real estate, including positions at Crocker National Bank, Wells Fargo, Deloitte & Touche, CNL Institutional Advisors, LaSalle Investment Management, and Heidrick & Struggles. She has also served on the Boards of directors of the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, Kiddo!, the Mill Valley Schools Community Foundation, Eth-Noh-Tec, a San Francisco-based Asian American performance art group, and the Paul Taylor Dance Foundation.

André Carothers
See staff biography

Greg Hodge
Gregory Hodge is an organizational development and community building consultant. He works with a range of groups from small non-profits and foundations to public agencies, particularly school districts. He formerly served as the Chief Executive Officer for California Tomorrow, an Oakland based organization that is dedicated to building a strong multiracial and multicultural society that embraces diversity as our greatest asset. In addition, Gregory was elected to his second term as a member of the Oakland Unified School District Board of Education in March 2004. Hodge has also worked as an attorney in private practice handling a variety of civil litigation matters. His involvements include work with African American youth as a teacher and mentor; board member and minister at Wo'se Community Church; drummer with Bantaba Dance Ensemble; and member of the national Annenberg School District Reform Task Force. He is married and is the father of four children.

Idelisse Malave
Idelisse is Executive Director of the Tides Foundation, responsible for the overall management of the Foundation since 1996. She works with Tides staff to deliver excellent service and create opportunities for donors to increase the impact of their grantmaking. Over a twenty-five-year career dedicated to social justice, Idelisse litigated civil rights cases with the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, represented women in family law matters, and co-authored a bestseller, Mother Daughter Revolution. She was a founding board member of the New York Women's Foundation and served as Vice President of the Ms. Foundation for Women for six years.

Lawrence Rinder
In late April 2008, it was announced that Larry would take on the role as the new Director of the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAM/PFA). Before that, Larry was the Dean of the College at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco and Oakland. He is also a freelance curator and writer. His most recent book, Art Life, was published by Gregory R. Miller & Co. in spring 2006.

Akaya Windwood
See staff biography