Rachel “Kaya” Hersh is the Chief Financial Officer at the East Bay Community Foundation. With more than 25 years of experience leading financial and operational strategy, Kaya has managed budgets up to $900M, overseen complex compliance environments, and guided organizations through high-stakes change. She has built ERP systems from the ground up, led remote finance teams across multiple continents, and helped both nonprofits and global corporations navigate some of the toughest economic conditions in modern history.
Kaya’s deep and diverse background spans Fortune 100 companies, PE and VC firms, philanthropists, and celebrity spokespeople. She has supported clients such as Medtronic, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, Google, GM, Ford, Honda, Toyota, and the Department of Defense. Her work has driven major transformations across industries ranging from biomanufacturing to consumer goods and automotive. Before the age of 35, she broke barriers as the first female executive at an Indian-owned automotive firm, and she is known for building high-performing teams rooted in both rigor and humanity.
Kaya holds an MBA from Indiana University and an AI certification from Johns Hopkins University. Her connection to East Bay Community Foundation’s mission is deeply personal, driven by a commitment to community and to building the kind of institutional resources she needed growing up. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, music, travel, and spending time with her dog, family, and friends.
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