Philanthropy and Gift Planning

Janelle Cavanagh is the Chief Philanthropy Officer at East Bay Community Foundation, where she leads a dynamic team in advancing equitable, community-led philanthropy. Janelle is an accomplished philanthropic advisor, nonprofit leader and award-winning fundraiser, whose passion and expertise are in partnering with donors to identify the causes they care about and then recommending aligned experiences. She has a reputation for building enduring relationships grounded in trust and the fulfillment of goals.

Before joining EBCF, Janelle served as Chief Philanthropy Officer at Marin Community Foundation, where she oversaw a $4.5 million departmental budget, led a 20-person team, and helped secure a record-breaking $620 million in new assets. She pioneered the foundation’s philanthropic strategy—deepening donor alignment with community needs and catalyzing innovative funding collaborations.

Previously, Janelle was Interim Co-CEO and Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Global Fund for Women, where she helped drive a $71 million fundraising portfolio and launched groundbreaking initiatives like Champions for Equality—combining education, travel, and pooled grantmaking to support feminist movements globally.

Janelle is also the co-founder of the UC Berkeley Certificate in Fundraising and Volunteer Management. She began her career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand and holds a Master’s degree in Social Welfare (Management and Planning) from UC Berkeley. Janelle was honored as the 2017 Outstanding Fundraising Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Golden Gate Chapter.

A Bay Area native, Janelle has called Oakland home for nearly 25 years. She enjoys creating art and walking the Oakland Hills with her husband and their two dogs.

Janelle Cavanagh is the Chief Philanthropy Officer at East Bay Community Foundation, where she leads a dynamic team in advancing equitable, community-led philanthropy. Janelle is an accomplished philanthropic advisor, nonprofit leader and award-winning fundraiser, whose passion and expertise are in partnering with donors to identify the causes they care about and then recommending aligned experiences. She has a reputation for building enduring relationships grounded in trust and the fulfillment of goals.

Before joining EBCF, Janelle served as Chief Philanthropy Officer at Marin Community Foundation, where she oversaw a $4.5 million departmental budget, led a 20-person team, and helped secure a record-breaking $620 million in new assets. She pioneered the foundation’s philanthropic strategy—deepening donor alignment with community needs and catalyzing innovative funding collaborations.

Previously, Janelle was Interim Co-CEO and Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Global Fund for Women, where she helped drive a $71 million fundraising portfolio and launched groundbreaking initiatives like Champions for Equality—combining education, travel, and pooled grantmaking to support feminist movements globally.

Janelle is also the co-founder of the UC Berkeley Certificate in Fundraising and Volunteer Management. She began her career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand and holds a Master’s degree in Social Welfare (Management and Planning) from UC Berkeley. Janelle was honored as the 2017 Outstanding Fundraising Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Golden Gate Chapter.

A Bay Area native, Janelle has called Oakland home for nearly 25 years. She enjoys creating art and walking the Oakland Hills with her husband and their two dogs.

Janelle Cavanagh is the Chief Philanthropy Officer at East Bay Community Foundation, where she leads a dynamic team in advancing equitable, community-led philanthropy. Janelle is an accomplished philanthropic advisor, nonprofit leader and award-winning fundraiser, whose passion and expertise are in partnering with donors to identify the causes they care about and then recommending aligned experiences. She has a reputation for building enduring relationships grounded in trust and the fulfillment of goals.

Before joining EBCF, Janelle served as Chief Philanthropy Officer at Marin Community Foundation, where she oversaw a $4.5 million departmental budget, led a 20-person team, and helped secure a record-breaking $620 million in new assets. She pioneered the foundation’s philanthropic strategy—deepening donor alignment with community needs and catalyzing innovative funding collaborations.

Previously, Janelle was Interim Co-CEO and Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Global Fund for Women, where she helped drive a $71 million fundraising portfolio and launched groundbreaking initiatives like Champions for Equality—combining education, travel, and pooled grantmaking to support feminist movements globally.

Janelle is also the co-founder of the UC Berkeley Certificate in Fundraising and Volunteer Management. She began her career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand and holds a Master’s degree in Social Welfare (Management and Planning) from UC Berkeley. Janelle was honored as the 2017 Outstanding Fundraising Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Golden Gate Chapter.

A Bay Area native, Janelle has called Oakland home for nearly 25 years. She enjoys creating art and walking the Oakland Hills with her husband and their two dogs.

Janelle Cavanagh is the Chief Philanthropy Officer at East Bay Community Foundation, where she leads a dynamic team in advancing equitable, community-led philanthropy. Janelle is an accomplished philanthropic advisor, nonprofit leader and award-winning fundraiser, whose passion and expertise are in partnering with donors to identify the causes they care about and then recommending aligned experiences. She has a reputation for building enduring relationships grounded in trust and the fulfillment of goals.

Before joining EBCF, Janelle served as Chief Philanthropy Officer at Marin Community Foundation, where she oversaw a $4.5 million departmental budget, led a 20-person team, and helped secure a record-breaking $620 million in new assets. She pioneered the foundation’s philanthropic strategy—deepening donor alignment with community needs and catalyzing innovative funding collaborations.

Previously, Janelle was Interim Co-CEO and Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Global Fund for Women, where she helped drive a $71 million fundraising portfolio and launched groundbreaking initiatives like Champions for Equality—combining education, travel, and pooled grantmaking to support feminist movements globally.

Janelle is also the co-founder of the UC Berkeley Certificate in Fundraising and Volunteer Management. She began her career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand and holds a Master’s degree in Social Welfare (Management and Planning) from UC Berkeley. Janelle was honored as the 2017 Outstanding Fundraising Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Golden Gate Chapter.

A Bay Area native, Janelle has called Oakland home for nearly 25 years. She enjoys creating art and walking the Oakland Hills with her husband and their two dogs.

Janelle Cavanagh is the Chief Philanthropy Officer at East Bay Community Foundation, where she leads a dynamic team in advancing equitable, community-led philanthropy. Janelle is an accomplished philanthropic advisor, nonprofit leader and award-winning fundraiser, whose passion and expertise are in partnering with donors to identify the causes they care about and then recommending aligned experiences. She has a reputation for building enduring relationships grounded in trust and the fulfillment of goals.

Before joining EBCF, Janelle served as Chief Philanthropy Officer at Marin Community Foundation, where she oversaw a $4.5 million departmental budget, led a 20-person team, and helped secure a record-breaking $620 million in new assets. She pioneered the foundation’s philanthropic strategy—deepening donor alignment with community needs and catalyzing innovative funding collaborations.

Previously, Janelle was Interim Co-CEO and Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Global Fund for Women, where she helped drive a $71 million fundraising portfolio and launched groundbreaking initiatives like Champions for Equality—combining education, travel, and pooled grantmaking to support feminist movements globally.

Janelle is also the co-founder of the UC Berkeley Certificate in Fundraising and Volunteer Management. She began her career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand and holds a Master’s degree in Social Welfare (Management and Planning) from UC Berkeley. Janelle was honored as the 2017 Outstanding Fundraising Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Golden Gate Chapter.

A Bay Area native, Janelle has called Oakland home for nearly 25 years. She enjoys creating art and walking the Oakland Hills with her husband and their two dogs.

Janelle Cavanagh is the Chief Philanthropy Officer at East Bay Community Foundation, where she leads a dynamic team in advancing equitable, community-led philanthropy. Janelle is an accomplished philanthropic advisor, nonprofit leader and award-winning fundraiser, whose passion and expertise are in partnering with donors to identify the causes they care about and then recommending aligned experiences. She has a reputation for building enduring relationships grounded in trust and the fulfillment of goals.

Before joining EBCF, Janelle served as Chief Philanthropy Officer at Marin Community Foundation, where she oversaw a $4.5 million departmental budget, led a 20-person team, and helped secure a record-breaking $620 million in new assets. She pioneered the foundation’s philanthropic strategy—deepening donor alignment with community needs and catalyzing innovative funding collaborations.

Previously, Janelle was Interim Co-CEO and Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Global Fund for Women, where she helped drive a $71 million fundraising portfolio and launched groundbreaking initiatives like Champions for Equality—combining education, travel, and pooled grantmaking to support feminist movements globally.

Janelle is also the co-founder of the UC Berkeley Certificate in Fundraising and Volunteer Management. She began her career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand and holds a Master’s degree in Social Welfare (Management and Planning) from UC Berkeley. Janelle was honored as the 2017 Outstanding Fundraising Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Golden Gate Chapter.

A Bay Area native, Janelle has called Oakland home for nearly 25 years. She enjoys creating art and walking the Oakland Hills with her husband and their two dogs.