Carmen Rojas

President and CEO, Marguerite Casey Foundation

Dr. Carmen Rojas is the president & CEO of Marguerite Casey Foundation (MCF). Under her leadership, the foundation has launched the prestigious Freedom Scholar award, committed to ensuring that a majority of its endowment is overseen by diverse managers, and supported dozens of grassroots organizations doing the hard work of shifting power.  

Prior to MCF, Dr. Rojas was the co-founder and former CEO of The Workers Lab, an innovation lab that gives new ideas for and with workers a chance to succeed and flourish.  For more than 20 years, she has worked with foundations, financial institutions, and nonprofits to improve the lives of working people across the country. Dr. Rojas currently sits on the boards of Blue Ridge Labs, Children’s Defense Fund, as well as the San Francisco Federal Reserve’s Community Advisory Council, and Confluence’s Racial Equity Initiative Advisory Committee. Dr. Rojas holds a Ph.D. in City & Regional Planning from UC Berkeley and was a Fulbright Scholar in 2007. 

 

Contributions

2023 Family Philanthropy Leadership Retreat

Posted on April 19, 2023 by Susan Stamerjohn, Michelle Tremillo, Alejandro Foung, Dr. Jason Franklin, Jonathan Brack, Sandra Fluke, Tonya Allen, Diego Zegarra, Sue Banerjee, Catherine Maddox Walton

Save the Date 2023 Family Philanthropy Leadership Retreat
Thank you so much for your interest in the Leadership Retreat. The event is sold out, and we are no longer accepting names for the waitlist, due to the unlikelihood of accommodating everyone on it already. We are delighted by the response, and we regret that we have to turn anyone away. Please keep an eye on our Programs and… Read More
Voices from the Field

After a Year Like No Other, Three Foundation Leaders Talk About What Changed and What Comes Next

Posted on May 26, 2021 by David Callahan, James Canales, Crystal Hayling, Carmen Rojas

This article was originally published by Inside Philanthropy and is re-posted here with permission. The transcribed conversation comes from a plenary session at NCFP’s 2021 CEO Retreat.  How well philanthropy responded to the events of the past 14 months—a period of so much trauma and suffering—is a topic sure to be debated for many years to come. And, of course,… Read More

Family Foundation CEO Retreat

Posted on February 12, 2021 by Betsy Erickson, Janine Mason, Michael Smith, Tina Runyan, Mayor Eric Garcetti, Bari Katz, Rob Reich, Shaady Salehi, Carmen Rojas, Diana Scearce

The role of a family foundation CEO is unique, often bridging generations of family members, community leaders, staff, advisors, and partners. Expectations can be challenging to meet and boundaries are sometimes vague and ever-changing. Success in this role requires a cadre of specialized leadership skills, particularly in these divisive and dynamic times. This 3-day virtual retreat, designed for both new… Read More
Featured Article

Philanthropy in the Time of COVID-19

Posted on April 17, 2020 by Carmen Rojas

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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published here and is re-posted with permission. What are we going to do to shift the balance of power & resources? Over the last couple of weeks, foundations and donors have made proclamations about how this crisis will change their giving practice. Many have tried to prove how the crisis has been a turning… Read More