Richard Woo

CEO Emeritus, Russell Family Foundation

Richard Woo is the former Chief Executive Officer of The Russell Family Foundation where he guided the Foundation’s strategic planning, programs and community affairs. Prior to arriving at the foundation, he spent many years working in nonprofit organizations and business in California. He is the former executive director of the Levi Strauss Foundation, and has served on the boards of the Council on Foundations, Philanthropy Northwest, and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy.

Contributions

Voices from the Field

Flipping The Script Through Impact Investing

Posted on July 16, 2019 by Richard Woo

A green sprout on a branch
In impact investing, we are witnessing the flipping of the script between the old and the new. Investors are striving to transform the mental formations (mindsets, deal sheets, and return expectations) that many times collide with the limits of natural resources, the call for equitable financial outcomes, and the health and well-being of people, places, and the planet… Read More

A Conversation with New and Graduating CEOs (Live Stream of 2019 National Forum)

Posted on January 16, 2019 by Nicholas A. Tedesco, Jamie Allison, Don Chen, Richard Woo, Jim Parsons

NCFP will live stream a session from the 2019 National Forum on Family Philanthropy in Chicago, IL. From the comfort of your home or office—and with a computer or electronic device—you can listen and view the event as it happens live. Being the non-family staff leader of a multi-generational family foundation is a privilege and honor. The path to engaging… Read More

20th Anniversary Symposium: Imagining the Future of Family Philanthropy

Posted on September 13, 2018 by Virginia M. Esposito, Carol S. Larson, Ayelet Baron, Sierra Clark, A. Sparks, Didier Sylvain, Farhad Ebrahimi, Kelly Chopus, Richard Woo, Mary Mountcastle

In addition to a celebration of NCFP’s 20th Anniversary, the Symposium will explore key themes, trends, and bold ideas generated over the year by the Imagining the Future initiative. We will also unveil several new NCFP research initiatives including Pride of Place, a report exploring how boards stay true to the original geographic focus of the family foundation after trustees have moved away.  … Read More
Featured Article

The Lasting Value of Transparency

Posted on January 25, 2018 by Richard Russell, Richard Woo

Transparency enhances our ability to learn, to lead, to reach consensus, and even agree to disagree. That’s because adopting a mindset of transparency encourages deeper participation and helps us stay focused on our mission. As a result, we tend to be more successful and satisfied working together because we know more about what’s going on… Read More
Featured Article

Nurturing Relationships with Transparency

Posted on September 28, 2017 by Richard Russell, Richard Woo

Transparency is a powerful force when used appropriately. The trick is deciding what is “appropriate” across a wide range of contacts and interactions. In our prior blog posts, we shared our experience cultivating transparency through the lens of finding balance and sharing knowledge. This time around, we want to concentrate on ways to harness transparency for mutual benefit… Read More

Balancing Family Privacy and Public Trust: Transparency in Family Philanthropy

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Chris Rurik, Richard Russell, Richard Woo

While transparency is an important value in principle, what do you do when your foundation’s privacy is also your family’s privacy? How do we balance the need for public accountability with a family’s right to privacy? What do the tough but important questions regarding transparency and accountability mean for family philanthropy and how can foundations think strategically about these questions?… Read More

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