Contributor

Didier Sylvain is an executive coach, transformational speaker, and the Founder and CEO of The Presence Project. He helps individuals and groups become fuller and more integrated versions of themselves—so they can deliver powerfully on their missions. As a former Deloitte consultant turned leadership trainer, he is intimately familiar with the tools, mindset, and methods needed by progressive family foundations… Read More

Dinaz Mansuri is the Executive Director of the Mayer and Morris Kaplan Family Foundation, a multi-generational private Foundation that makes grants in excess of $2 million annually. In this role, Dinaz oversees a robust grantmaking program focused on improving college access and completion rates for low-income, first-generation students, and addressing climate change through education and clean energy policy. She manages… Read More

Dion Rurik, born and raised in Pierce County, WA, is an active community volunteer.  A graduate of Stanford University, she taught high school before settling in Washington with her husband of 34 years to raise their four sons.  She has served on multiple local boards, and is currently active in four organizations including The Russell Family Foundation, where she serves… Read More

Deborah Santana is an author, philanthropist, activist for peace and social justice, and founder of Do A Little, a non-profit that serves women and girls in the areas of health, education and happiness. Her memoir, Space Between The Stars: My Journey to an Open Heart, was published in 2005. Ms. Santana has produced two documentary films with Emmy-award winning director… Read More

Denis Chicola is the director of communications at the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund. He strives to ensure that the Fund is using communications to drive positive change across all of its program areas. Denis helps the Fund be a voice for change on issues from gay and lesbian and immigrant rights, to nonprofit leadership. He works closely with the Fund’s… Read More

Dennis Bidwell is principal of Bidwell Advisors, a Massachusetts consulting firm specializing in real estate gifts, serving non-profit clients around the country as well as private property owners. Prior to forming Bidwell Advisors, Bidwell was national land protection director at American Farmland Trust, and worked in Boston as vice president of Leggat McCall Advisors, as development officer at National Trust… Read More

Dr. Devon Wiel Cohn is co-founder and president of Natembea Foundation, a family foundation focused on education and conflict avoidance, primarily in Africa and the Middle East. She and her husband had little philanthropic experience when they created the foundation in 2005, so they turned to The Philanthropy Workshop (TPW) for help. TPW programs and peer mentoring continue to shape… Read More