April 3, 2018
You might know that OneJustice has welcomed plenty of new staff members in the last year. But those aren’t all the new faces around here. In addition to all our awesome new teammates, we recently added a new member of the Board of Directors: Ellen LaPointe, President and CEO of Northern California Grantmakers! Ellen joined the Board last fall, and we finally had time to sit down with her to ask a few questions. We hope you’ll enjoy getting to know her as much as we have!
Ellen LaPointe
What made you interested in becoming a OneJustice Board member?
Like many people, I am alarmed by the threats we are confronting in the current political environment. In the wake of the 2016 elections I was urgently motivated to become involved in an organization that is focused on those who are most at-risk. OneJustice fit the bill perfectly.
I am so inspired by the dedication, passion, skill, and creativity of the leadership and team at OneJustice. The organization is providing vital, life-changing services to people and nonprofit organizations in communities that are overlooked and excluded throughout California. I believe that without OneJustice, thousands of people would suffer needless, avoidable harm. Board service is one way I can contribute to the success of the organization, and I am proud to be a part of it.
What is your role at Northern California Grantmakers (NCG), and how do you hope to use your perspective as a Board member?
NCG helps funders do their work better, collaborate more effectively to amplify philanthropic impact, and wield their collective influence to inform and shape policies that affect the communities and people we all care about.
As the President and CEO, my job is to ensure we have a compelling vision, actionable goals, and effective strategies for our work. I create the conditions within the organization to enable the staff to deliver great results and thrive, and engage members, partners, and stakeholders along the way to amplify our visibility and leverage our efforts. I am also an attorney. I look forward to contributing my perspective, knowledge, and skills in any way that will be helpful to OneJustice.
What are your hopes for your time as a Board member?
This is a critical moment in our country. So many of the gains we have painstakingly achieved over decades to support and strengthen our communities and create opportunities for people to prosper and thrive are in peril. How we respond now will have an impact on these communities and the people who live in them for years, if not generations. Moreover, there are still many unmet needs, and we have aspirations and hopes regarding how to make things better. We must continue to stand for our values and push for more progress, even as we resist efforts to undermine us. I can’t imagine a better time to be involved with OneJustice.
What’s something you really love?
I love my family. I love laughter. I love kindness. I love to sing. I love creating community. I love the ocean. I love this question, because answering it made me happy!