SEATTLE — Dr. Carmen Rojas, president and CEO of the Marguerite Casey Foundation, has been named one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in U.S. Philanthropy,” by Inside Philanthropy, a leading national publication in the nonprofit sector. The list acknowledges women who have shown exemplary commitment to philanthropy, inspiring others with their innovative approaches and initiatives. This prestigious accolade celebrates Dr. Rojas’ exceptional leadership, vision and transformative impact on philanthropy and the movements the Marguerite Casey Foundation supports.
“I’m honored to be recognized among such accomplished women in the field of philanthropy,” said Dr. Rojas. “This acknowledgment is a reflection of the collective efforts of the incredible team at the Marguerite Casey Foundation and an affirmation of our mission and collaborative work with our grantees and partners across the country.”
Dr. Rojas has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to advancing philanthropic efforts to prioritize the needs of excluded and underrepresented people and communities in pursuit of the foundation’s mission to build a just economy and fully realized democracy. Under her leadership, the foundation has implemented innovative initiatives and programs. During her tenure, the foundation launched the prestigious Freedom Scholar award; committed to ensuring that a majority of the endowment is overseen by diverse managers; launched Public Dollars for Public Good, an economic justice initiative to increase the use of public dollars to strengthen marginalized communities — including communities of color — and decrease funds that harm their well-being; and since she started in 2020 granted more than $130 million in funding to dozens of organizations doing the hard work of shifting power to those who have long been excluded from having it.
“Our work is deeply rooted in increasing community power and transforming our society,” said Dr. Rojas. “But despite the tremendous change we’ve been able to achieve, we know that there is still more work to be done. I look forward to working with our partners to dismantle the norms of philanthropy.”
