Philanthropy Roundtable President and CEO Christie Herrera was recently interviewed by Associated Press business writer and editor Glenn Gamboa on her new role and vision for the organization. In this Q&A, Gamboa asks Herrera about Philanthropy Roundtable’s philanthropic freedom work – and threats to philanthropy coming from both sides of the political aisle.
Below are excerpts from the article entitled “New Philanthropy Roundtable CEO Christie Herrera ready to fight for donor privacy”:
“Christie Herrera says, as the new president and CEO of Philanthropy Roundtable, she plans to fight for the principles the advocacy organization has always prized. But Herrera, who was officially promoted in mid-October, recognizes that battle is getting tougher and more complicated than ever.
‘The Roundtable is going to be who we’ve always been — and that’s a home for donors who share our values,’ she said. ‘We will continue to be passionate about philanthropy, about values-based giving, about philanthropic freedom, and about philanthropic excellence – the nuts and bolts of giving that I feel the philanthropic sector has gotten away with some of the social issues they’re taking up.’
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“Q: We live in polarized times. Do you feel the Roundtable should lessen that polarization?
A: Yeah, absolutely. Freedom is important no matter what you believe. And we always love finding allies across the aisle and forming those strange bedfellows coalitions because that’s the only way we’re going to get policy done, especially with a gridlocked Washington and so many purple states.”
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“Q: What is the biggest challenge you see to the Roundtable doing what it has in the past?
A: It’s one thing and one thing only and that’s protecting philanthropic freedom. That is what makes generosity possible – allowing donors to give where and when they choose. The really interesting thing about this is that we’re seeing threats coming from the left and the right, which puts the Roundtable in a unique position to stand up for philanthropic freedom, for conservative foundations and progressive foundations, because we believe in the right to give no matter what your ideology.”
To read the complete article, please visit The Associated Press.
