Meet Our New Board Member, Melinda Gross!

We are so excited to welcome Melinda Gross to our Board of Directors! Melinda works as the Director of Cultural Change for the State of Oregon. 

"As a former SVP staffer, I bring a deep understanding of SVP's approach in venture philanthropy, and the possibilities that come with this approach to grow community impact.

Through lived and professional experiences as a woman of color working in diversity, equity and inclusion, my approach to strategy, operations, and decision-making centers a non-dominant perspective. I hope to bring this experience to SVP in order to explore more inclusive ways in building trust-based philanthropy within the community. In addition, it is important to me personally, and in my role with the State of Oregon, to center community engagement, which includes joining the SVP Board.

With my background and experience in nonprofit leadership and development, as well as strategic planning, I'm hoping to bring this context to help ground and grow organizational strategies and planning to strengthen SVP operations and sustainability so SVP can continue partnering with the community well into the future.

I bring with me a background in facilitation and tools to have meaningful and courageous conversations, which may be helpful as SVP is growing its new approach to Board leadership and community engagement.”