Raquel Donoso
Senior Program Officer, Equity in Education & Director of Programs
(she/her)

Raquel is committed to driving resources to the people and communities making a positive difference in the world, especially within climate, democracy, education, and birth justice. With lived experience as a young, single mom raising a multiracial son, Raquel knows firsthand both the promise and underperformance of systems that are in desperate need of change.

“I am driven by the fact that education was a game changer in my own family. I know that having a quality education that sparks critical thinking and creativity makes such a difference. My life’s work has been trying to get that for not just my children but all children in this country,” says Raquel. As Senior Program Officer for Equity in Education and Director of Programs, Raquel works with the board to invest in people, places, and strategies that are working for a more equitable education system. Her grantmaking focuses on increasing school funding, supporting teacher quality and diversity, and improving postsecondary opportunities for students with the greatest need.

Raquel has a Master of Public Health and a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA and a Doctorate in Education from UC Davis. Previously, she was the Director of Mission Promise Neighborhood in San Francisco, CEO of the Latino Community Foundation, and Associate Director of the Latino Issues Forum. Raquel is currently the board chair of Alliance for Girls and serves on the boards of Western Center on Law and Poverty and Latinx KidLit Book Festival. She is part of a Latina writers collective called Las Musas, and she published a children’s book, Viva’s Voice, in 2022.

Born in Los Angeles, Raquel lives in Richmond with her family. She loves time outdoors hiking, swimming, and walking her dog.