Message from Jen Ratay, SV2 Executive Director
Dear SV2 friends and colleagues,
It is with gratitude, optimism, and sadness that I share that I will be stepping down as executive director of SV2 on September 12th. Serving at the helm of SV2 for nearly half a decade has been a profound and joy-filled privilege that has greatly enriched my life. Through SV2, I’ve been blessed to work closely with many of the most talented and committed purpose-driven individuals across the Bay Area, including the SV2 Board of Directors, staff team, Partners and their families, community and funder allies, and our heroic Grantees and Impact Investees.
Together, we’ve unleashed innovation and achieved growth and greater social impact—all in service of our vision of a more equitable and sustainable Bay Area where everyone thrives. In addition to significantly expanding SV2’s grantmaking, impact investing, donor education offerings, and field leadership, we’ve accelerated hundreds of more effective givers and social impact leaders. Together, we’ve also strengthened scores of cutting-edge social sector organizations that are improving the lives of thousands of individuals and families across the Bay Area and beyond.
In light of SV2’s strengths and health, now is a good time for a new leader to take SV2’s work to the next level. It is also the right time for me to take stock and invest more time in family before starting my next social impact-focused career adventure. SV2’s work is more important than ever, and this was a hard decision for me to make given how much I value and care for this community, the team, and the work we do together. I have immense confidence in the extraordinary SV2 Board of Directors, staff team, and Partner leaders who will lead SV2 to its best future. My husband and I look forward to remaining actively engaged with SV2 in the years ahead as SV2 Partners, just as our young children will continue to bring their enthusiasm to SV2 Kids.
Thank you for your support, friendship, and commitment to SV2’s work.
Gratefully yours in service and continued partnership,
Jen Ratay
SV2 Executive Director
Message from Bill Brownell, SV2 Board Chair
SV2 Partners and friends,
On behalf of the SV2 Board of Directors, we are extremely grateful for Jen’s nearly five years of remarkable service to our organization and community. Jen and the talented team she has built have done an outstanding job in leading SV2 through a period of innovation, growth, and accelerated impact. I will personally miss working with Jen a lot. We are happy that she will remain active at SV2 as a Partner after she steps down as our executive director. We plan to thank and celebrate Jen for her leadership at an open gathering, likely in early September, so please stay tuned for details to come.
The SV2 Board is working closely with Jen and her team to ensure a smooth leadership transition. As part of this, we are pleased to announce that long-time Partner, former board member, and current Grantmaking Officer Jody Chang has agreed to serve as Interim Executive Director after Jen steps down in mid-September. The Board Executive Committee, comprised of myself, Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, Nancy Lue, Kelly Pope, and Tony Stayner, has launched a search for SV2’s next leader with the assistance of Carlson Beck Executive Search. We are conducting a careful, thorough search to find a talented leader who can help take SV2 to the next level of growth and impact. During this process, we will be reaching out to many members of our community for input on our next leader. If you have input on the search, please do not hesitate to contact me or our search director Sally Carlson.
As we enter our 20th anniversary year, SV2 is healthy, thriving, innovative, and increasingly high-impact. SV2’s strength arises from the shared leadership across Partners, staff, the SV2 Board, allies, and many others in the growing SV2 community. On behalf of the SV2 Board of Directors, thank you for your continued support of SV2’s mission and impact.
Sincerely,
Bill Brownell
SV2 Board Chair