Judith Bell

Why do you do what you do?

I have a sense of responsibility to make a difference, to contribute to the movement for greater racial and economic equity. It came from my grandfather, who had fled Lithuania in the early 1900s and came to the U.S. before we closed our borders to certain immigrants. I grew up in a Jewish family where we were asked every day, “What was your mitzvah (good deed) today?” My father modeled this as a doctor fighting for greater access to quality health care.

What drew you to the foundation?

I came to the foundation because of its focus on racial and economic equity. Here, I’m able to take a deep dive into my home region and go all in on equity. I can work creatively to expand our efforts and develop new ways to leverage our grantmaking and investments, align our partners and donors on equity, and raise our voice and our leadership on key issues.

How would you describe your role?

I help the foundation define how we can advance racial and economic equity in the Bay Area. I’m a bridge builder who helps make this commitment an institution-wide effort that uses all of our different tools and develops new partnerships outside the foundation.

Are you involved in any volunteer activities?

I’m on the national board of Prosperity Now, which focuses on the racial wealth gap.

Full Biography

As San Francisco Foundation’s Chief Impact Officer, Judith brings extensive experience in policy and systems change, working in partnership with movement and power-building efforts, to achieve greater racial equity and economic inclusion. She leads the foundation’s community impact efforts across the Bay Area focusing on the people, places, and power that can advance the foundation’s equity agenda.

Prior to joining San Francisco Foundation, Judith was the President of PolicyLink, where she had been since its inception, becoming President in 2004. Her leadership helped ignite a new national narrative and action around racial equity, inclusion, and opportunity for communities of color with a focus on creating more equitable economies in communities, cities, regions, states, and across the nation. She was instrumental in advancing several efforts with the Obama administration including Promise Neighborhoods, to improve the lives of children from cradle to career, and the national Healthy Food Financing Initiative which unlocked billions of dollars to improve access to healthy food in communities across the country.