Alexa Leigh Valavanis, Chief Executive Officer of the North Valley Community Foundation; a Northern California based nonprofit public charity, managing more than $5.5 million in assets. The foundation provides financial and philanthropic services to donors and businesses, and makes grants to organizations servicing the region in all areas of the nonprofit sector, including youth development, healthcare, the Arts, older adults and international humanitarian efforts. The Community Foundation’s mission is to promote and support philanthropy.

Valavanis took the post of CEO in July of 2005, during the Foundation's 16th year of operations. Under Valavanis' leadership the Foundation has grown in net assets from $2 million to more than $5.5 million, while its granting capabilities have increased by 800 percent. In addition to unprecedented growth in assets, Valavanis expanded the Foundation’s core services to include community capacity building for the nonprofit sector, launching the "Nonprofit Leadership Institute", as well as establishing the region’s only nonprofit council "North Valley Nonprofit Council”, and the "North Valley International Humanitarians Council". The Foundation recently announced the largest discretionary grant program in the North State, called "Annie B's Community Drive”, and in the first year (2007) the Foundation granted $789,000 to participating organizations. Under Valavanis' direction the Foundation has been confirmed by the Council of Foundations, and the League of California Community Foundations to be in compliance with National Standards.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Valavanis founded and was Executive Director of the Seeds of Life Foundation, a Guatemalan-based nonprofit focused on development of indigenous owned and operated nonprofits. Valavanis’ areas of expertise included infrastructure development, management and communications. Prior to establishing the Seeds of Life Foundation, Valavanis worked in Shanghai, China in development of international kindergartens.

Valavanis currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Calacirya Foundation, an international foundation focused on working with the rural poor of Guatemala, specifically in the areas of alternative energy sources and sustainable agriculture. She also serves on the Advisory Committee of Hope House International, a nonprofit working to find homes for HIV/AIDS affected orphans in Africa. And, she sits on the Advisory Board of the Living Light Foundation, a cause dedicated to providing care and comfort to elders.

During the past ten years Valavanis has worked with hundreds of nonprofits nationally and internationally.

"I believe there is a solution to every challenge facing our community; that solution is a human response. The community foundation is committed to mobilizing local people and local resources to meet those ever-changing needs. With integrity, quality and efficiently as our compass it is absolutely possible!" - Alexa Valavanis, CEO

Recent Articles:

The Generosity Gap

Magnitude of First Annie B's Community Drive

A Blogger's notice

Letter to the Editor of the Chico ER