Alexa Leigh Valavanis, Chief Executive Officer of the North Valley Community Foundation; a Northern California based nonprofit public charity, managing more than $6.5 million in assets.

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 by 200%, from $2 million to more than $6 million, while its granting capabilities have increased by 900%. 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”. The Foundation recently announced the largest discretionary grant program in the North State, called "Annie B's Community Drive”, and in the first two years (2007 and 2008) the Foundation granted more than $2.2 to participating organizations.

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 Just One Person a cause dedicated to educating and empowering Kenyan girls.

Lee Laney (our Program Officer) is a wonderful addition to the North Valley Community Foundation. Lee not only brings a wealth of knowledge about the local nonprofit sector but a great passion for public service. Lee hit the ground running during his first year at the Foundation spearheading the Annie B's Community Drive; a NVCF community-wide grant program that brought in more than $2.2 million for the local nonprofit sector during its first two years. Lee was hired at NVCF as Program Officer in 2007, but his volunteer association with the Foundation goes back 15 years.

Lee is a native of Northern California and has worked for nonprofit organizations in Butte County since moving here in 1978. Past experience includes positions as Executive Director, Development Director, Health Educator, Group Home Supervisor and Production Manager. Lee is also an active volunteer with local museums, schools, his neighborhood association and other community organizations. Lee earned an undergraduate degree from CSU San Francisco in Urban Studies and Master’s Degree from University of San Francisco in Human Resources and Organization Development.

Contact Lee Laney at North Valley Community Foundation to learn more: (530) 891-1150 ext 23 or via email: llaney@nvcf.org.

Karen White (our Financial Coordinator) joined the NVCF in December of 2008.  She comes to the Foundation with more than 15 years of experience in accounting and book-keeping.  In the short time that Karen has been on the team, she has streamlined our back-office and utilized her innovative and analytical skills to refine our systems and client services. 

Karen is an avid outdoors woman - enjoying hiking, horseback riding and, yes, archery! 

Karen can be reached at kwhite@nvcf.org