Alexa Leigh Valavanis, Chief Executive Officer of the North Valley Community Foundation; a Northern California based nonprofit public charity, managing more than $9.5 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 brought in more than $22 million, and increased assets under management from $2 million to more than $9.5 million. During that time the granting capabilities have increased tremendously granting more than $3 million a year to 450 local, national and international charities. In addition to asset growth, 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 the programs first five years ('07-'11) NVCF has granted more than $5 million to participating organizations.

Valavanis currently serves as the Vice President 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 Board of Hope House International, a nonprofit working to find homes for orphans in India. Valavanis serves on the Board of Feeding Nations Through Education, a nonprofit working in Burkina Faso, West Africa, as well as serving as a board member for 3 Core a Chico-based economic development corporation. She also sits on the board of Orphan Care International, a US based charity working in Zambia. Lastly, Valavanis sits on the advisory committee for Chico High School Foundation.

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 includes business infrastructure development, management and communications. Prior to establishing the Seeds of Life Foundation, Valavanis worked in Shanghai, China with international kindergartens.  

Karen White our Chief Financial Officer joined the NVCF in December of 2008.  She comes to the Foundation with more than 15 years of experience in accounting and bookkeeping.

During her time with the North Valley Community Foundation White has  streamlined the back-office functions and utilized her innovative and analytical skills to refine our systems and client services. White not only manages the financial operations for the Foundation she also works directly with NVCF clients in their day-to-day fund needs. During White's time at the North Valley Community Foundation she has greatly improved the systems behind our accounts payable process, payroll, quarterly reports to clients, as well as grant programs, including but not limited to, Annie B's Community Drive. 

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

White is available at the Foundation Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8am-5pm or by appointment. 

Karen can be reached at kwhite@nvcf.org or 530-891-1150 ext. 30