Sonoma resident to take reins at Community Foundation Sonoma County

Community Foundation Sonoma County has named Barbara Hughes as its new president and CEO, beginning May 11.  Hughes and her husband Greg DiPaolo are residents of the city of Sonoma, having just returned from five years on the East Coast.
Ina Chun, the foundation’s communications manager and Whitney Evans, president of the affiliate Sonoma Valley Fund, agreed that having a resident of the Valley take over as president was advantageous.
“Barbara Hughes is a great fit for us at this point in time,” said Barbara Graves, board chair. “She understands and values our unique history, but also brings new energy and a new perspective. Her impressive talents and skills, combined with her love for Sonoma County, make her just the leader we need to take this community foundation to the next level – in grantmaking, development and community impact.”
Prior to joining the Community Foundation, Hughes advised a range of nonprofit clients on financial reporting, business planning and operations, as well as governance and leadership training. She most recently served as interim executive director for the California Association of Food Banks, which supports 45 food banks throughout the Bay Area. Her community involvement includes having served on the board of directors of the Center for Responsible Funding in Philadelphia. Locally, she has been an active board member for the Redwood Empire Food Bank for six years.
Hughes succeeds Paul DeMarco, vice president for finance and administration, who served as acting CEO after Kay Marquet departed from the foundation in March after 17 years.
“I am delighted that Barbara is returning to Sonoma County,” said David Goodman, Executive Director of Redwood Empire Food Bank. “She loves this place and I know she will take this great opportunity to make a significant impact here. In my experience, she takes great responsibility for understanding the inner workings of an organization and identifying ways to strengthen and improve its outcomes. She is highly respected by her colleagues and her opinions are always sought out by fellow food bank board members.”
When asked about how she envisions the Community Foundation’s future, Hughes commented, “Our next chapter is a significant evolution of an already great story. Through the hard work and careful stewardship of so many people over the past 25 years, the foundation is now able to view our community through a wide-angle lens where we can see the range of challenges and priorities, remove obstacles and forge alliances. Being in this position gives us an unprecedented opportunity to make the most effective use of philanthropic resources throughout the community.”