We are delighted to welcome three new team members to the Kenneth Rainin Foundation. Please join us in celebrating the arrival of Liz O’Malley, Director of Arts Strategy & Ventures; Patrick Taylor, Grants Manager; and Carissa Ibert, Grants Associate. Each brings a wealth of experience, fresh perspectives and deep dedication to our mission.
“We’re thrilled to add these incredible new colleagues. Their backgrounds, passion and ideas will bring new energy to our team. I’m excited to see the ways they’ll help us grow our impact and strengthen our work in service of our Arts, Education and Health program areas,” said Miyesha Perry, Chief Program Officer.
I’m excited to see the ways they’ll help us grow our impact and strengthen our work in service of our Arts, Education and Health program areas.
Miyesha Perry, Chief Program Officer
Liz O’Malley
Liz O’Malley is the Director of Arts Strategy & Ventures, where she joins Arts Program Officer Sarah Williams. Liz leads the Arts Program’s strategic direction, grantmaking priorities and evaluation efforts. Her work centers on helping Bay Area artists thrive and building a more equitable and sustainable arts community by improving the systems that support it.
Liz brings over 15 years of experience working in the arts and culture field. Most recently, she led a national grantmaking and capacity-building program at the Emerson Collective that supported artists and cultural leaders engaged in social change. Her approach to philanthropy is grounded in her time as a nonprofit arts administrator, where she held leadership roles at several organizations including Sundance Institute, SFFILM and the Roxie Theater.
“I am honored to join the Rainin Foundation in this role and give back to an arts community that has given so much to me over the course of my life as a child of the Bay Area and later as an arts professional,” said Liz. “This region has always been defined by the beautiful vitality of our culture. In these challenging times I am eager to work with our artists and cultural practitioners to continue to fuel their creative ambitions and discover new approaches that make us stronger collectively.”
I am eager to work with our artists and cultural practitioners to continue to fuel their creative ambitions and discover new approaches that make us stronger collectively.”
Liz O’Malley, Director of Arts Strategy & Ventures
Patrick Taylor
Patrick Taylor is our Grants Manager. He works alongside Grants Management and Learning Officer Alexandria Featherston-Gomez and Grants Associate Carissa Ibert. Patrick ensures the Foundation’s grantmaking is efficient and compliant. He leads our grants processes and systems, supporting staff by sharing expertise, providing data insights and working to minimize burdens on grantees.
Patrick was previously Director of Grants Management at Sobrato Philanthropies. In this role, he led a data integration project and a strategic refresh. He also worked with the team to improve grantmaking practices. Patrick has held grants management roles at the Zellerbach Family Foundation and the Energy Foundation. He is a former board member of PEAK Grantmaking and a current chapter volunteer.
Carissa Ibert
As Grants Associate, Carissa Ibert keeps our grant processes running smoothly—handling behind-the-scenes logistics, sharing information and tracking data so we can better serve our grantees.
“As a former Rainin Foundation grantee, I’ve seen firsthand the incredible impact this organization has on our local community. I’m truly honored to now be a part of it,” said Carissa.
Carissa comes to us from Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, where she was an analyst. She managed a portfolio of fiscally sponsored projects, overseeing their global and domestic grant dockets and operational needs. Carissa transitioned to philanthropy after a career in arts administration. She has held key roles at organizations including Cutting Ball Theater, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the San Francisco Girls Chorus.
We invite you to get to know our new staff better—visit their bios to learn more about them and what inspires their work.
