Lorena Gomez-Barris serves as Director of Administration and Workplace Experience for the Kenneth Rainin Foundation. She ensures that the Foundation’s culture, systems, internal communications and administrative operations support a people-centered workplace. She leads the Administrative Team, designs values-driven teambuilding initiatives and co-leads an internal Employee Experience Advisory Group to advance equity and foster collaboration, transparency and belonging.
Lorena joined the Rainin Foundation in 2020, bringing more than 25 years of nonprofit leadership. Previously, she was Director of Operations and Finance at Rise Up at the Public Health Institute, where she led global compliance, financial management and the development of scalable administrative systems to support international programs and partnerships. Throughout her career, she has helped mission-driven organizations strengthen infrastructure, align operations with strategy and build high-performing, people-oriented teams.
Committed to community, Lorena believes in the power of storytelling, food and art to connect people across cultures. She has produced films, led international video workshops and served on the boards of Cine Acción and the Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival. She loves to travel and speaks three languages. Lorena has a BA in Environmental Studies and Business from Sacramento State University and an MNA in Nonprofit Administration from the University of San Francisco.
