Sarah Cavanaugh headshot

Sarah Cavanaugh

President, The Russell Family Foundation

Sarah Cavanaugh serves as president of The Russell Family Foundation and as a past board member of the National Center for Family Philanthropy. She is a trustee of the Jini Dellaccio Collection, preserving and promoting the work of the master photographer. She is also a member of the Honorary Council of Philanthropy Northwest and a trustee of The Merwin Conservancy. She has worked in the nonprofit sector for many years in support of the arts, education, leadership development, the environment, and children’s health.

Contributions

The Current State of Family Philanthropy: Seattle Regional Convening

Posted on September 12, 2023 by Sean Boyd, Stephanie Ellis-Smith, Sarah Cavanaugh

In philanthropy, meaningful change is the aim—it’s the purpose and the promise. But in striving for and achieving impact, have we been effective? Who decides the measures of success and what are the conditions that promote meaningful and enduring progress? Join the National Center for Family Philanthropy to explore how philanthropic families are accelerating the pace of their giving, shifting their… Read More

2023 Family Philanthropy Leadership Retreat

Posted on April 19, 2023 by Susan Stamerjohn, Michelle Tremillo, Alejandro Foung, Dr. Jason Franklin, Jonathan Brack, Sandra Fluke, Tonya Allen, Diego Zegarra, Sue Banerjee, Catherine Maddox Walton

Save the Date 2023 Family Philanthropy Leadership Retreat
The 2025 Family Philanthropy Leadership Retreat will take place in La Jolla, San Diego from October 27 to October 29, 2025. Learn more here.   Thank you so much for your interest in the Leadership Retreat. The event is sold out, and we are no longer accepting names for the waitlist, due to the unlikelihood of accommodating everyone on it… Read More

Narratives that Shape Family Origin Stories and their Connection to Ownership

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Sarah Cavanaugh, June L. Wilson

Family philanthropy is rooted in family origin stories. While these narratives are multi-faceted, the field needs to further acknowledge and address how whiteness is embedded in stories about wealth creation and ownership. In this dialogue, Sarah Cavanaugh of the Russell Family Foundation will share how her efforts to tackle her own whiteness are beginning to shape the family conversation at… Read More

Core Values of a Splendid Legacy

Posted on September 22, 2020 by Sarah Cavanaugh

Values build and strengthen a legacy in families. This chapter from Splendid Legacy 2: The Guide to Creating and Re-creating Your Family Foundation shares ideas to get you started with your foundation’s values, or revisit the ones that you have now as part of your own family legacy… Read More

Family Members on Call: Being Both Family and Staff

Posted on February 12, 2009 by Sarah Cavanaugh

If you are already family staff, if you are thinking of hiring a staff member who is family, or if you are transitioning from a family to a nonfamily staff person, this discussion is for you. The role of staff member to a family philanthropy already comes with a myriad of roles. But when the staff person is also family, there's a whole set of dynamics with both benefits and challenges… Read More

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