Funders Together is grateful for our board of directors’ dedication and expertise that helps to guide our work to advance housing and racial justice. We would like to recognize three outstanding board members, who lead with passion and purpose and are departing our board at the end of this year: Bill Major, Angela D'Orazio, and Charles Rutheiser.

Angela D'Orazio is a community builder and has been serving on our board since 2021. Through her leadership on the board and as a member of the Funders Network for Youth Success, she has been a powerful advocate for our youth homelessness efforts. During her time as a Senior Program Officer at the Sisters of Charity Foundation, she was instrumental in bringing funders and policymakers together to meet the needs of those experiencing homelessness. During our April board meeting, held in Cleveland, OH, we saw firsthand the impact of the strong private-public partnerships Angela had helped establish and her collaborative approach to address homelessness. 

Since joining Funders Together's Board in 2018, Bill Major has served on the executive committee and as the Board's Treasurer. Through his deep commitment to our mission, Bill has been at the forefront of bold approaches that recognize the legacies of systemic racism and the urgency of taking action with all of philanthropy's resources.  As the President of the Zarrow Family Foundations, Bill has demonstrated what can be achieved when funders fully commit themselves to racial justice and shift power to Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color. During our Foundations for Racial Equity's closing retreat in Tulsa last summer, Bill shared insights into his work with the Commemoration Fund, highlighting how philanthropy can reimagine its role in advancing racial justice and reparations.

Charles Rutheiser joined the Funders Together's board in 2021, bringing his knowledge from his decades of work in the field. As a mission-oriented former academic with sharp policy analysis, his insights and expertise about youth homelessness and public systems have been invaluable to our work. His research-based background combined with his experience in philanthropy has helped guide our strategic thinking for the Funders Network for Youth Success and our regional network in Baltimore. In both his role as a board member and an advocate, Charles has been a champion of addressing social inequality by transforming our institutions and addressing the root causes of housing insecurity.  

We are incredibly grateful for the contributions and impact of our departing board members. Each of them has left a lasting impact on Funders Together's mission and we look forward to supporting them in their continued work to advance housing and racial justice in their communities.