By SALLY HOGARTY
Editor
The Educational Foundation of Orinda (EFO) welcomes Darcie Taylor as its first executive director. According to the EFO Board of Directors, Taylor will create and implement a plan for long term financial sustainability of the Orinda schools through corporate, foundation and community-based fundraising.
Taylor’s most recent position was as a west region lead for the V Foundation for Cancer Research where she was known for her impressive work growing the V Foundation’s west region presence and promoting their current campaign aimed at raising $200 million dollars by 2020. Previously, Taylor worked for four years as a regional director at Sutter Health where she focused on philanthropy and major gift programs.
According to EFO President Kara Dille, Taylor’s experience in fundraising, change management and volunteer management will be invaluable in helping EFO meet its long-term goals and objectives.
“Her extensive experience in fundraising coupled with her proven ability to collaborate with a variety of stakeholders make Darcie Taylor the perfect choice to lead EFO into a new era,” says Dille. “The EFO Executive Board and I are thrilled to welcome Ms. Taylor as our first executive director.”
A task force of educators and parent leaders in Orinda has met for over two years to analyze other districts’ fundraising models, determine best practices and jointly decide how to improve the fundraising model for Orinda schools. This task force examined the foundations of 15 similar school districts and learned that EFO was the only foundation without an executive director to guide its fundraising efforts.
EFO’s first executive director already has a strong affinity for Orinda Schools. Taylor’s husband was raised in Orinda and attended Orinda schools. The couple, along with their daughter, live in Moraga.
For more information on Darcie Taylor and EFO, go to http://www.orindaefo.org/executive-director-faqs.
