As the Program Officer for Kataly Foundation’s Mindfulness and Healing Justice program, Iris supports Black, Indigenous and other communities of color-led efforts to heal from intergenerational trauma and build collective resilience, power and liberation.
Iris brings 15 years of experience in philanthropic support for racial and gender justice movements and movements to end the criminalization of young people. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Iris’ work has focused on mobilizing resources for collective activism that advances social change and addresses systemic injustice. She remains committed to a vision of liberation and community safety based in healing and love.
Before joining Kataly, Iris served as a Program Officer at Akonadi Foundation, where she co-managed the All in for Oakland Initiative to end the criminalization of Black youth and youth of color in Oakland, CA. She also managed Akonadi’s So Love Can Win community response fund, which supports BIPOC organizers, culture bearers, healers and storytellers working to advance racial justice in Oakland. Prior to Akonadi, Iris worked at the Global Fund for Women, supporting international efforts to end violence against women and advance women’s rights globally.
Iris is the Co-Chair of the California Criminal Justice Funders Group, Board Chair for San Francisco Women Against Rape, and a certified Healing-Centered Community Coach.
Outside of work, you can find Iris studying at a local dance studio; she believes deeply in the transformative power of dance and derives much joy from her dance community.
Photo by Bethanie Hines