Arabella Advisors Adds Debbie Kobak as New Managing Director in Chicago
We are pleased to announce that Debbie Kobak has joined the firm as a Chicago-based Managing Director. Kobak’s leadership will increase Arabella Advisors’ ability to serve the needs of philanthropists, impact investors, and other social-impact innovators throughout the region. Kobak brings deep expertise in community and economic development, education, and impact investing. “I am thrilled to join the team […]
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Three Transformative Takeaways from PEAK Grantmaking’s Webinar Series
Last month, we attended and presented at PEAK Grantmaking’s virtual webinar series Narrowing the Power Gap and Implementing Flexible Practices, along with over 100 grantmakers representing diverse segments of philanthropy. The forum offered a blend of core concept learning, plenary and small-group dialogue, and case study examples to help attendees reimagine grantmaking “toward a more […]
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How You Can Support COVID-19 Crisis In India
As COVID-19 continues to ravage India, many of you here in the United States have asked how you can show support and solidarity. In the spirit of addressing the current crisis, as well as thinking through longer term support, I wanted to share some perspectives as to how you might help. 1. Acknowledge the crisis. All of […]
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Kelli King-Jackson and the Simmons Foundation
In the seventh episode of Arabella Advisors’ podcast series, Arabella Managing Director, Jeremy Gregg, spoke to Kelli King-Jackson, Vice President of Programs and Community Engagement at The Simmons Foundation. Kelli shared about her life, her teachers, and her belief that we accomplish the most together and through education. She also expanded on her belief that […]
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Increasing Equity in Grant Making
The disruptions of 2020 shined a bright light on gaps and inequitable power dynamics that too often limit philanthropy’s ability to achieve its desired impacts. Specifically, the deep inequities exposed by COVID-19 and the ongoing movements for racial justice exposed in a new way a system-wide challenge that many had already recognized: the need for the philanthropic community to reflect on and reconstruct grant-making systems and processes that are products of white-dominant culture and that tend to reproduce rather than redress inequity. In far too […]
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Cynthia Breunig and Girl Scouts of America
In the sixth episode of Arabella Advisors’ podcast series, Arabella Managing Director, Sharyn Church, spoke to Cynthia Breunig, President and CEO of Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio. The two share a deep friendship, a love of art and service, and insights based on decades of working with women, girls (and Girl Scouts!) to transform communities and lives. Here are some soundbites from their conversation: “[My father was in the military for 40 years, […]
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