New YWCA Executive Director Announcement

The YWCA Syracuse and Onondaga County Board of Directors' are pleased to announce Fanny Villarreal as the new Executive Director of the YWCA.

Fanny joins the YWCA with impressive leadership qualities. Over the last 19 years Fanny has served the Central New York community in various Not for Profit roles, including Family and Community Development Director at P.E.A.C.E Inc. and Executive Director at Spanish Action League.  She also is the founder of Nosotros Radio Inc., “Your Latino Voice,” and Co-founder of Latino Networking Professionals.

Fanny is a trained facilitator of Community Wide Dialogue to End Racism, and has received many local community service awards. Fanny has received the distinguished “40 under 40” Award, Latina Leadership Award from the National Foundation of Women Legislators, Washington DC, and is an honorary member of Syracuse University National Golden Key Society. She is a graduate of Leadership of Greater Syracuse and currently serves on several local boards including Elmcrest Children’s Services, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and Fair Housing Council of Central New York.

Fanny’s background and commitment to the Central New York community embodies the mission of the YWCA. With Fanny’s leadership we look forward to a future of success.

Community Foundation Hires Gift Planning Officer

December 28, 2012 (Syracuse, NY) - The Central New York Community Foundation has hired Tom Griffith as Gift Planning Officer. Griffith’s primary responsibility will be to connect the Community Foundation with local professional advisors across its five-county service area, as well as continuing to develop and implement its gift planning program.

Prior to joining the Community Foundation, Griffith served as a Financial Advisor at First Command Financial Planning.  During that time, he earned the designation of Chartered Financial Consultant.  Prior to becoming an advisor, Griffith was an officer in the United States Navy and a Department of Navy civilian working as a nuclear engineer and program manager at the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program headquarters. Griffith holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, with highest honors, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Established in 1927, the Central New York Community Foundation encourages local philanthropy by supporting the growth of a permanent charitable endowment for the betterment of the region.  The Community Foundation is the largest charitable foundation in the region with assets of more than $130 million. It awards close to $6.7 million in grants to nonprofit organizations annually and has invested more than $100 million in the community since its inception. The Community Foundation serves as the steward of charitable legacies for individuals, families and corporations through the administration of nearly 600 funds. The organization also serves as a civic leader, convener and sponsor of special initiatives designed to strengthen nonprofits that address the region’s most pressing challenges. For more information, visit www.cnycf.org.