Bay Area Women Magazine - Liza Pavlakos

school to return full-time to the Bay Area, but it It’s funny how things come full circle. Kristin was Kristin’s goal. “I was very fortunate to have has never forgotten the spirit conveyed by been mentored throughout my education and in the scholarship, and the appreciation she felt my career by so many great people,” she said. receiving it. So she was particularly moved “Somehow, I have often managed to be in the when in November, as President and CEO of right place at the right time.” Kristin worked for the East Bay Leadership Council, along with coCalifornia Forward and was the executive director presenting sponsors Wells Fargo Bank and the of the California Forward Action Fund before East Bay Community Foundation, her organization serving as chief of staff to Contra Costa County presented the 4th Annual East Bay Philanthropy Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, the post she held just Awards. Some 250 people gathered at the prior to her current Blackhawk Automotive position with the Museum to honor this Council. year’s award recipients Who inspired Kristin and nominees across as she was growing nine categories, and up? Who were her role to be inspired by their models? “There have generous contributions been so many,” she to their communities. said. Growing up in the “I feel so privileged Bay Area, she recalled to have my job,” she being inspired by said. “There are so California’s U.S. Senator many people who have Dianne Feinstein while terrific ideas, energy she served as mayor of and optimism in this Kristin with Kristi Conner, honored as the Next GenSan Francisco. Kristin organization. I value eration Philanthropist at the 2014 East Bay Leadership remembered watching the breadth and depth Geraldine Ferraro on TV Council Philanthropy Awards event, and Awards Com- of the many business become the Democratic mittee Chair Mark Hughes. and community leaders Photo by Amy Sullivan Party’s first woman I work with to help U.S. Vice-Presidential companies thrive in candidate in 1984 during the convention held in the East Bay,” she said. “I also value being able San Francisco. It was a defining moment for her, to work with employers of all sizes, to identify seeing history, and progress, being made close to barriers to their success, so that we can advocate home. for policy that breaks down these barriers.”

Kristin’s family was also a model for her. “We How does her past work and life experience always had lively conversations at the dinner table affect her current work? Kristin spent nine years as a family. We talked about the news of the day, living in New York City where she attended and it was common to discuss world events. It law school and briefly practiced at a large law was a positive household growing up, and there firm. The experience made her appreciate that were high expectations for all three of us, my two the top people from nearly every industry were brothers and me. My childhood memories are in New York. “It was very exciting, as the city really wonderful,” she said. encompasses all walks of life. The experience Upon graduating from high school, Kristin raised my consciousness, and I became very received a major scholarship from a private aware of the many challenges people face in family foundation based in Vacaville. This has business and in their communities,” she said. always meant a great deal to her because of “This is also true of people in the East Bay. Our the extraordinary opportunities the scholarship communities are very diverse. I believe most provided. The generosity of this family foundation people have little understanding of the diversity of further inspired her to excel, and fueled her the East Bay’s economy —and the importance of interest in a career in public service. advocating for the people, the businesses and the