Brenda Solórzano Named President/CEO of The California Endowment

The California Endowment Board of Directors proudly announces Brenda Solórzano as the foundation’s newly appointed President/CEO. Solórzano is a familiar face to The California Endowment, having begun her career in health philanthropy at the foundation in 2001.

Upon her appointment as President/CEO, Solórzano recognized it as somewhat of a homecoming for her. “The California Endowment is where I learned the value of centering community in philanthropic work, and it is something I have carried throughout my career,” said Solórzano. “The Endowment mission and vision are in my blood, and I am honored to partner with staff, grantees, and community to lead this organization into the future.”

Kurt Chilcott, Board Chair of the Endowment, says Solórzano is the right leader for the foundation. “Brenda Solórzano exemplifies what TCE stands for and is working to build an inclusive California where everyone belongs. Brenda understands that listening with humility and collaborating with grantees to build an inclusive community is what The California Endowment’s work and mission is all about.”

Solórzano comes to the Endowment from the Headwaters Foundation in Montana, where she was the founding CEO. During her tenure at Headwaters, Solórzano worked from the ground up to build an institution for the community, by the community. Leading with a lens of health equity and trust-based philanthropy, she reimagined and reinvented philanthropic practices, changed systems and policies to advance better health outcomes, and built a network of trusted partnerships across the state.

“I believe that when philanthropy listens, learns, and trusts the community to take the lead of informing strategy and approach, only then are we, as philanthropists, best situated to support and understand the change necessary to create healthy and thriving communities,” said Solórzano.

Solórzano is a nationally recognized leader in trust-based philanthropy, a values-driven approach that advances equity, shifts power, and builds mutually accountable relationships between funders and nonprofits. As a founding member of the trust-based philanthropy movement, she understands that democratizing philanthropy, putting the community at the center, and building trusted partnerships and relationships are critical to ensuring positive and healthy change.

Outgoing President/CEO Dr. Robert K Ross believes Brenda Solórzano is the right fit for a foundation he has led for 24 years. “Brenda is a person who brings humility and understanding to a foundation that proudly stands with the community,” said Ross. “She knows that being proximate to those most disadvantaged in California is the only way to lead in philanthropy today.”

“I am honored that current CEO Dr. Robert K Ross has served as a mentor of mine,” said Solórzano. “I look forward to building off the legacy of Dr. Ross and continuing to build a beloved community. I am excited to bring additional ideas of trust-based philanthropy to TCE and work in partnership with everyone to ensure we continue to effect positive and healthy change for the most vulnerable communities in California.”

A self-proclaimed change maker, Solórzano began her career in advocacy circles and has continued to ensure that community voice remains at the center of informing her philanthropic work. She believes this is a moment for The California Endowment to continue to build power throughout the state.

“As an immigrant, I am proud to be a role model for all those who look like me and those who have never seen someone like themselves be in such a powerful and privileged position. I do not take that role lightly.”

In her career, Solórzano has also held positions at the Blue Shield of California Foundation and the California Healthcare Foundation.

She will take over the reins at The California Endowment in early September 2024.

Solórzano has a bachelor’s degree in history, a minor in political science from the University of San Francisco, and a Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School in Southern California. She is married to Randall Caudle, an immigration attorney, with whom she has two children and two adorable dogs, Avo and Kenzie. Her daughter Ali is a sophomore studying journalism at Northeastern University in Boston, and her son Kian is a senior in high school who plans to attend Elon University in North Carolina in the fall.