Who We Are

WANDA is a social impact organization dedicated to increasing the economic self-sufficiency of low-income, single mothers in the Bay Area. We provide education, networking, and a structured 2:1 matched savings clients may use to invest in retirement, education or the purchase of a home.

Leadership Circle

WANDA was founded by three friends who combined their individual philanthropic and volunteer efforts to launch an initiative designed to assist single mothers in San Mateo County to achieve financial self-sufficiency. Based on this common mission, the three founders enlisted friends and colleagues to join them and form a Leadership Circle (LC) of donors. A number of early donors were single mothers themselves or raised in female-led households. The Leadership Circle is comprised of over 30 women who have collectively contributed more than $2 million since WANDA’s founding in 2007.

  • Corinne Augustine
  • Karen Batey (Emerita)
  • Susan Breyer
  • Elaine Cardinale (Emerita)
  • Glowe Chang
  • Joni Cropper
  • Jocelyn Doe (Emerita)
  • Kate Duggan (Emerita)
  • Karen Fisher
  • Susan Ford Dorsey (Honorary)
  • Susan Friedman (Emerita)
  • Dianne Giancarlo (Founder)
  • Joanne Goldstein (Emerita)
  • Anne Gunderson (Emerita)
  • Elaine Hahn
  • Colleen Hallinan (Emerita)
  • Merrilee Harris (Emerita)
  • Mary C. Henry (Emerita)
  • Paula Hurd
  • Susan Hyatt
  • Mary Hynes
  • Barbara Jones
  • Colleen Jordan-Hallinan (Emerita)
  • Christina Kamra
  • Suzanne Kohlberg (Emerita)
  • Gabrielle Layton (Emerita)
  • Christina Kenrick (Emerita)
  • Luba Kipnis (Founder)
  • Susan Kokores (Founder)
  • Liz Korman (Emerita)
  • Wanda Kownacki
  • Lata Krishnan
  • Susan Levy
  • Michelle Mann
  • Gerry Marshall (Honorary)
  • Helen Lin-Murphy (Emerita)
  • Elizabeth Mason (Emerita)
  • Charlene McCaskey
  • Christina McClure (Emerita)
  • Ethna McGourty
  • Vaciliki Papademetriou (Emerita)
  • Patty Raleigh
  • Lynn Roberts (Emerita)
  • Elizabeth Ronn
  • Anh Schwab (Emerita)
  • Katrina Sherer (Emerita)
  • Eileen Sullivan (Emerita)
  • Libby Taylor
  • Hilary Valentine
  • Elizabeth Vilardo, MD
  • Gina Wolff (Emerita)
Join a Giving Circle

Our Partners

Foundations

Corporate Sponsors

Other Supporters

Adaptive Path’s mission is to transform communities by design. Founded in 2001 as a pioneer in user experience design, AP spent 14 years as a leading UX consultancy, helping businesses and organizations solve problems and improve their products, services, and systems through a human-centered approach.
Bit Palette is committed to supporting socially-conscious business, non-profits and entrepreneurs (through design, strategy and technology) deliver products and services that create the results they’re looking for and build long-term relationships with their customers.
Opportunity Fund provides financial tools and training that enable their customers to transform their lives and their communities. Opportunity Fund’s comprehensive approach incorporates housing, savings, credit and financial literacy, making it possible for clients to build assets—a home, a small business, an education—as well as hope for the future. Opportunity Fund has successfully directed over $150 million in community investment into low-income neighborhoods and improved the lives of over 10,000 households.
SocialGood is the fiscal sponsor of WANDA. SocialGood works to create and establish positive influences for individuals, communities, and the environment. Our goal is to sponsor and develop projects that will help positively impact and develop local communities into healthier and happier places to live, work, and be.

Recruitment

Education