The San Diego Foundation has made four managerial appointments, including new hires and a post with added responsibilities.
Danny Kim, Ph.D. will serve as senior director of people, culture and diversity, Liz Zajd as director of events and project management and Nicole White Forrest as executive director of the San Diego Housing Fund.
James Howell, the foundation’s chief financial officer, will expand his leadership as a board member and managing partner for the housing fund.
“The contributions of Danny, Liz, Nicole and James to the San Diego Foundation and San Diego Housing Fund teams will help propel forward our work in inspiring enduring philanthropy and enabling community solutions to improve the quality of life in our region,” said Mark Stuart, the foundation’s president and CEO.
Launched in 2023, the San Diego Housing Fund is an investment fund to improve housing accessibility that partners with investors, developers and property owners.
Kim’s career in organizational development includes stints with the nonprofit sector and Fortune 500 companies. Raised by first-generation Korean immigrants, he credits much of his work ethic and passion for people to his parents’ dedication to education, resilience and overcoming challenges. Kim holds a Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology.
Zajd, a native San Diegan, has more than a decade of experience in special event planning and donor relations, while Forrest has been a real estate developer and investor for 20-plus years, specializing in strategic partnerships and joint ventures.
During her career, she has consulted for private equity, development and construction companies in Washington D.C., New York City, Boston and Southern California. Forrest has a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and a master’s from Harvard University.
Howell, the foundation’s CFO since 2015, is a 30-year finance and investment professional. He previously served as chief investment officer at Canterbury Consulting and Scripps Research Institute. As the UPS Retirement Plan Alternative Investment Officer, he managed a $3 billion institutional private equity and real estate portfolio and served on numerous real estate fund LP Advisory Boards and the Institutional Real Estate Letter Editorial Board.
The foundation’s strategic priorities include advancing racial and social justice, fostering equity and building resilient communities. The organization and its donors have granted $1.7 billion to support nonprofit groups in the community.
