Weingart Foundation appoints Helen Torres to the board of directors

The Weingart Foundation, a private grantmaking foundation that partners with communities across Southern California to advance racial, social, and economic justice, announced the appointment of Helen Torres, president and CEO of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), to its board of directors.

“We are honored to welcome Helen Torres to the Weingart Board,” said Joanna S. Jackson, president and CEO of the Weingart Foundation. “Helen is an extraordinary and deeply committed leader who has been instrumental in broadening pathways to grow Latina political and economic power across California. She will be a tremendous addition to our board and in our work to achieve justice, inclusion and opportunity for all people, especially at this pivotal moment.”

As the CEO of HOPE for 23 years, Torres has strategically built a Latina leadership and advocacy infrastructure in California, composed of thousands of civically engaged Latina leaders serving in elected and appointed office, as business, philanthropic and community leaders. She has created robust pathways to leadership for Latinas in California and across the United States, resulting in over 1,600 leadership positions being filled by Latinas. She has led coalitions in California that have advocated for the first Latina to serve on the CPUC, and the first Latina appointed to the California Supreme Court.

“Helen’s leadership at Hispanas Organized for Political Equality has been transformative in advancing Latina representation and leadership across California”, said Dr. Bob Ross, Weingart Foundation Board Chair. “Her dedication to empowering marginalized communities aligns perfectly with our racial justice mission, and we are excited to have her unique expertise and vision on our board.”

Helen Torres has served on various commissions under Governors Davis, Schwarzenegger, and Brown, overseeing AmeriCorps funding and governing on the influential “Little Hoover Commission.” She serves on the Board of Directors of the Public Policy Institute of California, is a member of The Southern California chapter of International Women’s Forum, and an advisor on a workforce steering committee for the 2028 Olympics.

"I’m thrilled to join the Weingart Foundation Board,” Torres said. “With over two decades of nonprofit leadership experience, I am deeply inspired by the Foundation’s mission to advance racial, gender, and economic justice. I look forward to collaborating with fellow board members, staff and grantees to create lasting and meaningful change in our communities."