We are pleased to have welcomed Nathan Shapiro to our organization. Nathan is a Coro Fellow and as part of his Coro training, for four weeks he has been observing and learning from the work of LA2050 and its team.

“Working at the Goldhirsh Foundation provides an amazing opportunity to understand the nonprofit sector from a funder’s perspective,” said Shapiro, whom Coro selected to work with Goldhirsh / LA2050. “Learning how to identify social innovators in Los Angeles and facilitate connections among like-minded organizations to expand their collective impact, has been an exciting way to begin my journey as a Coro Fellow.”

Shapiro is new to Los Angeles. He majored in Sociology and Religious Studies at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. There, he developed a passion for public service by taking the ideas he learned in the classroom and applying them as a Center for Civic Engagement Learning executive council member.

Shapiro says that he is thrilled to use his experiences to help construct a management plan for the new cohort of LA2050 grantees, including recommendations for capacity-building programs and other “beyond-the-check” support.

During his first week with LA2050, he helped out at the LA2050 Grantee Showcase, an event where five foundations announced more than $2.6 million in grants to 37 nonprofit organizations around Los Angeles County. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, and Goldhirsh Foundation President Tara Roth were among the speakers, and the leaders of past LA2050 grantees participated in a panel discussion moderated by a Spectrum News 1 reporter.

Per the Coro Fellows website, the Fellows program “develops emerging leaders to work and lead across different sectors by equipping them with knowledge, skills, and networks to accelerate positive change.” Adds Shapiro: “Southern California Fellows participate in field placements, seminars, leadership interviews, and focus weeks in order to understand the complex systems and institutions that influence how the city of Los Angeles functions.”

Photo: Nathan Shapiro