September 17, 2019
Ms. Foundation for Women Announces Ruth McFarlane as Vice President of Advancement
Ms. Foundation for Women Announces Ruth McFarlane as Vice President of Advancement
Former Director of Development & Community Engagement at the National Center for Lesbian Rights to Lead the Nation’s Oldest Women’s Foundation in Fundraising and Communications
NEW YORK, NY (September 17, 2019) – Today, the Ms. Foundation for Women announced Ruth McFarlane as its Vice President of Advancement. In this role, McFarlane will oversee both the Development and Communications departments of the nation’s first public women’s foundation.
“I am thrilled to welcome Ruth to the Ms. Foundation team,” said Teresa C. Younger, President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women. “With a long history of social justice advocacy, we are incredibly grateful to have her experience and expertise as we continue our work towards establishing full social, political, and economic equality for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation. Ruth’s diversified leadership complements an already dynamic team and we are excited to have her on board to continue our fight for gender and racial equity.”
Most recently, McFarlane served as the Director of Development and Community Engagement at the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) in San Francisco and the Director of Programs at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center and the Director. Prior to working in the nonprofit sector, McFarlane practiced law as an associate at Norton Rose Fulbright in Dallas and Linklaters in New York.
McFarlane holds an M.S.W. from the University of California Berkeley, and a J.D. from Cornell Law School. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Indiana Wesleyan University. She sits on the board of Health Access Foundation, an organization that aims to provide quality, affordable health care for all in the state of California, and has previously served on the boards of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Homeownership SF, and City of Refuge United Church of Christ Oakland.
Since 1973, the Ms. Foundation has invested over $65 million to build grassroots movements fighting for gender equity for women, particularly women of color around the country. This past year, the Ms. Foundation launched a new strategic plan that is committed to investing in and strengthening the capacity of women-of-color-led movements and grassroots organizations that intentionally and inclusively centers women and girls of color. The Ms. Foundation is determined to center the voices of women of color both within its leadership team and bolster women of color on the frontlines through grantmaking, capacity building, policy and advocacy, leadership development, strategic communications, and political organizing.
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For 45 years, the Ms. Foundation for Women has worked to build women’s collective power in the U.S. to advance equity and justice for all. The Ms. Foundation invests in, and strengthens the capacity of women led movements to advance meaningful social, cultural, and economic change in the lives of women. With equity and inclusion as the cornerstones of true democracy, the Ms. Foundation works to create a world in which the worth and dignity of every person are valued, and power and possibility are not limited by gender, race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or age.
Press Contacts:
Sunshine Sachs