Cathy Cha is president and CEO of the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, an influential foundation with a track record of transformative social change. Haas Jr. has developed new approaches to improve the lives of low-income children and youth, was instrumental in advancing marriage equality, and helped to make California a leader in welcoming immigrants. Guided by a mission to advance equality and justice, Cathy has played a central role in shaping the foundation’s work to strengthen democracy, protect immigrant rights, and expand college access and success.

Cathy is a leader known for bringing people and sectors together to solve community problems. She has developed new models for philanthropic impact to support undocumented students at California’s public colleges and universities, strengthen Black nonprofits, and mobilize young Asian American and Pacific Islanders to become civically engaged. The daughter of immigrants from Korea, Cathy is driven by a career-long commitment to improving the lives of aspiring communities facing poverty and injustice. Cathy has a master’s degree in city and regional planning from UC Berkeley.