2016 National Conference

Barbara joined the Foundation as Director of Organizational Effectiveness in 2013, and she is responsible for fostering a culture of continuous learning, improvement, innovation, and strategic risk-taking. She works with program staff to enhance grantmaking practices for impact and to develop grantee effectiveness and sustainability. Barbara is co-author of Succeeding with Consultants and Grantmaking Basics. In 2010, she co-authored What’s Next for Philanthropy. She is a founder of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO), and she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art from Wagner College and a Juris Doctor degree from Brooklyn Law School.

Johng Ho Song is the Executive Director of Koreatown Youth and Community Center, a nonprofit organization that serves the recently immigrated and economically disadvantaged youth and families of the multicultural Koreatown community. Mr. Song oversees a diverse workforce of over 80 employees with an annual operating budget of over $6.5 million. Also, Mr. Song is a Fellow at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a Senior Fellow at the UCLA School of Public Policy and Social Research, and a Los Angeles County Commissioner on Alcohol and Other Drugs. In 2016, Mr. Song received the Durfee Foundation's prestigious Stanton Fellowship.

Paul Harder is the CEO of Harder+Company Community Research which has offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Sacramento.  Founded in 1986, the company provides learning and strategy services to a wide range of clients in the philanthropy, nonprofit and public sectors. While based in California, the company works with clients across the US to improve the effectiveness of their work.   Paul started his career in Washington. DC at the Lewin Group before moving to the Urban Institute.  Paul has an MBA in Nonprofit Management and an MA in Social Welfare, both from the University of Chicago.

Belen Vargas began her professional career in nonprofit legal services in Los Angeles County, focused on women’s issues and school inclusion issues for children with disabilities. Prior to joining Weingart Foundation, she worked at Public Counsel on the Childcare-Law-Project. Vargas joined Weingart Foundation in 2000, and assumed the role of Vice-President, Programs in 2014. She oversees the Foundation’s grant strategy and planning, communications, and program assessment. Vargas holds a juris doctor degree from the University of Southern California’s School of Law. She is a graduate of the Council on Foundations’ Career Pathways Leadership Program and Harvard’s High Potentials Leadership Program.