Washington Area Women's Foundation Board Elects Capital One's Carolyn Berkowitz Chair

June 4, 2013 - PRLog -- Carolyn Berkowitz has been named the chair of the board of Washington Area Women’s Foundation, the only donor-supported, public foundation solely dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls in the DC metro area. Berkowitz, who previously served on the board as vice chair, is the president of Capital One Foundation and the managing vice president of community affairs at Capital One. A supporter of The Women’s Foundation for eight years, Berkowitz joined the board in 2006. She was unanimously elected to the position by the 18-member board on May 30th. Her term officially begins in July.

“Carolyn’s tireless work on behalf of women and girls in our community, her demonstrated leadership, and her relationships in the community made her an easy choice for board chair,” said Rachel Kronowitz, a partner at Gilbert LLP, who has chaired the board for the past three years.

In her new role, Berkowitz’s chief responsibilities will be to serve as one of Washington Area Women’s Foundation’s spokespersons and ambassadors, support and advise the president of the Foundation, guide and ensure the implementation of the Foundation’s mission and strategic plan, and provide personal philanthropic leadership.

“I am honored to take on an expanded role on the board of The Women’s Foundation, an organization that is at the forefront of driving solutions to curb poverty in the Greater Washington region,” Berkowitz said. “Investing in women and girls isn’t just about doing what’s right; it’s about doing what’s best for our families, our neighbors, and our community. When women and girls have the resources they need to reach their full potential, their success can be a powerful economic engine.”

Berkowitz has previously held leadership roles on The Women’s Foundation’s executive, governance, and audit committees and has chaired the Leadership Luncheon for the past five years.

Prior to joining Capital One, Berkowitz served as senior vice president for community mobilization at America’s Promise Alliance and vice president of the Points of Light Foundation.

The board of directors also approved the appointments of Audrey Bracey Deegan as board secretary and Robert T. Grimm as treasurer. They have been board members since 2011 and 2012, respectively.

Fannie Mae’s Rosie Allen-Herring Joins Board

Beginning this month, Rosie Allen-Herring, managing director of Fannie Mae’s Office of Community Investment and Engagement, will serve as a member of The Women’s Foundation’s board of directors. Her appointment was approved by the board in March.

For more than two decades, Allen-Herring managed critical business portfolios for Fannie Mae, most recently leading the company’s corporate giving, employee engagement, and homelessness initiatives across the country. Prior to her current role, she was the senior deputy director for business development for Fannie Mae’s Washington Metropolitan Community Business Center, senior manager of compliance and regulatory efforts for the Housing and Community Division’s 55 Community Business Centers across the country, and senior manager of asset servicing.

“With the number of low-income women and girls on the rise in our region, there has never been a better time to take bold and strategic action,” said Nicky Goren, president of Washington Area Women’s Foundation. “The expertise and passion of this deeply dedicated board will further strengthen our ability to improve the economic security of women, girls and our entire community.”