Students Rising Above Board of Directors Welcomes Founder of Nuestra America Fund and President of Schwab Charitable

SAN FRANCISCO - March 7, 2019 - PRLog -- Students Rising Above, Bay Area nonprofit empowering first-generation college students to access higher education and career-ladder opportunities, is excited to announce the appointment of Diana Campoamor and Kim Laughton to its Board of Directors.

Diana Campoamor is the Founder of Nuestra America Fund (NAF), an initiative focused on documenting Latino leadership and best practices in philanthropy. NAF also supports individual and institutional donors that have an interest in strengthening Latino influence in U.S. policy towards their countries of origin.

Prior to NAF, Campoamor served as President of Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP) for nearly 27 years. At HIP, she grew a small network of funders, from a volunteer group of advocates into a transnational philanthropic network. HIP, under her leadership, invested over $40 million in small Latino nonprofits and leaders. Under Campoamor's tenure, HIP was recognized with the Kellogg Foundation's National Leadership in Action Award in 2007 and received the prestigious Scrivner Award for Creative Grantmaking in 2008 for its groundbreaking Funders' Collaborative for Strong Latino Communities.

Her book of essays, Nuevos Senderos: Hispanics and Philanthropy, published by Arte Publico Press in 1999, remains one of the few anthologies to portray Latinos as givers and leaders in philanthropy. Her editorials focusing on policy issues have been published by the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and others. Campoamor received a B.A. from the University of Florida and an M.A. from the University of Miami.

Kim Laughton is President of Schwab Charitable, one of the nation's largest donor-advised fund providers established with the support of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. to make charitable giving simpler and more tax-efficient for clients. She is responsible for the general management of Schwab Charitable and the fulfillment of its charitable mission, setting strategy and priorities and ensuring all contractual obligations and goals are met.

Since Laughton became President, Schwab Charitable more than tripled annual grants to charities. Additionally, in Fiscal Year 2018 alone, the organization facilitated nearly $2 billion in charitable grants on behalf of donors. Prior to joining Schwab Charitable, she held a variety of leadership, strategy, and general management positions at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

Earlier in her career, Laughton was Vice President for Citibank-Asia  / Pacific and a Consultant for Bain & Company. She also has served on the Board of the Educational Foundation of Orinda and as the Head of its Investment Committee. She has been recognized by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the most influential women in Bay Area business. She holds a B.A. in Economics and a B.S. in Biology from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

"We are thrilled to grow our Board and are honored to welcome Diana Campoamor and Kim Laughton, two women who have had a huge impact on their philanthropic communities," said Carolina Martín, Executive Director, Students Rising Above. "Together, with our growing Board and dedicated supporter community, we are helping today's youth find tomorrow's meaningful and sustainable careers."

"I've been a supporter, along with my family, of Students Rising Above since the beginning and I am excited to continue this commitment as SRA Board Chair," said Mike Loughlin, former Chief Risk Officer, Wells Fargo. "Now in its 20th year, Students Rising Above is closing the opportunity gap and building the next generation of a more diverse and representative workforce. We're honored to welcome Diana and Kim to our Board, continuing to drive our mission forward."

For more information and to learn how you can involved in the Students Rising Above community, visit: https://studentsrisingabove.org/

About Students Rising Above

Students Rising Above is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that empowers underrepresented students with drive and potential to achieve their life goals by connecting them to the tools, resources, and supportive community they need to excel and thrive on their college-to-career journey.

As SRA's founding initiative, Rising Stars invests in first-generation college students from low-income communities who have demonstrated both a deep commitment to education and the strength of character to overcome tremendous odds during their youth. By offering highly personal, wraparound services, SRA serves students who need the most support and financial assistance to achieve their college dream.

By providing comprehensive guidance and support whenever and wherever it's needed, SRA accomplishes its mission through a series of proven initiatives that have a direct and profound impact, affecting lives for generations.