Feature Stories
Sara Gould, '73
With a background in philanthropy and progressive leadership, Grand Haven native Sara Gould, ’73 currently serves as Atlantic Philanthropies senior fellow at The Foundation Center, a national nonprofit service organization recognized as the nation’s leading authority on organized philanthropy. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in political science from Grand Valley State University, Gould continued to earn a master’s degree of city and regional planning from Harvard University.
Before accepting the position as senior fellow, Gould served as President and CEO of Ms. Foundation for Women. She had been with the organization since 1986 and had built a career around women’s economic self-sufficiency and growth. With the foundation, she spearheaded the Collaborative Fund for Women's Economic Development, a pioneering grant-making initiative that has provided more than $10 million in support of organizations creating jobs for low-income women.
Gould’s experience comes from organizations such as Women's Action Alliance, Hub Program for Women's Enterprise, and the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation. With these organizations, Gould created and directed several projects aimed at low-income women and their families to help them gain the knowledge and support to be financially independent.
Gould has served on the boards of the Center for Community Change, the Proteus Fund,
The Women's Funding Network, Women & Philanthropy, and The Challenge Machinery Company. She currently resides in Brooklyn, New York with husband Rick Surpin, president of Independence Care System, and their son Jacob.
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