Karen DuBois-Walton last September was named CEO of the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, the $748-million community chest for 20 municipalities in and around the Elm City.
DuBois-Walton leads roughly 50 staffers who work in the areas of donor relations, grant strategy, mission investments, office administration and senior management.
The community foundation is home to more than 1,000 charitable funds established by individuals, families and organizations.
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Funds are used to support various programs, from job skills and manufacturing workforce training, to racial equity and DEI workshops for nonprofits.
The foundation is also building a new business support network — called the New Haven Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (NHE3) — for small business owners who may not have had access to traditional lenders, providing connections to technical assistance as well as capital.
Prior to her current role, DuBois-Walton helmed the Elm City Communities/Housing Authority of the City of New Haven for 16 years. She was also the immediate past chair of the CT State Board of Education, and prior to that, served as chief of staff and chief administrative officer for former New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr.
DuBois-Walton earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Boston University.