Alexa Leigh Valavanis, Chief Executive Officer of the North Valley Community Foundation; a Northern California based nonprofit public charity, managing more than $6 million in assets.

Valavanis took the post of CEO in July of 2005, during the Foundation's 16th year of operations. Under Valavanis' leadership the Foundation has grown in net assets by 200%, from $2 million to more than $6 million, while its granting capabilities have increased by 800%. In addition to unprecedented growth in assets, Valavanis expanded the Foundation’s core services to include community capacity building for the nonprofit sector, launching the "Nonprofit Leadership Institute", as well as establishing the region’s only nonprofit council "North Valley Nonprofit Council”. The Foundation recently announced the largest discretionary grant program in the North State, called "Annie B's Community Drive”, and in the first year (2007) the Foundation granted $789,000 to participating organizations.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Valavanis founded and was Executive Director of the Seeds of Life Foundation, a Guatemalan-based nonprofit focused on development of indigenous owned and operated nonprofits. Valavanis’ areas of expertise included infrastructure development, management and communications. Prior to establishing the Seeds of Life Foundation, Valavanis worked in Shanghai, China in development of international kindergartens.

Valavanis currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Calacirya Foundation, an international foundation focused on working with the rural poor of Guatemala, specifically in the areas of alternative energy sources and sustainable agriculture. She also serves on the Advisory Committee of Hope House International, a nonprofit working to find homes for HIV/AIDS affected orphans in Africa. And, she sits on the Advisory Board of the Living Light Foundation, a cause dedicated to providing care and comfort to elders.

Lee Laney (our Program Officer) is a wonderful addition to the North Valley Community Foundation. Lee not only brings a wealth of knowledge about the local nonprofit sector but a great passion for public service. Lee hit the ground running during his first year at the Foundation spearheading the Annie B's Community Drive; a NVCF community-wide grant program that brought in nearly $900,000 for the local nonprofit sector during an 8-week period. Lee was hired at NVCF as Program Officer in 2007, but his volunteer association with the Foundation goes back 15 years.

Lee is a native of Northern California and has worked for nonprofit organizations in Butte County since moving here in 1978. Past experience includes positions as Executive Director, Development Director, Health Educator, Group Home Supervisor and Production Manager. Lee is also an active volunteer with local museums, schools, his neighborhood association and other community organizations. Lee earned an undergraduate degree from CSU San Francisco in Urban Studies and Master’s Degree from University of San Francisco in Human Resources and Organization Development.

Contact Lee Laney at North Valley Community Foundation to learn more: (530) 891-1150 ext 23 or via email: llaney@nvcf.org.

Scott Conroy (our Financial Officer) joined the Foundation in 2006. 

Contact Scott Conroy at North Valley Community Foundation to learn more: (530) 891-1150 ext 30 or via email: sconroy@nvcf.org.