Welcoming Robert Joseph

San Francisco — The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund announced today that it has hired Robert Joseph as Vice President of Programs. Robert joins the Fund after serving in a senior leadership position with Tipping Point Community, an innovator in the fight against poverty in the San Francisco Bay Area. In his new role, Robert will oversee grantmaking and program strategy toward the Haas, Jr. Fund’s mission to advance rights and create opportunities for all.

In three years at Tipping Point Community, Robert led education and employment strategies to reduce poverty in the Bay Area and developed an initiative to transition homeless, justice-involved San Francisco residents into housing and behavioral health services. He also worked to integrate policy and advocacy with Tipping Point’s direct service grantmaking and to advance diversity, equity and inclusion as a core focus in the organization’s day-to-day operations and strategic decisions. Robert joined Tipping Point after serving as a program officer with the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation in San Francisco. In addition to supporting a portfolio of youth development organizations, he developed a statewide initiative for the foundation aimed at promoting civic learning in California schools.

“Robert is a passionate advocate for greater opportunity for people and communities who are struggling at the margins of society,” said Cathy Cha, who will step into the role of President of the Haas, Jr. Fund in January 2019. “With a wonderful mix of heart and strategic thinking, he will play a critical part in helping the Haas, Jr. Fund and our partners ensure that all people can live, work, and raise their families with dignity.”

Robert’s parents were raised in the Caribbean. His family immigrated to the United States when Robert was a young child. Robert holds a bachelor’s degree from Emory University in Atlanta, and he earned a juris doctor from Duke University School of Law. He started his career in corporate law before working with a public defender in Contra Costa County. Robert subsequently worked with a San Francisco nonprofit managing a literacy program aimed at preparing youth from low-income communities for academic and career success.

“Throughout my career, I have sought to make a positive difference for our most vulnerable communities,” said Robert. “I am honored to join the Haas, Jr. Fund and support its efforts to promote access and opportunity, both in the Bay Area and nationwide.”

About the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund

The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund seeks to fulfill its founders’ vision of a just and compassionate society where all people have the opportunity to live, work, and raise their families with dignity. The Fund’s program areas include: Immigrant Rights; Gay and Lesbian Rights; Education Equity; the Haas Leadership Initiatives; and Community Partnerships and Initiatives.