An innovator and leader in the field of social entrepreneurship and corporate community
involvement, Neela is founder and principal of Partners in Progress. She brings a wealth of
knowledge and experience in donor engagement, fundraising, community involvement and
volunteer management to the partnership. Neela’s career includes leadership roles across
several industry areas of the non-profit sector including: the arts, university advancement,
healthcare, medical research and social entrepreneurship. Her experience includes work with
senior management teams as well as high-level donors and volunteers from the for-profit and
nonprofit sectors.
Neela currently serves in a part time position at Silicon Valley Community Foundation as Cisco’s
Giving Counselor, providing philanthropic education, inspiration and guidance to the Cisco
Foundation and Cisco’s employees around the world. In addition, her consulting work has
included long term engagements with: Peninsula Community Foundation during a historic
merger of two large parent foundations, The Foundation Incubator working with families and
philanthropists as they developed their philanthropic goals and strategies, AspiraNet on
strategic issues around board and resource development and Aprendamos as interim Executive
Director.
Prior to Partners in Progress, Neela worked with the Entrepreneurs Foundation (EF) where she
led a team of professionals to construct EF’s cutting edge Community Involvement Programs.
As Director of Corporate Community Involvement, Neela guided emerging companies through
the intricate process of philanthropic development. Before that, she was Executive Director of
the American Heart Association (AHA) for San Francisco where she was responsible for regional
management of all volunteers, fundraising efforts, educational and advocacy programs. During
her tenure as the Regional Development Director, Major Gifts for Cal’s billion-dollar Campaign
for the New Century, Neela raised over $11.5 million while negotiating multiple and competing
campus interests.
Neela enjoys entertaining, live music and spending time outdoors with her family. She has
been actively involved as a Board member and volunteer for many organizations over the years
including: Menlo Park Atherton Education Foundation, VillageTech Solutions, SpringBoard
Forward, American Heart Association, Tech Corp, California, Camp Kessem National, Women in
Action, and Los Angeles Youth and Risk.
Neela holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley.
involvement, Neela is founder and principal of Partners in Progress. She brings a wealth of
knowledge and experience in donor engagement, fundraising, community involvement and
volunteer management to the partnership. Neela’s career includes leadership roles across
several industry areas of the non-profit sector including: the arts, university advancement,
healthcare, medical research and social entrepreneurship. Her experience includes work with
senior management teams as well as high-level donors and volunteers from the for-profit and
nonprofit sectors.
Neela currently serves in a part time position at Silicon Valley Community Foundation as Cisco’s
Giving Counselor, providing philanthropic education, inspiration and guidance to the Cisco
Foundation and Cisco’s employees around the world. In addition, her consulting work has
included long term engagements with: Peninsula Community Foundation during a historic
merger of two large parent foundations, The Foundation Incubator working with families and
philanthropists as they developed their philanthropic goals and strategies, AspiraNet on
strategic issues around board and resource development and Aprendamos as interim Executive
Director.
Prior to Partners in Progress, Neela worked with the Entrepreneurs Foundation (EF) where she
led a team of professionals to construct EF’s cutting edge Community Involvement Programs.
As Director of Corporate Community Involvement, Neela guided emerging companies through
the intricate process of philanthropic development. Before that, she was Executive Director of
the American Heart Association (AHA) for San Francisco where she was responsible for regional
management of all volunteers, fundraising efforts, educational and advocacy programs. During
her tenure as the Regional Development Director, Major Gifts for Cal’s billion-dollar Campaign
for the New Century, Neela raised over $11.5 million while negotiating multiple and competing
campus interests.
Neela enjoys entertaining, live music and spending time outdoors with her family. She has
been actively involved as a Board member and volunteer for many organizations over the years
including: Menlo Park Atherton Education Foundation, VillageTech Solutions, SpringBoard
Forward, American Heart Association, Tech Corp, California, Camp Kessem National, Women in
Action, and Los Angeles Youth and Risk.
Neela holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley.
| Neela Gentile |
| WEBSITE: www.partnersinprogress.us |