Moses Zapien, a political and nonprofit staple in San Joaquin County, announced Monday that he is moving on from the San Joaquin Community Foundation to a new nonprofit position in the Bay Area.
Zapien served as CEO and president of the SJC Foundation for seven years, joining the team in 2017. The San Joaquin County foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to community outreach through programs like the Stockton Meal Project, a program that partners with local businesses to provide food for people with food insecurities.
“It has been one of the greatest honors of my professional career to have led the San Joaquin Community Foundation and served my hometown community by working with donors, nonprofits, local and state governments, and a wonderful team to attract and invest charitable resources into our community,” Zapien said.
While at SJCF, Zapien oversaw the establishment of an affiliate partnership with the Lodi Community Foundation as well as the Stockton Housing Initiative, which seeks to reduce housing insecurities by providing funds to initiatives that address housing access.
According to Zapien, he will continue his role as President and CEO until September 6, with Louis Ponick, SJCF’s director of Donor Relations, serving as interim CEO until a replacement is found.
Before his appointment at SJCF, Zapien had served in numerous political positions throughout San Joaquin County, being appointed as the 75th president of the San Joaquin County Bar Association in 2014 while serving as the Stockton City Council District 4 representative. Zapien also served on the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors.
In 2015, Zapien served as deputy district attorney for the SJ County District Attorney’s Office for about six months before being appointed by Governor Brown to the Board of Supervisors to complete the remainder of Steve Bestolarides term in 2015.
Beginning next month, Zapien will serve as the new executive vice president of community action, initiatives and policy at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF), where he hopes to continue establishing programs to advance equity for all.
According to Moses, he’s been in a working relationship with SVCF since his start at the San Joaquin Community Foundation as they help manage funds for some of the programs SJCF does.
“I also worked alongside SVCF’s CEO and EVP through the League of California Community Foundation,” Moses said. “So, when the previous EVP left last year, she encouraged me to apply because she thought I’d be a good fit.”
Moses’s record as a public servant and head of the SJCF is what made him a compelling candidate for the vacancy according to Silicon Valley Community Foundation spokesperson Chau Vuong.
“We were impressed by his most recent tenure at the San Joaquin Community Foundation, where he significantly expanded its outreach and impact and launched numerous initiatives to address community needs,” Voung said. “And, most importantly, Moses shares our commitment to centering community in all of our endeavors.”
Moses notes that San Joaquin Community Foundation’s recent achievements and stable leadership is what motivated him to join SVCF, acknowledging that there comes a time in which a CEO needs to pass leadership on to another person.
“I’m proud to be able to pass the baton at a time where SJCF is doing so well with a record amount of charitable assets, deep community partnerships, and talented staff members,” Moses said. “Knowing that there was strong leadership succession, partnerships, and financial stability at SJCF gave me the comfort to make the decision to join SVCF.”