History
In 2015, senior leaders from LLNL and the University of California met to discuss the opportunities associated with private philanthropic support, as well as the establishment of a 501(c)(3) independent foundation. Based on best practices at other foundations associated with Department of Energy laboratories, they created a defining mission, vision and conceptual framework. It identified how LLNL’s ground-breaking science, research and solutions for some of the world’s most pressing issues could be of interest to philanthropists and private foundations.
Members of the LLF founding board of directors
The vision was strongly supported by then UC President Janet Napolitano and Livermore Lab Director Bill Goldstein, setting the stage for the official incorporation of the Livermore Lab Foundation in 2016 as an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (EIN#81-2567763).
LLF’s founding Board of Directors, all were affiliated with LLNL or the University of California at the time of incorporation, included:
- Dona Crawford, former Associate Director of Computation, LLNL
- Kim Budil, Vice President for National Laboratories, University of California
- Michael Carter, former Program Director for Department of Defense Technology Programs, LLNL
- Bill Goldstein, Laboratory Director, LLNL
- Brett Henrikson, Director, National Laboratory Governance and Chief of Staff, University of California
- James ‘Buck’ Koonce, former Director of Economic Development, LLNL
- Greg Suski, Associate Deputy Director for Science & Technology, LLNL
As one of the co-founders, Dona Crawford, was elected President and Chair of the LLF Board. In 2019, the Foundation began a transition from an all-volunteer, ‘working’ board of directors to a governing model, adding seasoned nonprofit executive Sally Allen as the organization’s first paid staff and Executive Director. As the Foundation continued to grow, LLF hired its first Development Associate, Emily Peirano, in 2021.
Now, as the new decade begins and LLF enters its sixth year of operation, the Foundation remains focused on enabling philanthropic support of the game-changing science and research opportunities at LLNL and in creating Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs to ‘open the door’ for the next generation of scientists and engineers.