About Us
The Goldhirsh Foundation seeks to advance human life and well-being, and catalyze human potential. We achieve this by connecting the best emerging innovations with the financial, social, and human capital to make them thrive. We think of ourselves as a fund for social good.
We recognize and utilize the powerful tools of marketing and storytelling and provide training and support to grantees and investments – including communications, design, and elements such as space for events/meetings and financial capital development.
We have helped to catalyze a civic awakening in Los Angeles by bringing people together to address social challenges via our LA2050 initiative, including our LA2050 Grants Challenge.
The Team
Tara Roth is the President of the Goldhirsh Foundation, a $60 million, 100% mission-aligned foundation that supports innovation via its financial, human, and social capital. Tara oversees all aspects of the Foundation, including assisting with sourcing and vetting investments that aim to advance human life and well being and catalyze human potential. Earlier this year, the foundation named a new, all-female investment committee—believed to be the first such investment committee at an organization of its size and scope.
Tara started her career at Franklin Templeton, and with a particular lens on marketing and sustainability, has remained purposeful in business and finance as the Founding COO of GOOD, working with New Schools Venture Fund, and serving on myriad boards including the Ad Council and AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles. She received an MBA from Oxford University, where she was awarded a Skoll scholarship in social entrepreneurship. In 2024, the Los Angeles Business Journal named Tara one of the 20 Most Influential Civic Leaders in Los Angeles and one of the Most Influential 500 People.
Ben Goldhirsh is the Chairman and co-founder of Matter Neuroscience. An entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist, Goldhirsh has held leadership roles at GOOD, Upworthy, and Collaborative Fund. At Goldhirsh Foundation, Ben supports social entrepreneurs pushing the world forward across key areas of societal health. Ben graduated from Brown University, and has been awarded lifetime achievement awards from PEN USA and Liberty Hill for his work in social justice.
Claire Hoffman is a Director of the Goldhirsh Foundation. She writes for national magazines, covering culture, celebrity, religion, business, and whatever else seems interesting. She has a master’s degree in religion from the University of Chicago, and a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. Her daughters, Josie and Vivian, sit firmly at the center of her universe.
@clairedhoffman on TwitterJeremy Rosenberg is Director of Communications at the Goldhirsh Foundation. Jeremy is an innovative communications executive and cross-platform storyteller with a wide range of non-profit, media, and civic-centric experiences. He served as Assistant Dean, Public Affairs and Special Events, at the USC Annenberg School; Vice President, Communications and Marketing, at the LA84 Foundation; and as an online editor and columnist for the Los Angeles Times. His non-fiction books about LA include “Under Spring,” “Kickoff Concussion,” and “No Man is An Island.”
@https://twitter.com/LosJeremy on TwitterLeAnn Kelch Melendez is the Director of Grants and Programs at the Goldhirsh Foundation. She graduated with a B.A. in International Development Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles, and received her Master’s in Urban Planning and Master’s in Public Administration from the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. She currently serves as Treasurer and Communications Co-Chair for the Los Angeles Chapter of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy. LeAnn is passionate about grantmaking that advances justice and promotes the thriving of all people in Los Angeles.
Carla Fuentes is the Social Innovation Coordinator at the Goldhirsh Foundation. She graduated with a B.A. in Political Science with an emphasis on Public Policy and Management. She currently is serving on the board of her neighborhood council, is a member of the Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy LA Steering Committee, and a part of the LA Civil Rights Volunteer Corps with the Los Angeles Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department.
Mariam Bagdady is the Social Media and Communications Assistant at the Goldhirsh Foundation. She is a USC Annenberg graduate and has a passion for journalism, having written for multiple publications including The Daily Nexus, The Garnette Report, TMZ, SCene Magazine, and Flaunt Magazine. She is devoted to being an advocate for all communities and aims to help Los Angeles become the best that it can be — whether it be addressing racial inequity or prison reform.
Lauren Song is the Design Fellow at the Goldhirsh Foundation. They hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration with an emphasis in Design from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. They are devoted to engaging their community, utilizing art and design that feels human to push for equity and inclusion, and aspiring for a brighter future for Los Angeles.
Jen García is the AI Education Strategist at the Goldhirsh Foundation. She is a social entrepreneur and former English professor with 19 years’ experience in education and training. Specializing in AI and digital literacy, she empowers social impact organizations and small businesses through comprehensive training programs, founding the 501(c)(3) Employ California to do so for underserved communities. Jen leads impactful networking events and teaches essential skills like networking, writing, critical thinking, and soft skills. She also enjoys training for triathlons, reading, and writing.
Press
To contact the Goldhirsh Foundation, email team@goldhirshfoundation.org.
- Anthem Awards: What's Your Why: Tara Roth
We spoke with Tara Roth, Anthem Judge and President of the Goldhirsh Foundation, to explore what inspires their advocacy and the ethos that keeps them resilient on the path to systemic change.
- Los Angeles Business Journal: Civic Leaders LA500: Tara Roth
"Roth spearheads the foundation’s LA2050 program, a $1 million crowd-sourced program in which Angelenos can vote annually to award grants to proposals aimed at improving the city," writes the Los Angeles Business Journal.
- Inside Philanthropy: With a New, All-Female Investment Committee, This L.A.-Based Funder Is Sending a Message (*Paywall)
“As part of its embrace of mission-aligned investing, the Goldhirsh Foundation recently appointed four women to lead a new investment team” writes Martha Ramirez.
- Financial Investment News: Western Foundation Appoints All-Female Investment Committee (*Paywall)
“This is a mission-aligned group that knows what a good investment looks like….” said Goldhirsh Foundation president Tara Roth in this news story by Colin Rajala.
- Pensions & Investments: Goldhirsh Foundation Names Groundbreaking All-Female Investment Committee
Team includes C-level executives from industries including finance, real estate, food, and philanthropy.
- LA2050 Featured on @LATimes and @LATimes.404
Micah Fluellen of the Los Angeles Times and LATimes.404 interviewed our president, Tara Roth, and put together this report.
- LABJ Insider: Twist on Grant Giving
The Editor in Chief of the Los Angeles Business Journal, Charles Crumpley, provides commentary on the 2023 LA2050 Grants Challenge and its impact.
- LA Tech Week: Technology and Storytelling for Social Good
To kick off LA Tech Week, the Goldhirsh Foundation hosted a panel, "Technology and Storytelling for Social Good" with four LA2050 grantees
- Voting Underway For the LA2050 Grants Challenge
Spectrum News 1 visited the LA2050 Grants Challenge voting pop-up at Randy's Donuts in Inglewood
- LABJ Insider: April 17
The Los Angeles Business Journal interviewed Goldhirsh Foundation president Tara Roth about the 10th LA2050 Grants Challenge and its pop-up voting experiences
- News Not Noise Newsletter
Jessica Yellin included voting in the LA2050 Grants Challenge in her popular newsletter "News Not Noise"
- Social Investment Leader Tara Roth Joins AltaSea Board of Trustees
Tara Roth has joined AltaSea's Board of Trustees. Roth brings a wealth of experience and expertise in social investment, nonprofit management, and community engagement to her new role on the board.
- How the Economic Security Project Is Rallying Funders to Support Guaranteed Income
The Goldhirsh Foundation is highlighted as an original funder of the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration.
- An L.A. Program Takes a Unique Approach to Participatory Grantmaking — Putting it to a Vote
The Goldhirsh Foundation's LA2050 initiative is featured in Inside Philanthropy for its participatory grantmaking process and new 2022 grantees.
- Urban Peace Institute has won a $75,000 grant from LA2050
Scroll down to read about Urban Peace Institute's first place win in the LA2050 Grants Challenge
- How Can Women and Girls Win in Iran?
Zócalo Public Square presents “How Can Women and Girls Win in Iran?,” co-presented with the Goldhirsh Foundation.
- A winning idea, creating safe routes for students
Urban Peace Institute, the LA2050 Grants Challenge Winner in the "Community Safety" category, is featured in The East Sider LA
- Here's how this restaurant is serving culture in every bite
Flavors From Afar, a 2022 LA2050 grantee, is featured on Spectrum News 1
Investment Committee
Shana Barghouti, Co-Chief Investment Officer at ReMY Investors, a multi-family investment firm based in Los Angeles. Prior to ReMY, Shana was a partner at Angeles Investment Advisors, where she managed the investment portfolios of several endowments, foundations and other non-profit organizations. Previously, Shana worked for Wilshire Associates, serving governmental pension funds. Before her career in finance, Shana was an advertising copywriter at BBDO and Saatchi & Saatchi. Shana holds an MBA from UCLA and an AB in Philosophy from Harvard, where she was captain of the varsity women’s lacrosse team. She serves on the Board of the Griffith Observatory Foundation and on the Regional Advisory Council for KPCC/LAist. She lives in Los Angeles with her two sons.
Natasha Case, Co-Founder and was the CEO of Coolhaus Ice Cream until its successful acquisition in 2021. Natasha co-founded Future Gin, the first all-queer and women-owned spirit in the US and is now the Founder and CEO of Lunch Bunch enrichments + nutritious food for schools. She became a Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for the City of LA in 2023 and joined the Victory Campaign Board in 2024. Natasha serves on the board of UCLA School of Arts & Architecture, Larchmont Charter School, Startup UCLA, and has served as a judge for Chopped, Top Chef Jr, Alex vs America, the Sam Adams Brewing the American Dream, Ad Age Awards, and Harvard-Westlake Venture Club/Inc. In 2019, she joined YPO (Beverly Hills chapter). Natasha has been named a Forbes 30 Under 30, Zagat 30 Under 30, LinkedIn 10 under 35, 10 Most Successful Women in Business by Leaders Globe, and UCLA’s LGBTQ+ 2019 Alum of the Year. She is a published author of the Coolhaus Ice Cream Book (2014) and was the co-host and executive producer of ‘Start to Sale’ podcast (Eater/Vox Media).
Celestine Schnugg, Founding Managing Partner of Boom Capital, an early stage venture capital fund. She is recognized as the first investor in Mammoth Biosciences, and early investor in Swarm (SpaceX), Astra (NASDAQ: ASTR), and Planet Labs (NYSE: PL). In addition to being the first check for frontier tech, Celestine convenes a scientific society. Prior to starting Boom, Celestine worked at Eric Schmidt’s Innovation Endeavors and Apple.
Ruth Wernig, former Chief Investment Officer of The California Endowment. The California Endowment is a private health foundation established in 1996 to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities. As CIO, she was responsible for a $3.5 billion endowment. She helped diversify the portfolio of investment managers to include person-of-color led investment firms. She helped steward TCE’s venture into mission and impact investing, all while improving the overall performance of the portfolio. She retired in June of 2021. Previously, Ruth was Treasurer of the University of Southern California from 2004-2010. She was responsible for overseeing the investment management of the university’s endowment, working capital, pension and life income assets of $3.5B. Ruth has her undergraduate degree from Brown University and an MBA from Boston University. She is a CFA. She sits on the Board of St. Joseph Center in Venice and chairs the Finance Committee.