About Us

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.

Jeremy 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.”

LeAnn 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.

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.