Communities In Schools (CIS), the national nonprofit focused on providing school-based integrated student supports, recently elected Donna Weiss as chair of its board of directors.
Weiss has been a member of the CIS board since 2003, chairing several committees during this time. She was also the founding board chair of CIS of Los Angeles. She is an advisor to Terrapin Palisades, a private equity firm in the real estate and agriculture investment sectors.
“Donna Weiss has the voice and vision that can support the CIS National Network from the ground up,” said Rey Saldaña, president and CEO of Communities In Schools National Office, in a press release. “Having served Communities In Schools for close to two decades as a National Board member and previously as a board chair at Communities In Schools of Los Angeles, Donna understands the pulse of our work happening inside schools and has the experience and heart to lead the organization into its next phase of impact.”
Weiss, a first-generation college graduate, earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Brown University and a juris doctor degree from Harvard University. She lives in Los Angeles and Aspen with her husband and two dogs.
Weiss succeeds Elain Wynn, who served on the board since 1999 and was elected chair in 2007. Upon starting her duties as board chair, Weiss intends to prioritize further strengthening the interconnections between the CIS Network and the CIS National Office to bolster the overall structure and culture of the organization.