Remembering Board Member Arlene Rodriguez

We are saddened by the recent passing of Arlene Rodriguez who served on the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation’s Board of Directors from 2012 to 2017.

“Arlene’s passion for environmental justice and skills in building connections between funders and the groups doing the work in the field were a tremendous gift to the foundation during her time on the Board,” said Judy Hatcher, Board Chair. “She will be greatly missed.”

Arlene served as the senior director of programs and external relations of the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and oversaw Living Cities’ knowledge management and evaluation work. Prior, she directed the environment program for the San Francisco Foundation. She was also a senior program officer at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the director of community programs and founding director of the Crissy Field Environmental Center with Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and the urban program director for the Western Region of The Trust for Public Land. She served on various Boards and was a commissioner for the city of San Francisco’s environment department for six years.