Carmen Castellano Justice in Philanthropy

2021 Honorees

Herman Gallegos, MSW

Legacy Award

Herman Gallegos is a life-long civil-rights/social justice advocate and trailblazing director and trustee of various corporate and philanthropic organizations. In the early 1950s, he was a leader in the Community Service Organization; a co-founder and first executive director of the National Council of La Raza, now, UnidosUS. He was the first Latino to serve on the Boards of The Rosenberg Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, the San Francisco Foundation, and a Foundation Trustee, the California Endowment.

Carmen Rojas, Ph.D.

Trailblazer Award

Dr. Carmen Rojas (she/her) is the president and CEO of the Marguerite Casey Foundation. Prior to joining Marguerite Casey Foundation, Dr. Carmen Rojas was the co-founder and former CEO of The Workers Lab, an innovation lab that invests in entrepreneurs, community organizers, and government leaders to create replicable and revenue-generating solutions that improve conditions for low-wage workers. For more than 20 years, Carmen has worked with foundations, financial institutions, and nonprofits to improve the lives of working people across the United States. 


2023 Honorees

Sandra R. Hernández, MD

Legacy Award

Sandra R. Hernández, MD is the president and CEO of the California Health Care Foundation. She was previously the CEO of The San Francisco Foundation, director of public health for the City and County of San Francisco, and served on the Covered California board of directors. She co-chaired San Francisco’s Universal Healthcare Council, which designed Healthy San Francisco, the first attempt by a local government in the US to provide healthcare for all residents. In February 2023, she was appointed to the state’s Health Care Affordability Board by Governor Newsom.

Gina Dalma

Trailblazer Award 

Gina leads SVCF’s impact team to ensure Silicon Valley is a place where all people can lead economically secure and fulfilling lives. Previously, Gina served as Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Special Advisor to the CEO, driving SVCF’s public policy agenda. An Athena Awardee, Gina is a leading voice on community philanthropy and public policy to drive systems change. She holds a B.S. in economics from ITAM in Mexico City, an M.S. in economics from the University of London and an M.A. in international policy studies from Stanford. She resides in Palo Alto with her husband and has two wonderful children.

Eleanor Palacios

Community Philanthropist Award

Eleanor devoted herself to LGBTQ and Latinx organizations, volunteering, working, and serving on boards. Her fundraising skills and dedication brought thousands of dollars to organizations like Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, Horizons Foundation, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, among others. Though she didn’t have millions to give, she gave her heart and soul to support the organizations she loved.