Family Foundations Community of Practice

Join Catalyst’s next gathering of our Family Funders Community of Practice, a funder-only space designed for learning, knowledge exchange, and connection among family philanthropy peers and staff.

This quarter’s conversation will focus on impact investing and the role it can play in advancing philanthropic goals and impact beyond traditional grantmaking. Building on data identified in Catalyst’s 2025 Pulse of the Practice report, this meeting will explore how families are approaching mission-aligned investing, balancing financial and social returns, and navigating opportunities and challenges within the impact investing landscape.

Whether you are actively engaged in impact investing, exploring it for the first time, or looking to deepen your understanding alongside peers, this virtual gathering will provide an opportunity for discussion, shared learning, and practical insight from fellow family funders.

Target Audience

This event is open to Catalyst members only in family philanthropy. If you are interested in Catalyst membership, please contact Aline Racic.

Catalyst is committed to making our events accessible to everyone. Please let us know how we can help you fully participate by contacting Anna Maria Maybury.

Speaker

Megan Thomas | President & CEO, Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties

Megan serves as Catalyst’s president & CEO, providing strategic leadership and partnership to the entire Catalyst staff, board, members, and community partners. Megan oversees Catalyst’s facilitation of collaborative efforts among its funder members and other stakeholders; leads the production of philanthropy and impact investing skills-building and issue based learning; and spearheads Catalyst’s work related to championing equity and opportunity. She strengthens Imperial and San Diego County communities through shared learning and pooled and aligned funding strategies, and initiatives fiscally sponsored by Catalyst.

Megan brings 20 years of experience in the nonprofit and philanthropic fields to this role, having most recently served as Executive Director of San Diego Coastkeeper where she built partnerships among the nonprofit, business, and public sectors to advance environmental goals across San Diego County. Megan received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Georgetown University and her Masters in Business Administration from Yale School of Management. She serves on the board of directors for the United Philanthropy Forum (national) and the Museum of Us (San Diego). She previously served on the California Dignity for Families grant advisory committee at Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees; the board of directors of United Way of San Diego County; the advisory council for The San Diego Foundation’s Center for Civic Engagement; and the Port of San Diego Environmental Advisory Committee.