Judy is a seasoned veteran in community benefit program design, planning and implementation. She has 30 years experience in professional development for leaders in philanthropy, nonprofit organizations, health care, and the public sector. Since forming Judy Berger & Associates, she has focused primary attention on planning projects for health care-related organizations.

Previously (2002-7), she was Member Services Director and Senior Program Executive at Northern California Grantmakers, the regional association of philanthropies based in San Francisco.

From 1982-2000, she held a range of senior management positions at Health Forum and its Foundation, (formerly The Healthcare Forum/Association of Western Hospitals). During these 18 years she wrote and managed numerous grants and sponsorships and incubated dozens of new professional development programs. Prior to this, she worked for two major consulting firms, several nonprofits, and local government.

Her competencies and skills include:

• Setting direction and strategy, working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders.
• Designing, organizing, and managing creative educational, awards, and fundraising programs.
• Expert in leadership education and non-profit management applicable to many sectors.
• Developing business partnerships and engaging people’s interest in new projects.
• Raising and managing foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and other gifts.

Her professional accomplishments include:

• Expanding Kaiser Permanente’s national David Lawrence Community Services Award and developing a Toolkit for Award implementation and management.
• Preparing an implementation plan for the Public Health Institute’s Center for Public Health and Climate Change.
• Developing (with Associate Cynthia Ulman) a Business Plan for the Operation Access Institute.
• Broadening the eligibility criteria for joining Northern California Grantmakers (NCG).
• Designing and managing NCG’s Corporate Philanthropy Institute and co-founding (with San Francisco Business Times Publisher Mary Huss) the Bay Area Corporate Philanthropy Awards.
• Overseeing the NCG Annual Meeting and dozens of all-member gatherings and special briefings.
• Managing and strengthening NCG’s collaborative funds and programs, including its Arts Loan Fund and Emergency Loan Fund.
• Founding the Research & Development department at Association of Western Hospitals and The Healthcare Forum.
• Writing ambitious foundation grants and building a strong corporate underwriting capacity to support program growth.
• Designing, funding and organizing several dozen innovative health sector leadership programs, including:
• Healthcare Innovators Awards and Healthier Communities Awards Programs.
• Summit 2000 conference for 1000 health care leaders, with online extension.
• Best Practices in Improving Community Health conference series.
• Healthcare Vision Quest interactive convocation of health association leaders.
• Bridging the Leadership Gap research study.
• Blueprint for Change videotape/workbook on strategic planning and marketing for rural hospitals.

Judy is also an accomplished community leader:

As President/Board Chair and Vision Committee Co-chair, she led Congregation Kol Shofar (Tiburon, CA) through a two-year successful organizational healing and vision-building process, resulting in increased participation and a doubling of membership.

Early in her career, she researched and wrote a comprehensive report on SF local government used extensively in subsequent San Francisco charter reform activities.

Judy is the author or co-author of over two dozen articles and essays on local government, health care issues, and association management. She also edited a college textbook on California county government.

Judy has been an active site supervisor and selection-day judge for the San Francisco Coro program.

With a Master of Arts in Urban Studies from Occidental College, Judy is a graduate of the Coro Foundation Fellowship in Public Affairs, San Francisco. She graduated with honors in Politics and Community Studies (double major) from the University of California at Santa Cruz.

Judy is also a jazz vocalist and is currently on the Board of Directors of Living Jazz (formerly Rhythmic Concepts Inc) which produces Jazz Camp West, Jam Camp West, and several other music-related educational programs for adults and children.