Posts by Jim Canales

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Jim was named president and a trustee of the Barr Foundation in May 2014. Since his arrival, Barr has experienced significant growth. Annual grantmaking has tripled and the staff has more than doubled in size. Prior to Barr, Jim spent over two decades at The James Irvine Foundation, including service as president and CEO from 2003 through 2014. Before working in philanthropy, Jim was a high school English teacher. Jim currently serves as vice chair of the Kaiser Family Foundation and as a trustee of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston Public Library, and Eastern Bank Foundation. Jim’s prior board service includes a ten-year term as a Stanford University trustee and as chair of the boards of the College Futures Foundation, KQED Public Broadcasting, Stanford Alumni Association, and Larkin Street Youth Services, and as vice chair of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Jim’s writings on a range of topics have appeared in the Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, Chronicle of Philanthropy, and Stanford Social Innovation Review, among other outlets. And he has been a featured speaker, panelist, moderator, or guest at a variety of forums dedicated to a stronger social sector, including the Center for Effective Philanthropy, Communications Network, PEAK Grantmaking, and Inside Philanthropy.

Strategic Communications at Barr

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Jim Canales

President & Trustee

Exploring how Barr can more fully leverage communications to advance its mission.

September 22, 2014 | Category: Barr News

Barr’s Rahn Dorsey Appointed Boston’s First Chief of Education

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Jim Canales

President & Trustee

Our colleague Rahn Dorsey has been appointed by Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh to his cabinet as the City’s first chief of education.

September 02, 2014 | Category: Education

Staffing Updates at the Barr Foundation

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Jim Canales

President & Trustee

Announcement and discussion of changes taking effect this month at the Barr Foundation.

August 04, 2014 | Category: Barr News

From the President – July 2014

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Jim Canales

President & Trustee

After his first two months at Barr, President Jim Canales shares what he’s been learning and some key themes to guide us on the road ahead.

July 22, 2014 | Category: From the President

Time to Reset Philanthropy’s “Default Settings”

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Jim Canales

President & Trustee

In philanthropy, we too often obsess about strategy without attending to one of the things that puts strategy most at risk: culture.

July 15, 2014 | Category: Sector Effectiveness

From the President

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Jim Canales

President & Trustee

A first message from Barr’s new president and trustee, Jim Canales.

May 12, 2014 | Category: From the President