Julie Diaz to Follow Matthew Randazzo During Executive Leadership Transition
DALLAS – May 11, 2023 – The Board of Governors of The Dallas Foundation, the first community foundation in Texas, announced today that Julie Diaz has been named Interim President & CEO of the Foundation following Matthew Randazzo’s upcoming departure to lead the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.
With a career in the nonprofit sector that spans 35 years, Diaz brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her new role. She most recently served as the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of the Foundation, where she played a critical role in operations and philanthropic partnerships and managed the Foundation’s dramatic increases in contributions and grantmaking. Her attention to guiding important relationships with donors and fundholders, streamlining organizational efficiencies and professional services has been pivotal to the success and long-term sustainability of the Foundation.
Diaz, a long-time resident of Dallas, has also held significant leadership roles across a range of flagship organizations including The Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Greenhill School, SMU, The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and WGBH Educational Foundation.
“Matthew, Julie, and the entire team of The Dallas Foundation have worked very hard to achieve success across key measures of the organization’s philanthropic, financial and operational goals,” said Lydia Addy, Chair of The Dallas Foundation’s Board of Governors. “Alongside Matthew, Julie has been the lead on both day-to-day business operations and donor relations, making her the ideal person to take the helm of The Dallas Foundation at this time. We are grateful for her steady hand.”
“The Dallas Foundation remains committed to investing in our community’s greatest needs and to diversifying and democratizing philanthropy,” said Chris Luna, Vice Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Governors. “I look forward to continuing to work alongside Julie and the entire Foundation team to strategically and purposefully advance this work across Greater Dallas.”
Diaz earned an MBA from Boston University and a Bachelor of Art in Arts Management from Salem College. She embarks upon her leadership of The Dallas Foundation as the organization approaches its centennial of service to Greater Dallas in 2029.
“I am deeply honored to step into this important role for The Dallas Foundation and to work alongside our dedicated Board of Governors as we continue to serve our donors and drive impact for the Dallas community,” said Diaz.
Randazzo joined the Foundation in 2018 after long-time President Mary Jalonick retired following 30 years of service to the organization. The milestones achieved during his leadership include leveraging the Foundation’s first comprehensive strategic plan to grow fundholders’ capacity to make a meaningful difference, increasing diversity among the organization’s board and staff leadership, and elevating the organization’s community-wide impact to ensure individuals and families in Greater Dallas can reach their full potential. He will transition to the Greater Cincinnati Foundation in late July.
