Swan’s work set new fundraising records for foundation
After more than five years working to raise money for school programs at the Healdsburg Unified School District, Pamela Swan is leaving her post as the director for the education foundation.
The Healdsburg Education Foundation, HEF, is a nonprofit organization that raises funds for educational programs in Healdsburg’s public schools, with the mission of increasing graduation rates and closing the achievement gap.
During her time with HEF, Swan was responsible for fund raising efforts that brought in programs such as Enrichment, offering students classes in art, music, fitness, computers, gardening, science and other curriculum that went unsupported due to budget cuts.
“It’s been a job of a lifetime, being able to work on something that I care so passionately about, the importance and opportunity that public education plays for our kids and the future of our community has been an incredible gift,” Swan said.
Swan attributes her success to the “generous and civic minded” residents of Healdsburg who have donated year after year to HEF and the programs established in the publics schools.
“The team here is phenomenal, the district leadership, staff, the service organizations, the businesses, the engaged parents all makes it a recipe for success. Healdsburg loves its schools and I was lucky to be one of the educational partners,” Swan said.
Over the course of her work with HEF, Swan coordinated the organization’s efforts to secure funding upward of $500,000 annually to support funding priorities for grades K-12 and began growing the foundation’s endowment fund. With the funding, the district was able to implement programs such as a breakfast club for hungry elementary students, iPads in classrooms, restore library resources, and help fund a construction academy at the high school.
As director, Swan said having the opportunity to work with the district leadership team to create programs in the schools that have an impact on student learning is one of her most prized accomplishments.
“Under Pamela Swan’s leadership, the Healdsburg Education Foundation helped to transform our local schools by seeding innovation and supporting vital programs. For the past five years, Pamela built bridges between our classrooms and our community. She coordinated school tours and reached out to all members of our community. During her work with our schools, Pamela always conveyed the highest level of professionalism,” said HUSD Superintendent Jeff Harding.
“She leaves the Healdsburg Education Foundation as a model for other communities to emulate,” he said.
When Swan wasn’t busy reaching out to the community, she was organizing the foundation’s board, building committees and helping bridge the relationship between the board and the district.
“Her big, big strength is organizational development, we had all of these things we wanted to do and she helped us become very systematic about the way we go about raising money for important programs for the kids,” said HEF board member and past president Gina Fontana.
Known by her colleagues as an advocate for kids, Swan will still have her eye on the foundation and support its mission while her two children complete their education in Healdsburg.
“Her passion for the kids and what is right for the kids is amazing, she really kept us mission driven, meaning it was all about the kids, and we could disagree on this that and the other thing but the one thing that she would always bring us back to is that we were doing this for the kids,” Fontana said.
The Healdsburg Education Foundation will officially name their new executive director at their December board meeting.
Pamela Swan will move on to a county position working with Health Action on issues surrounding economic security supporting families living in poverty.
“She has set us up beautifully for the next person to come in and take us to the next level. She has organized us, she has trained us, and the next person will be able to take the baton and run with it,” Fontana said.
