Lucia Corral Peña '88

Blue Shield of California Foundation announced today that Lucia Corral Peña '88 has been promoted to the position of chief program director to oversee the overall strategy, design and management of the Foundation’s programs.

“Lucia’s expertise in philanthropy and the communities we serve are crucial to our Foundation’s strategy to effect systems change by addressing the root causes of domestic violence and health inequity,” said Debbie I. Chang, M.P.H., president and CEO of Blue Shield of California Foundation. “Lucia has led our grantmaking to strengthen prevention and healing and in the multiple sectors where survivors and those at risk of domestic violence live, learn and work.”

Peña is a well-known and respected leader, and the architect of the Foundation’s domestic violence prevention strategy. She joined the Foundation 10 years ago, serving as a senior program officer overseeing the organization’s work and grantmaking focused on breaking the cycle of domestic violence. Beginning March 19, she will become the chief program director, an executive leadership position that reports to the CEO.

Prior to her role at the Foundation, Peña was principal of Corral Peña Consulting, where her practice focused on creating opportunities for diverse and low-income communities, addressing the unmet needs of immigrants, agricultural workers and women in California. With 20 years of programmatic and grantmaking experience, Peña has contributed to national- and regional-level collaboratives on Latino leadership, reproductive justice, and civic engagement projects across Northern California and the Central Valley. She previously served as director of the Western Region for Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP), where she managed the organization's award-winning Funders' Collaborative for Strong Latino Communities in five states. She has also served as program director at The California Wellness Foundation where she focused on state and local projects promoting the health of California's low-wage workforce.

After receiving her bachelor’s degree in sociology, Peña earned her law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of Law. A member of the California State Bar, she has served as pro bono counsel and on a variety of nonprofit boards, including Equal Rights Advocates and Centro Legal de La Raza. She currently serves on the boards of Sisters of St. Joseph Health Care Foundation and Northern California Grantmakers, and is founding member of the California Gender Justice Funders Collaborative.

Read the entire press release here.