On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are delighted to announce the selection of Dr. Carole Dorham-Kelly (DC) as Rubicon Programs' new CEO, effective November 1, 2020. After an extensive and rigorous search, DC left no doubt that she is the premier choice to lead the organization into the future. DC has served as Rubicon's Chief Program Officer for two and a half years, and before that as a leader in our wellness services. 
 
In addition to her business acumen, intellectual horsepower, and approachability, DC has a deep understanding of what is needed to advance a new generation of policies and programs that will address the economic and social inequities confronting the communities we serve. DC has never wavered in her commitment to increasing access to wellness and economic mobility for communities of color. Her nuanced understanding of systems of oppression will allow Rubicon to take on an even more active role in advocating for policy changes that will lead to increased economic and social equity. In DC we have a leader whose values align with Rubicon's and are consistent with community needs and concerns – a leader who connects with humility, lives with hope, and acts with justice. 
 
The Board also extends its deepest gratitude and appreciation to Jane Fischberg for two decades of remarkable leadership. Jane has been a fierce champion for social and racial justice. With Jane at the helm, Rubicon has evolved into a high performing workforce organization well regarded for its whole-person approach and recognized for its establishment of an unequivocal antiracism stance. Her signature blend of empathy and high expectations pushed Rubicon to new heights of excellence. She was the chief architect of bold organizational changes that focused Rubicon on a new model of longer and deeper connections to our participants and to new workforce service partnerships in Oakland and Eastern and Central Costa County. Jane will continue to serve as CEO through October 31, 2020, after which date she will remain with Rubicon as an advisor through the end of April 2021. 
 
A driving force in our work ahead will be our ongoing commitment to transforming Rubicon into an antiracist organization and deepening our response to amplified economic disparities within the societal context of COVID-19, racial injustice and pervasive inequity. We are energized by these challenges and filled with a deep sense of purpose as we prepare to rise up to meet them with our new CEO at the helm.  
 
Stay tuned for upcoming opportunities to honor Jane and welcome DC. We will be in touch.
 
Thank you for being a part of the Rubicon community.  
 
Sincerely, 
Paul Leonard, Board Chair 
Tatiana Ware, Vice Chair 
 
A message from Dr. Carole Dorham-Kelly:
 
With respect and gratitude, I salute Jane for her courageous leadership and 20-year Rubicon legacy. Her tireless efforts have been instrumental in the strength of the brand that is Rubicon Programs. I humbly accept the charge of leading Rubicon Programs in the next chapter. I look forward to deepening existing partnerships and sparking new ones!  
 
As a Black woman raised in Richmond, I feel extreme pride and fortune to be chosen as Rubicon Programs’ next President and CEO. The responsibility and opportunity ahead is both professional and personal. My personal passions and career journey have long been rooted in community-based mental health and workforce development programs in service of communities that are disproportionately impacted by trauma and systemic inequities. In the current climate of COVID-19, economic downturn and the unmitigated disregard and devaluing of Black and Brown life, we must partner to respond with urgency. It is our shared responsibility to ensure that all families and communities have equitable access to life, liberty and economic opportunity. I am energized to join you all in this continued work, in this new role. 
 
A message from Jane Fischberg:
 
It is with excitement and joy that I congratulate DC on being selected as Rubicon’s next CEO. With DC at the helm, Rubicon has the leadership needed to take Rubicon to its next level. While Rubicon is a longstanding high-calibre workforce and supportive service provider, we continuously aspire to listen and learn from our participants. I am proud of the work we have done collectively to grow Rubicon’s impact and to transform our practices consistent with our aspiration to be an antiracist organization. DC has been a catalyst in those efforts. DC’s passion, values, and vision for the role Rubicon can play in supporting the transformation of the lives of our participants and of our communities, are unsurpassed. Together with her talents, and her ability to lead by inspiring respect rather than exercising authority, she has unparalleled qualifications to be Rubicon’s next CEO. With admiration, I look forward to supporting her as she transitions into the role, and celebrating her appointment with you in the coming months.