Donna Haghighat (she/her) came to the Women’s Fund with over 12 years of experience developing programs, cultivating relationships, launching startups, fundraising, directing communications strategy, creating strategic plans and building advocacy programs. Under her leadership, the Women’s Fund has successfully launched The Young Women’s Initiative for girls and young women of color in Springfield, focused on gender and racial equity and moved from direct programming to partnerships and community investing. This has allowed the Women’s Fund to focus on advocacy, research and fundraising. Prior to joining the Women’s Fund, Haghighat was Principal at Collabyrinth Collective, LLC. Previous roles have included Executive Director of the Aurora Women & Girl’s Foundation, Chief Engagement and Advocacy Officer for YWCA Hartford Region, a strategic consultant, Chief Development Officer for Hartford Public Library, Interim Director and Grants/Program Manager of the Women’s Education and Leadership Fund, and Co-President of AAUW CT. Haghighat was awarded the Trinity College Alumni Medal of Excellence in 2019, was the grand prize winner of the 2012 University of Hartford’s Barney School of Business International Business Plan Competition and was recognized as The Trinity Club of Hartford’s Person of the Year in 1999 and the Trinity College National Alumni Association Award in 1996.