Kate Frankfurt

Director of Philanthropy

Kate Frankfurt has spent her career addressing pressing social issues through the development of healthy systems, particularly as they relate to children and families. With a master’s in social work from Hunter College in New York City, and post-graduate institute training in family systems from the Ackerman Institute, Kate gained her early experience working in New York’s South Bronx, in areas related to substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, and youth development.

Seeing the negative impacts of poorly functioning systems Kate turned her problem-solving skills farther ‘upstream’ serving as the founding director of advocacy and public policy for GLSEN and ultimately as an advocate in the children’s rights division of Human Rights Watch. Kate has served as a philanthropic consultant to numerous nonprofits, and as chief development officer for the San Francisco Zen Center, Safe & Sound, Truckee Donner Land Trust, and Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation. She has been a board member at the Mind Body Awareness Project and currently serves on the board of the Shane McConkey Foundation. Kate moved to Tahoe in 2018, and can be found hiking, mountain biking, and doing yoga in her free time.