JUMA CRAWFORD
Chief Executive Officer
Juma Crawford has been a leader in the philanthropic, non-profit, and education space for over twenty years. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation where his focus is building public private partnerships that lead to innovative solutions for the highest need zip codes in Oakland. Previously, Juma was President of the Lewis Family Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Kensington Investment Company, one of the leading private real estate development and investment firms in Boston, where he oversaw a $270.2 million dollar investment portfolio of both private and corporate giving. In that role, Juma oversaw the dissemination on average of $11.8M new grant monies every year to high-performing non-profits, schools, and institutions of higher education.
Juma believes that philanthropy must be more active at the grassroots level, where innovation happens and more proximate to the communities and people it aims to empower. Juma is a graduate of Amherst College, Harvard University, and Boston College Law School. Juma lives with his wife and two young children in East Oakland.
MISHA PEREZ
Director of Partnerships
Misha Perez has run organizing, fundraising, and communications programs on progressive political campaigns across the country. Specifically, Misha has done extensive grassroots campaign work in Berkeley and Baltimore. With a comprehensive background in campaign management and community organizing, Misha partnered with people of all backgrounds in order to fight for positive and long-lasting political change.
Born and raised in Oakland, Misha now uses his professional experience to advocate for the communities he grew up in. He believes that Oakland knows what’s best for its communities and that true service involves supporting community leaders that are already making a difference. Misha holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political science from Warren Wilson College. In his free time, you will likely find Misha spending time in California’s beautiful regional parks or watching the gibbons at the Oakland Zoo with his partner, Grace.
TAYONNA EWIN
Operations Coordinator
Tayonna Ewin has a strong background in social media, communications, research, data analysis, and social and racial equity. She began her journey with the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation as a Special Projects Intern and now serves as Operations Coordinator, focusing on building structures that support the organization’s growth and impact in Oakland’s most vulnerable communities. Tayonna streamlines operations and leads communications to strengthen engagement with partners and stakeholders.
Previously, Tayonna was a Business Intelligence Fellow with the City of San José, where she applied data analytics to support decision-making and equitable resource allocation. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in African and African American Studies from Stanford University and is committed to social justice, reflected in her work with organizations such as the National Education Equity Lab, The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute, and the Women’s Foundation of California. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Tayonna now lives in San Jose with her partner. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, exploring the Bay Area, attending live music events, caring for her plants, hiking in nature, and spending time with family and friends.
Board of Directors
Attorney, Angel Investor, Former CEO of Progress Investment Management Company LLC
and Board Member Emeritus
Silicon Valley Community Foundation