Theresa Fay-Bustillos and Derrick Bolton have joined the board of Making Waves Foundation (MWF), with a mission to advance educational opportunities for college-bound, career-minded, historically underrepresented, and underserved youth. CEO Patrick O’Donnell says “I am so excited for Theresa and Derrick to join us as we launch our new strategic plan. Over the next five years, Making Waves will strengthen and expand our college access and success programming to support thousands more students in Contra Costa County to graduate from college. Theresa’s and Derrick’s leadership will take our impact to the next level.”
“We are thrilled that Theresa and Derrick have chosen to lend their skills, energy and passion to Making Waves Foundation. They will bring tremendous experience and valuable perspective to our board as we strive to create opportunities for more students of need,” says Founder and Board Chair John H. Scully.
Theresa Fay-Bustillos is a philanthropic, business, and nonprofit executive specializing in health equity, education, human rights, inclusion and equity, and social and environmental sustainability who believes strongly in the work and the opportunity that this position provides saying, “Making Waves Academy and the College and Alumni Program are serving the most disenfranchised youth in the Richmond, California area and proving every day that academic and career success are not reserved for the few but for us all if given the chance. I’m so honored to join such a committed Board and staff who partner with families to dream big with their children for the future.”
As the Chief Program Director for the Blue Shield of California Foundation, Theresa led efforts to address the drivers of poor health and domestic violence. Prior to that, Theresa founded a global consultancy firm working with foundations, corporations, nonprofits and multilaterals on education, human rights, and sustainability issues. She is also the former Vice President, Worldwide Community & Corporate Citizenship for Levi Strauss and Co. and the Executive Director of the Levi Strauss Foundation, where she led the company’s global sustainability efforts and supported organizations in 35 countries in the areas of workers’ rights, financial services, HIV/AIDS prevention, and environmental sustainability. She began her career as a civil rights lawyer and served as an adjunct law school professor at USC Law School and as an administrative law judge for the State of California.
Derrick Bolton is the Associate Dean for External Relations at Stanford Graduate School of Business where he is responsible for leading the alumni relations team and development organization. Derrick says of joining the board, “Making Waves Academy and the College and Alumni Program are mission-driven and impact-oriented exemplars in expanding access and advancing successful outcomes for underserved communities. I’m humbled to join the board and to contribute to the Making Waves Foundation’s goals.”
Derrick is a committed leader with nearly two decades of experience in higher education. In his prior role at Stanford, Bolton helped launch the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program, a multidisciplinary community of emerging leaders from around the world focused on addressing the complex challenges facing society, as the inaugural director of admission. He previously led the MBA Admission Office at Stanford GSB for 15 years, where he and his team enhanced the diversity and quality of the MBA cohorts. Derrick also brings experience in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and in strategy consulting at McKinsey & Company. He is a long-time trustee of the Nueva School in Hillsborough and San Mateo. He earned his BA from Southern Methodist University and his MA in education and MBA from Stanford University. He resides in Palo Alto.