Members & Board of Directors
We guide the governance and philanthropic strategies of our foundation with a deep respect for every person’s social, economic and cultural identity, for every person’s human rights, for every person’s sense of dignity.
The Roy & Patricia Disney Family Foundation is governed by two bodies, Qualified Members, most of whom are direct descendants of Roy and Patricia Disney, and Directors whom are elected by the Qualified Members to serve on the Board of Directors. In general, Qualified Members are responsible for approving grants and setting the mission and strategic direction of the Foundation, while the Board of Directors are responsible for oversight of daily operations, finances, and policies of the Foundation.
Staff
Shawn Escoffery
Executive Director, Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation
Shawn Escoffery is the Executive Director of the Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation – the foundation invests in innovative solutions and community leaders to build a more just, equitable and sustainable world in which all people thrive. Prior to joining RPDFF Shawn directed the Strong Local Economics program at the Surdna Foundation – a nationally focused family foundation with over $1 billion dollars in assets. In this role, Shawn worked to support the development of robust and sustainable economies that include a wide range of businesses, equitable economic policy and access to quality jobs. As an urban planner with over 15+ years of experience, Shawn has worked on community economic development and affordable housing projects in Newark, Baltimore and New Orleans. Shawn holds a BA in Political Science and English from Rutgers and a Master’s of City Planning from MIT. He also holds certificates in Communications and International Relations, Urban Redevelopment and Effective Leadership from Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pennsylvania and Duke University, respectively.
Frida Hatami
Grants Manager
Frida brought many years of experience in both philanthropy and the nonprofit sector, when she joined the Foundation as Grants Manager. She oversees the policies and procedures of grantmaking for the Foundation since November 2015. From 2011 through 2015 she worked at the Annenberg Foundation where she played a critical role in streamlining the Annenberg Foundation’s responsive grantmaking process and managed a $5.0M portfolio of diverse grants. Before joining the Annenberg Foundation, she spent 10 years at the California Endowment, a $6.0B healthcare conversion foundation, as a member of the program team. Frida worked for six years at Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles providing support to two major programs Family Violence Project and At Home Services. She received her Master’s in Public Health from California State University, Northridge.
Clara Steele
Operations & Program Associate
Clara Steele provides Program and Operational support. Before joining the Foundation in February 2017, Clara worked as the Lead Program Manager at Best Buddies International; a nonprofit that seeks to improve the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Prior to working at Best Buddies, she provided Development and Administrative support at Marymount School of New York. Currently, she enjoys teaching people about honeybees through her family's beekeeping business, Chaparral Mountain Honey Company and annual trips to Mexico with Esperanza International. Through working with the Foundation, she continues to realize her passion for environmental and social justice. She received her BA in History from Occidental College.