Catherine Crystal Foster is NPT’s Senior Vice President of Philanthropic Advising, leading NPT’s philanthropic consulting practice. She brings a strong background in social sector innovation, entrepreneurship, and strategic insight, along with extensive philanthropic experience as a trusted advisor to foundations, ultra-high-net-worth families, and social entrepreneurs.
Prior to joining NPT, Catherine served as Vice President, Advisory at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, a global nonprofit that advises individuals, families, corporations, and major foundations on structuring, managing, and scaling their charitable giving. She also founded and led Magnify Community, a philanthropic innovation lab built through a collaboration of leading Silicon Valley foundations, which catalyzed tens of millions of dollars of community philanthropy. Catherine is the founder of a philanthropic advisory practice and has served as Executive Director of the Westly Foundation and Peninsula College Fund. A frequent thought leader in the field, Catherine has been published widely, including in the Stanford Social Innovation Review and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. A Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum, she has received multiple awards for her leadership.
Catherine holds a JD from Harvard Law School, a BA from Yale University, and is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she is actively engaged in board and community service.