Adriana Godoy Leiss
Communications Associate
 driana Godoy Leiss joined TCWF in October 2004 as the executive assistant to Magdalena Beltrán-del Olmo, vice president of communications. After a year in that position, Leiss was promoted to communications associate. Leiss writes and coordinates the “What’s New” section of the Foundation’s website, www.tcwf.org, and manages the weekly homepage updates. She also plans and coordinates dissemination strategies for TCWF communications and grantee-produced reports, and assists with projects including public education campaigns, leadership awards and media partnerships. Leiss is also a contributing writer for Portfolio and the Foundation’s annual report.
 It was her previous professional experience in communications that led Leiss to TCWF. Before joining the Foundation, Leiss was a junior publicist at BJR Public Relations. She worked on behalf of a variety of clients, including three community agencies. As she worked with these organizations to coordinate events, write news releases and develop feature stories to increase awareness of their community efforts, her interest in philanthropic communications grew.
“At BJR, they took time to find great stories at the nonprofits and share them with the media through well-written news releases and features,” Leiss said. “I liked this dynamic. Now I am happy to be part of a foundation that shares this belief in highlighting the work of the nonprofits and recognizing leaders in the field who are making a difference.”
As a member of the communications team, Leiss’ work is grounded in the Foundation’s communications philosophy – using TCWF’s communications capabilities to accent the work of grantees.
“Putting the work of our grantees first and foremost is very rewarding,” said Leiss. “Unlike the corporate world, where the news is about the company itself, we put the grantee on the stage. They are the ones on the front lines making a difference.”
A recent project illustrates how Leiss’ commitment to using communications to add value to the Foundation’s grantmaking translates into action. She worked with a grantee to secure its participation in a local radio station’s Earth Day Expo.
“I connected the radio station with our grantee to utilize the benefits of our sponsorship to extend its outreach to the public and share information about home environmental hazards such as lead and mold,” she said.
The grantee was able to use TCWF’s booth to increase community outreach and education at an event that drew more than 15,000 people.
A Los Angeles native, Leiss was born and raised in Hollywood. She received her bachelor’s degree in communications studies, with an emphasis in public relations, from California State University, Northridge. She is on the steering committee of the Los Angeles chapter of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy, helping the group plan and publicize events geared toward highlighting the issue of social justice through philanthropy. Leiss and her husband, Mark, love to travel. In addition to enjoying biking, hiking, skiing and swimming, she and Mark are founding members of the Foundation’s softball team, the Grantmaking Giants.
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