Elaine Lum MacDonald is an experienced CEO, executive director, board member, and advisor enabling nonprofits of all sectors and sizes create positive social impact. She loves to problem-solve by listening, assessing the market landscape, re-framing goals and challenges, and crafting strategies backed by actionable execution plans. She engages with compassion, curiosity, collaboration and optimism, driving buy-in across stakeholders.
Elaine was CEO of Knowledge Impact Network (KIN), managing a global network of passionate leaders exchanging knowledge—skills, insights and connections—for social good with domestic and international social ventures. These ventures address core human needs (food, water, shelter and health), education access, economic empowerment, or protecting the planet. In this role, she crystallized the mission, vision, values, and programming, working closely with the Board. She also cultivated relationships with donors and managed partnerships with nonprofits, government entities, foundations, and accelerators.
Prior to her role at KIN, Elaine was the Executive Director of Harvard Business School Community Partners of Northern California. Here, she managed volunteers leveraging their business management talents to support nonprofits driving positive social change. During her tenure, she worked with hundreds of nonprofits across a wide range of sectors and sizes to assess their needs. This included nonprofits providing social services, advancing the arts, supporting youth, improving education and employment access, extending healthcare access, promoting conservation, and government entities seeking to expanding civic services.
Beyond the KIN Board, Elaine is also currently on the Board of Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund (SV2), a community committed to accelerating equity in the Bay Area through grantmaking, impact investing, and immersive learning. She serves on the Nominating/Governance Committee. In addition, she sits on the Executive Committee of the Harvard Business School Alumni Board.
Elaine speaks at conferences, has been interviewed by media, and has authored an op-ed piece in the International Business Times about the power of applying business acumen to social issues. She has organized several conferences focused on advancing nonprofit board practices.
Before her pivot to the social impact sector, Elaine founded a strategic marketing consultancy, was a Marketing Leader at the Clorox Company, and was a global management consultant for The Monitor Group. She leverages her strategy and operations roles in all the work she does today.
Elaine received her bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and MBA from Harvard Business School. Originally from New York, she now resides in California and is the mother of three daughters and a golden doodle. She enjoys cooking, travelling and laughter.
LinkedIn: Elaine Lum MacDonald