From an early age, Carol Head understood that many people are born into circumstances that make life painfully hard – circumstances nearly impossible to escape. Her older brother suffered serious neurological challenges, and Carol felt those struggles alongside him. She also experienced, firsthand, the anger of being told there were limits on what she could do simply “because you’re a girl.” A sense of injustice—and a determination to act—took root early.
Years later, at a Stanford GSB reunion, that instinct surfaced. During a presentation on “giving back,” Carol stood up and challenged her classmates: let’s recognize our good fortune and use it—together—to make a meaningful difference. That moment became the spark that ignited Project Redwood.
Carol’s proposal initially appealed to several classmates, including Donna Allen. Donna’s dynamic and vibrant brother David died of complications from AIDS in 1986. In the years before Project Redwood was established, she channeled much of her grief-fueled energy into nonprofit work aimed at finding a cure for the disease. Donna saw a chance to do more.
Mike Watt’s education about the hardships of poverty began when, as a cash-strapped undergrad, he took a part-time job at an inner-city Chicago hospital. During later years of working to organize and finance health care for the poor, Mike gained an acute understanding of the upside of providing economic opportunity for the needy, as well as the downside of condemning them to unending poverty. Project Redwood seemed a perfect means to expand his own fight.
Classmates Ed Kaufman, Jed Daly, Patty Mintz, Phil Jonckheer, Kirk Renaud, Bob Fisher and the late Kristi Smith-Hernandez joined Carol, Donna, and Mike in 2006 to start plotting a course for the fledgling enterprise. It was physician and businessman Ed whose suggestion has guided Project Redwood for many years: to fund worthy poverty-focused projects anywhere in the world, and to work exclusively with community-driven organizations building local, human capital.
The founding team pooled their funds and rallied 75 other classmates for additional donations. Together, they raised over $100,000, and in 2007 awarded their first grants.
Now, more than 400 alumni from 40+ GSB classes have connected with Project Redwood to help improve the lives of over 1 million people worldwide.
As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we invite you to be part of what comes next. Throughout the year, we’ll be sharing more stories of the alumni whose passion and generosity have fueled Project Redwood’s impact. Engage with these stories, contribute to the mission, and join a community committed to creating meaningful, lasting change.
Because the work isn’t finished.
And the next chapter is just beginning.