Michelle Floh

Michelle Floh is a globally respected philanthropic strategist, nonprofit executive, and former tech entrepreneur who has dedicated her career to transforming capital into catalytic, community-led change. As CEO of two major family foundations and their partners stewarding over $300 million in philanthropic assets, Michelle has built a track record of scaling bold ideas, strengthening local leadership, and aligning values-driven investment with measurable impact across North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

A native of Chile, Michelle is fluent in English and Spanish and brings a rich cross-cultural perspective to her work. She believes the most effective philanthropy is rooted in trust—not control. Her approach centers on the belief that one gets the best results by finding the right people and giving them the flexibility and freedom to find the best path toward shared goals. Both funders and grantees grow stronger when philanthropy enables, rather than dictates, how the work gets done.

Michelle leads foundations that actively partner across sectors to mobilize society’s collective power to address our most pressing challenges head on. Globally, they deploy capital to confront both urgent and systemic issues: accelerating nature-based solutions, advancing gender equity and transparent governance, and transforming education by embedding mental wellness and vocational pathways that prepare vulnerable communities for a thriving digital economy and inclusive future.

Her work is inspired by a wide spectrum of philanthropic traditions that value local ownership, civic empowerment, innovation, and lean infrastructure. What unites her team is a belief that capital should serve people—not systems—and that real change requires trust, humility, and long-term partnership.

Michelle’s leadership philosophy is anchored in nine principles that reflect a trust-based, entrepreneurial approach to social change:

Listen to understand — donors, partners, grantees, and beneficiaries. Real insight begins with empathy and humility.

Respect the work — read the reports grantees and partners worked hard to create, simplify research, conduct site visits to understand frustrations and strengths, and show up when it matters. Donors want to know that they are making an impact: personalizetheir philanthropic requirements.

Leverage your networks for good — open doors, influence policy, and provide access that accelerates others’ impact.

Build agile teams — lean, focused teams that move with clarity and speed can do more than large systems weighed down by hierarchy.

Hire with care people that lead with intention and clarity — trust is built on aligned values, transparent communication, and shared accountability.

Embrace complexity — avoid oversimplified narratives. Solutions must reflect the nuance of lived experience.

Redesign broken systems — reimagine outdated structures when they no longer serve the mission.

Encourage bold experimentation — use innovation labs and pilot projects to test what’s possible.

Harness technology, data, and digital tools — to scale what works and reduce friction for those on the front lines.

She serves on the boards of Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital and the Global Wellness Institute, is a World Health Organization Patient Safety Advocate, and a Fellow at Forest Trends. She holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and executive training from Harvard, Wharton, Georgetown, and UC Berkeley.

In a world where wealth can isolate, Michelle believes entrepreneurial and trust-based philanthropy reconnects…across sectors, ideologies, and generations.