The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation has appointed two vice presidents to advance its overall strategic vision and philanthropic mission. Both appointments are effective today.
As vice president of programs, Marisa Castuera Hayase will lead $150 million in annual grantmaking efforts that support nonprofits dedicated to fighting poverty and strengthening communities in the United States and Israel. This work focuses on improving housing stability, health, employment and educational opportunities, and the well-being of low-income older adults.
A highly regarded leader with more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit, philanthropic, and government sectors, Hayase joined the Foundation in 2019 to direct its grantmaking in Hawaiʻi and has served as a managing director since 2023. She has guided a team working in several of the Foundation’s priority communities while leading statewide grantmaking in Hawaiʻi and developing strategic priorities, partnerships, and networks that increased the well-being of communities.
As vice president of strategy and communications, Arin Gencer will help shape and execute Weinberg’s strategic vision, goals, and priorities, in addition to leading cross-Foundation initiatives and special projects to foster collaboration and organizational effectiveness, visibility, and long-term impact.
Gencer joined the Foundation in 2022 as senior director of communications, bringing two decades of experience in strategic initiatives and operations as well as journalism and the development of research publications. In leading the Foundation’s external and internal communications, she has collaborated with teams across the organization to advance its mission, priorities, and work through multimedia storytelling, media relations, digital strategies, and special events. She will continue to oversee the Foundation’s communications strategies.
“Marisa’s and Arin’s exceptional leadership and commitment have been instrumental in our work, and their respective contributions in grantmaking and communications have helped strengthen and amplify our efforts in the communities we serve and beyond,” said Rachel Garbow Monroe, president and CEO of the Weinberg Foundation. “We are thrilled to announce their well-deserved promotions and look forward to their leadership in these new roles, knowing the Foundation will continue to benefit from their expertise and experience.”
Before coming to the Foundation, Hayase was a public-sector consultant in Hawaiʻi for over a decade. She also served as executive director of a nonprofit dedicated to asset building in low-income families and communities; as a foundation program officer focused on education and community development; and as leader of Spanish-language programs at a Los Angeles domestic violence agency. Hayase has a bachelor’s from Williams College, where she was a Ford-Mellon research fellow, and a master’s in public policy from Harvard University.
Prior to Weinberg, Gencer led executive and internal communications at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, where she also supported communication efforts for its economic opportunity and community change portfolios. She previously worked as a writer and editor for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and as a reporter for The Baltimore Sun, Los Angeles Times, and Orlando Sentinel. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and journalism from Emory University, as well as a master’s in journalism from Columbia University.
