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Get to Know Veronica Blake the CEO of the Placer Community Foundation

Nov 30, 2015 11:30AM ● By Amber Foster

On any given night during Veronica Blake’s childhood, she could find between 15-50 people sitting around the dinner table. Blake grew up in a rural part of Citrus Heights surrounded by a large extended family—a family that included the many foster children her parents cared for over the years. Blake’s upbringing—especially the influence of her mother and grandmother—informed her later decision to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector. “They taught me compassion for people,” Blake shares. “They were a huge influence on my life.”

 Blake is now the CEO of the Placer Community Foundation (PCF), a donor service that connects philanthropists with outreach programs and those in need. She also participates on the Economic Development Board for Placer County, along with Valley Vision, an “action” tank that supports sustainable economic growth in the Sacramento region. Prior to joining the PCF, Blake was the executive director for both the Placer SPCA and the Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital Foundation. Looking back, Blake is proud of her role in helping nonprofits become more financially viable, and she attributes her success to her talent for bringing people together. “I like to connect the dots between things,” she asserts. “I love the idea that [I’m] in a position where I can make the community better. It’s a dream job!”

Article by Amber Foster. Photos by Dante Fontana.

Q&A

Q: What advice would you give to your younger self?  

A: Do your best to understand all sides of an issue.


Q: What comes to you naturally? 

A: Caring about my community, my friends and my family.


Q: What’s your biggest pet peeve? 

A: Too much emailing.


Q: What are you most proud of? 

A: The relationships I have both personally and professionally. I also love it when they overlap.


Q: Favorite humanitarian cause? 

A: Working with philanthropists on all aspects of our community.


Q: Best words of wisdom you’ve received? 

A: You must take care of yourself first, before you can take care of others.