To our Friends and Supporters,
I am writing to share the news that Betty Francisco, General Counsel at Compass Working Capital, has accepted an offer to serve as the next CEO of Boston Impact Initiative (BII), a nonprofit investment fund that invests to narrow the racial wealth divide in Eastern Massachusetts. This is an incredible – and very well-deserved – opportunity for Betty, and we are thrilled for her and the Greater Boston community that she will be taking on this new role.
Betty Francisco, General Counsel
This news is bittersweet, as it does mean Betty will be stepping down from her role as General Counsel in May in order to take on this new position. However, she will remain very close to the organization: Betty has accepted my invitation to become a member of our National Advisory Board, and to continue to serve as an advisor to me and the team as we pursue our strategic growth goals.
Although I am incredibly sad to see Betty leave Compass, I am thrilled to see her transition into a role which is the right one for her at this moment in her career. I am also excited that Boston, and the broader impact investing community, will have the talent, heart, and vision of Betty Francisco at a moment in our nation’s history when we need more, and bolder, solutions to address the racial wealth gap at scale.
Betty joined Compass as the organization’s first-ever General Counsel in November 2017. In addition to leading the organization’s legal and compliance work over the past nearly four years, Betty has also spearheaded initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and employee engagement; contributed to the organization’s strategic planning and growth as a member of the Executive Team; and taken on acting responsibilities in human resources, national strategy, and more. Her contributions to the organization will long outlast her time as General Counsel, and we will all miss working with her every day.
In a message to the Compass team announcing her transition, Betty reflected on what first drew her to Compass and made her want to join the team, as well as why she feels so drawn to taking on this new role with BII. “This past year, the COVID-19 pandemic, economic crisis, and racial reckoning have given me clarity around where I want to make the most impact at this time – that is transforming the capital landscape for entrepreneurs of color to close the persistent racial and gender wealth gaps.” Betty shared. “BII provides a fertile ground to grow a powerful investing and systems change model to uplift communities and businesses of color that are the backbone of our economy. It’s an opportunity that I could not pass up, especially because I know it intersects with the work we’re doing at Compass.”
You can learn more about BII and read a statement from Betty here.
Please join us in congratulating Betty and in wishing her the best in her new role.
Sincerely,
Sherry Riva
Founder & CEO