Sacramento, California – Today, the CA FWD Board of Directors announced that Ismael (Ish) Herrera, Executive Director of the California Stewardship Network (CSN), has been appointed interim CEO, following the announced resignation of CEO Micah Weinberg. A statewide search will be conducted for the organization’s next CEO.
“We thank Micah for his tenure and service in helping CA FWD drive policies and programs that promote inclusive and sustainable growth in California,” said Ashley Swearengin, chair of the CA FWD Leadership Council. “Over the last four years, the organization has quadrupled in size and taken on its most challenging and impactful work in its 15-year history.”
Over the last four years, the CA FWD team has played an instrumental role in the creation of:
- The $600M Community Economic Resilience Fund that created a new template for inclusive economic development for the state and nation;
- The $500M ‘California Dream for All program,’ the state’s largest-ever investment in down payment assistance for homeowners;
- Major investments in ‘Broadband for All’ and wildfire mitigation through better forest management; and
- A more effective network of collective action to promote inclusive growth in all of the state’s regions through the merger of CA FWD with the California Stewardship Network.
Most recently, CA FWD was pleased to support State Infrastructure Advisor Antonio Villaraigosa in laying the foundation for the proposals issued by the Newsom Administration to accelerate the delivery of infrastructure needed to adapt to climate change and create a California that is more socially equitable, environmentally sustainable, and economically vibrant.
“Being a part of CA FWD during these last four years of growth has been an extraordinary opportunity, and I’m excited to see where the organization goes from here,” said Weinberg, who announced his intention to resign to pursue other opportunities.
“The board is confident that the ‘California Dream Team’ assembled at CA FWD will lead the organization to even greater levels of impact. The organization’s efforts are in very good hands with interim CEO Ismael Herrera and Executive Director of the California Forward Action Fund David Nelson,” said Gustavo Herrera, co-chair of the CA FWD Leadership Council.
CA FWD expects to launch its search for its new CEO within the next month.
Meanwhile, the work of CA FWD continues without interruption, including moving forward the policies and priorities identified in our 2023 Roadmap to Shared Prosperity, supporting the Governor’s Infrastructure Legislative Package, and planning for our 12th annual California Economic Summit in the Coachella and Imperial Valleys on October 11-13.
