Kelly Bowers To Lead Three Valleys Foundation

LIVERMORE, CA — Kelly Bowers, who served 12 years as the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District superintendent before announcing her retirement in June, was named the new CEO and president of the Three Valleys Community Foundation in August.

Bowers will succeed interim director Nelson Fialho, the former Pleasanton city manager who has led the foundation since January. In her new role, Bowers will work closely with community leaders, corporations, donors, financial advisors and partners to strengthen the region’s philanthropic presence and determine the areas of greatest need.

“We are thrilled to have Kelly Bowers join Three Valleys as our new CEO and President,” Board of Directors Chair John Sensiba said in a statement. “Her strong leadership, community commitment and compassion for so many will help us highlight the philanthropic needs in our region.”

Before Three Valleys, Bowers worked for LVJUSD for 23 years. She served in a variety of roles, including assistant superintendent of educational services, elementary and middle school principal, and teacher. She became superintendent in 2010, and served as the longest-running superintendent of a joint school district in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

Bowers can point to several accomplishments during her tenure, including:

• The passage of two parcel taxes that brought in more than $56 million in revenue
• LVJUSD's recognition five times as a Bay Area Top Workplace.
• The creation of a Framework for Success that incorporates mental health and socioemotional learning into the curriculum, resulting in millions in federal grants.
• The incorporation of TK-12 International Baccalaureate Program (IB), an English/Spanish K-8 Dual Immersion program, high school Green Engineering Academy, and more.

“As a lifelong public servant, I am humbled, honored and excited about the opportunity to grow a community foundation for our region,” Bowers said in a statement. “It’s a challenge I wholeheartedly embrace. Sustainable philanthropic transformation for our area is vital. Along with our committed board and advisors, I am confident Three Valleys can effectively and successfully connect the corporations and individuals in our area with the dedicated nonprofits working to support the greater good.

“I am deeply invested in our Tri-Valley Region and what I admire most is the underlying spirit of generosity, an ethos of empathy and evidence of compassion in action wherever one goes in our respective communities,” she continued. “Our region’s most distinguishing trait is that so many want to contribute, restore, lift-up, and improve – they just need a catalyst and reliable conduit in order to translate their altruistic intentions into actions and tangible and meaningful actions. That is what I want to tap into and the genuine appeal of working on behalf of 3VCF.”