Photo: Marisa Grant (left) and Joel Moffett
Inatai Foundation, a 501(c)(4) philanthropy that supports Washington organizations building power for racial justice and equity, elected Marisa Grant and Joel Moffett to its board, renowned leaders with deep roots in the state. Their addition continues an important shift to better reflect communities to whom Inatai is accountable and its commitment to being a truly statewide organization.
- Marisa Grant has more than 28 years of investment experience and was previously the Chief Investment Officer at Pugh Capital Management, a majority Black and woman-owned investment firm managing $11 billion in assets. Grant will also be joining the board of Inatai Investment Management Company, a subsidiary of the foundation. She holds a BA in economics from Yale University along with an MBA from Columbia Business School, and resides in Seattle with her two teenagers.
- Joel Moffett is a citizen of the Nez Perce Tribe, the Director of Environmental and Special Projects at Native Americans in Philanthropy and has led funding efforts supporting Tribal communities across the United States. Moffett will also be joining the Inatai board’s Audit and Risk Management Committee. He attended the University of Michigan, formerly served as the Chair of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, and is a traditional fisherman on the Columbia River. Joel calls the Nez Perce Tribe’s traditional territory, which includes Southeast Washington, home, and has lived on the Suquamish reservation for the last 10 years where he is raising his two children.
“Marisa and Joel both bring a proven commitment to advancing racial justice and equity along with valuable professional experience that deepens our board’s expertise in investing and 501(c)(4) grantmaking,” said Nichole June Maher, Inatai Foundation President & CEO. “Equally important, they remind us that excellence and reflectivity exist in every corner of our state—and ensure our governing body is rooted in the diverse communities across Washington.”
Both Moffett and Grant join the board with unique experience building power and advancing equity through investments and 501(c)(4) activities. For Grant, that includes a long history of championing equity in the investment field across multiple institutions and as an officer of a 501(c)(4) institution. Similarly, Moffett was the youngest person ever to be elected to the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee, on which he served for eight years. During that time, he acted as Vice Chair and Treasurer, as well as Chair of its Finance Investment Committee, which manages hundreds of millions in assets.
The recruitment of a new cohort of Inatai board members began in 2022, as Inatai’s continuity board members began to complete their terms of service. As part of this ongoing effort, Inatai elected three new board members and named a new board chair last spring, and is now enthused to welcome Grant and Moffett. The two join current board members Brenda Rodríguez López, Brian Cladoosby, America Bracho Perez, Benjamin Danielson, David Fleming, JanMarie Ward, Kazi Joshua, Luz Vega-Marquis, Martha Choe, Peter van Oppen, Seth Kirby (Chair), and Sita Symonette.
“Inatai Foundation’s mission feeds my soul. It’s important to focus on communities that have historically been blocked from building power in Washington,” said Grant. “I’m excited to use my investment experience to help the foundation support these communities seeking to achieve their purpose.”
“As a philanthropy professional, I am inspired by the way Inatai lives its values every day,” Moffett shared. “I’m deeply committed to real change that transforms the balance of power and am honored to be joining an organization that does this by centering Washington’s communities.”
As the board welcomes its newest members, it’s also saying goodbye to Katie Bell, Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Washington in the Department of Health Services, whose term ended in March. As a former member of the Group Health Cooperative board, Bell was the foundation’s last remaining continuity board member from its formation with proceeds from Kaiser Permanente’s acquisition of Group Health Cooperative.
“Katie has been an integral part of the Inatai story and an outstanding leader during a pivotal point in the foundation’s journey,” said Maher. “We would not be the organization we are today, with the values and vision to drive equity and racial justice across Washington, without her contribution and love of our state.”
About Inatai Foundation
Inatai Foundation is a 501(c)(4) philanthropy seeking to transform the balance of power to ensure equity and racial justice across Washington state and beyond. We are accountable to leaders and organizations building power in racially diverse communities in our state and seek to primarily fund community organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and people of color. With a team based throughout Washington, we work to advance four distinct areas of work: grantmaking, relationship building, policy and advocacy, and investment management. For more, visit www.inatai.org.
