Romy Avila believes capital is a political instrument—that who controls it determines whose futures get built. That conviction has anchored a decade of work at the intersection of capital, power, and racial justice.
As Executive Director of the Donors of Color Network, Romy leads one of the rare organizations in philanthropy that organizes wealth holders of color as a political constituency. Her vision is a movement of donors moving money collectively, across racial lines, toward shared liberation—mobilizing aligned capital at scale to build economic sovereignty and cross-racial solidarity in communities of color.
Previously, as CEO of Tides Advocacy, she stewarded a $153 million network budget and a national network of 110 partners across 28 states, guiding a strategy and brand transformation centered on racial justice and social equity. Earlier, as a consultant at FSG and BCT Partners, she advised leading foundations—including Annie E. Casey, Robert Wood Johnson, and Houston Endowment—on systems change and racial equity. In 2023, she was named to Unboxed Philanthropy’s Philanthropy 100.
A San Francisco Bay Area resident originally from Miami, Romy enjoys hosting tea gatherings, visiting rose gardens, and traveling with her husband.