Silicon Valley Community Fund Top Fundraiser Resigns Amid Allegations of Harassment

The Silicon Valley Community Foundation confirmed today that Mari Ellen Loijens, a top official accused of sexual harassment and poor leadership, has resigned.

The community foundation announced an investigation of Loijens on Monday, two days before the Chronicle of Philanthropy posted a detailed article with allegations of wrongdoing. The investigation is being conducted by Sarah Hall, a Washington, D.C., based senior counsel at Thompson Hine and a former federal prosecutor.

The foundation said in a statement that the “investigation into alleged incidents of misconduct will continue, and at the conclusion of that investigation SVCF will take whatever action is necessary to preserve the integrity of our organization. SVCF remains committed to further cultivating a safe and welcoming workplace.”

The Chronicle article, based on several months of interviews with 19 former employees, raised questions about the leadership of Loijens, who oversaw fundraising at the community foundation. While many say she deserves credit for helping raise significant sums at Silicon Valley — which at $13.5 billion in assets is larger than Ford or Rockefeller — former employees said she demeaned and bullied her staff, made lewd comments in the workplace, and on at least one occasion sought to kiss a woman working for her.

Emmett Carson, the organization’s chief executive, said on Twitter, “We are committed to a strong and healthy workplace for our staff and will not tolerate any inappropriate behavior. @siliconvalleycf believes in accountability and transparency and will share the learnings and actions from the independent investigation.”