Board Member Feature: Lisa Kloppenberg
Lisa Kloppenberg
Lisa Kloppenberg, an attorney with more than 30 years working in higher education, joined the Board of Directors for Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County (CCSCC) in 2020. She is the Chair of the Development Committee of the Board, served on the search committee for the agency’s new CEO, and is a member of our Caritas Society. Her professional background includes serving for 15 months as the Acting President of Santa Clara University, where she also served as Provost. Additionally, she is Dean Emerita and Professor for the Santa Clara University School of Law.
“It feels rewarding to support our terrific staff and volunteers who meet these needs.”
What was your initial connection to Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County?
Through Santa Clara University; a former Board member, Jim Lyons, asked me to join to help SCU and CCSCC stay closely connected.
Is there one area of Catholic Charities’ community programming that is most meaningful to you?
The immigration and refugee resettlement work resonates with my pro bono work as a lawyer for people fleeing violence. However, ALL of the work is so important, from feeding the hungry and helping the mentally ill to navigate job opportunities to educating our children!
What is your personal mission of giving back and what issues are you passionate about?
I’ve tried to foster connections between SCU students and youth (e.g., a conflict resolution course in East San Jose). I support the work of our Community Law Center, which helps the poorest of our neighbors with immigration, human trafficking and consumer law issues. My husband and I have been involved in food distribution and charitable support for scholarships for those who need resources to pursue their education.
Why would you encourage others to support Catholic Charities and get involved in our mission?
It’s truly amazing how many people we touch – regularly – across a wide variety of needs. I wasn’t aware of this work until I became a Board member, but the organization is such a critical hub for getting resources to people in need. It feels rewarding to support our terrific staff and volunteers who meet these needs.
