Mendi Blue-Paca

Mendi Blue-Paca joined the Community Foundation in 2018, taking on oversight of its Center for Nonprofit Excellence, Fund for Women & Girls and Thrive by 25 initiative. As Chief Community Impact Officer, Mendi leads the organization’s grant making, programs, public policy advocacy, and major community leadership initiatives to close the opportunity gap in Fairfield County. She also serves as the key liaison for cross-sector collaborations with nonprofits, funder partners, external constituent groups and local elected officials.

Mendi brings diverse cross-sector leadership experience to her role. Prior to joining the Community Foundation, she held numerous private and nonprofit positions, including working at Goldman Sachs & Co. and for the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. She also served in public sector leadership positions; most recently, as Director of Development and Policy for the City of New Haven, where she secured $15 million in competitive funding. As a strategic consultant at the Center for Effective Philanthropy, Mendi worked with more than 40 of the largest US-based philanthropic organizations, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ford Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation.

Mendi holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics cum laude from Harvard College, a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School and a Master in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. She is a Board Member of the Connecticut Center for School Change. She is passionate about entrepreneurship, maternal and reproductive health advocacy and mental health awareness. Mendi lives with her husband in her hometown of New Haven where, in her spare time, she loves trying new recipes.