Our Story
O2 Initiatives creates space for dedicated nonprofit leaders to take an essential break for rest, renewal, and reimagining the future of their organizations.
The idea for the O2 Sabbatical Award originated after meeting Carrie Avery, President of The Durfee Foundation, and learning about their longtime sabbatical program in Los Angeles. We were inspired by the transformative impact the Durfee Sabbatical program has had on the professional and personal lives of LA executive directors, and we immediately began dreaming of bringing a similar program to the Bay Area. The O2 Sabbatical Award officially launched in 2014.
O2 Commitment to Equity
Nonprofit executive directors face monumental tasks that can lead to burnout—serving as leaders on the frontlines of their communities while relentlessly fundraising to secure the financial viability of their organizations. For leaders who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), these demands are exacerbated by multigenerational trauma and racist systems that expect deep community needs to be addressed with inadequate resources, compensation, and mental health support.
O2 is committed to advancing race equity by investing in changemakers that are representative of the rich identities and communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2022, to further this commitment, we began collecting applicant demographic data, increasing outreach to diverse communities, and including race equity statements in our communications. These efforts resulted in 68% (2022) and 60% (2023) of total applicants who identified as BIPOC; during this same period, 69% of selected awardees identified as BIPOC. Our goal is to maintain a majority of BIPOC applicants and awardees in future sabbatical cycles.
We will continue to track this data to ensure that local BIPOC leaders are aware of the O2 Sabbatical Award and feel a sense of belonging with our alumni cohort, who are trusted partners in awardee selection, mentorship, peer-to-peer engagement, and the strategic direction of the program.
About Our Name
O2 refers to the two bonded atoms that form the oxygen molecules we breathe. Like a molecule, the bonds and partnerships we form with one another and our communities are greater than the sum of its parts.
We are committed to fueling the success of nonprofits by building a stronger and more sustainable sector.
The O2 Initiatives Team
CO-INITIATORS
Co-Initiators Lynn Feintech and Sakurako Fisher have a deep history of engagement in the nonprofit sector. Initially working as volunteers, they now play leading roles on numerous Bay Area and national boards. Lynn and Sakurako share a passion for partnership—both in their own philanthropy and connecting networks of nonprofit leaders.
STAFF
Emily Cohen Raskin, Executive Director
Emily directs the O2 Sabbatical Award program and is a Vice President at Third Plateau, a full-service consulting firm that partners with the nonprofit, philanthropy, and public sectors to achieve transformative, community-centered impact. Emily’s passion for sabbaticals began while serving on the interim leadership team at the Jamestown Community Center during the Executive Director’s sabbatical.
Allison Domicone, Program Officer
Sofia Leos, Program Assistant
Selection Committee
For each selection cycle, the O2 Selection Committee is comprised of our two co-Initiators, Executive Director, and four previous O2 Awardees.