New senior program officer announced

“I am honored to join this amazing teamand to continue the meaningful positive work on behalf of the Coatesville community.” — Sophia Hanson, new senior program officer for Brandywine Health Foundation

COATESVILLE » The Brandywine Health Foundation announced its newest team member, Sophia Hanson, as senior program officer.

Hanson is charged with overseeing the alignment of the foundation’s mission, its business operation and philanthropic impact, amid extraordinary events that have illuminated the depth of systemic threat to the health, economic and well-being of low resourced communities in the greater Coatesville area.

“I amexcited to be part of the path forward for the Brandywine Health Foundation, as it continues to serve as a national model for bringing real transformative community change through greater philanthropic impact. I am honored to join this amazing team and to continue the meaningful positive work on behalf of the Coatesville community,” Hanson said.

As the senior program officer, Hanson will be responsible for the development and administration of innovative strategies and initiatives, that meet community need and demonstrate effective responsive philanthropy. She will oversee a portfolio that impacts the foundation’s future direction in grantmaking, brand identity, and mission aligned projects.

Over the course of her career, Hanson served in several grant management capacities. She was recognized and appointed by the mayor of Wilmington, Delaware, to manage the city’s multimillion-dollar annual grant allocation.

Her natural connections to the community and the nonprofit sector drove her passion to engage and foster authentic relationships and partnerships focused on community economic development and urban planning and design initiatives.

This success led to her next appointment as general manager by the executive of NewCastle County, where she was responsible for annually managing $20 million federal grant allocations to nonprofit organizations.

She is a strong proponent of volunteerism and serves as a volunteer grant adviser with the California-based Pollination Project that provides seed funding for grassroots projects, nationally and internationally.

She also currently serves as a volunteer for the National Youth Foundation, an organization she co-founded with other women focused on diversity and gender equality.

Hanson comes to the foundation from her previous role as director at Valley Youth House, whereby she managed programs that support some of the most challenged youth who reside in Chester County — foster care teens.

She successfully strengthened its program delivery and raised the profile of the agency throughout the Greater Philadelphia region.

She is a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology with amaster’s degree in city planning and development. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

Hanson will join the Brandywine Health Foundation on Oct. 12, bringing able leadership and proficiency in grantmaking, statistical program evaluation, and ensuring the community benefits through social impact initiatives.