Bay Area Professional joins Catholic Charities

Bay Area Professional joins Catholic Charities

June 30, 2014 – Catholic Charities announced it has hired Cecilia Tonsing, an experienced career professional in the field of nonprofit management, specializing in philanthropy. She is the new CDO- Chief Development Officer for CCEB- Catholic Charities of the East Bay. She has held similar positions in local, state, national and international organizations.

Catholic Charities is at a pivotal time as it prepares for its 8th decade of service. To meet growing community needs, the board prepared for specialized professional leadership to help guide the next decade. Chuck Fernandez, formerly the Executive Director of the Santa Rosa Catholic Charities was recruited as the new CEO and now Tonsing has accepted as the CDO.

Her background includes professional support within a broad sector of nonprofit organizations including support of higher education, faith based, and youth. Although she has served as Executive Director of the CA State Parks Foundation, most of her career has been spent in healthcare administration and fund development. This includes being the President and CEO of Providence Hospital Foundation (Oakland), President and CEO of St Luke’s Hospital Foundation (San Francisco), President and CEO of Valley Care Foundation (Pleasanton) and Executive Director of Sutter VNA and Hospice Foundation (Northern California).

Ms. Tonsing is a Fellow (“FAHP”) in the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (“AHP”) and is also a Certified Fund Raising Executive (“CFRE”) with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (“AFP”). She has served on the editorial advisory board for Advancing Philanthropy, AFP’s professional journal, and also remains active in the Northern California Planned Giving Council.

Ms. Tonsing was recognized by Leadership California as one of the top 100 California women in business, government, and academia. Her leadership roles include being the peer elected Chair of a State of California Commission for 11 consecutive years. (She was appointed by 3 different Governors.) During her years with the Sister of Providence Healthcare System she was the peer-elected Chair of the Chief Development Officers Council for the System’s than 20 hospitals on the West Coast. Following years of service on her professional association (now AFP) for northern California, she served as its President.

Ms. Tonsing hollds a bachelor’s degree, with a double major in sociology and psychology, from Holy Names University in Oakland and a Masters in Public Administration degree, with highest honors, from California State University East Bay. She also completed the Stanford University Executive Program in residence at the Graduate Business School in Palo Alto.

Ms. Tonsing has lectured and spoken at several colleges and graduate schools, including the University of San Francisco, the California State Universities at San Francisco and East Bay, Stanford University, Saybrook University, and Golden Gate University, on topics related to philanthropy and business management.

When asked why she chose Catholic Charities Tonsing answered “This organization does incredible work with the poor and others within our community who have great needs. I was convinced that my skill set – in conjunction with others – would make a real difference at this critical growth time.”

Married to attorney Michael J. Tonsing, Sr., they have 2 adult children: Cathy O’Sullivan and Michael J. Tonsing, Jr. and two grandchildren.
Ms. Tonsing holds dual citizenship, in the USA and in Ireland.

As CCEB approaches its 80th year of service it is poised for its next major expansion to meet ever growing needs in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties with a population in excess of 2 million people.