Isaiah Oliver, the president of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, admits he didn’t envision the career he has now when he was in high school and college.
“I didn’t know what philanthropy was when I was in high school and college, but opportunities aligned for it to happen,” Oliver said.
Oliver joined The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida as President in July 2023. Prior to coming to Northeast Florida, he served in a similar position as the President and CEO of The Community Foundation of Greater Flint (Michigan) for nine years.
Both foundations have a mission of stimulating philanthropy to build a better community. The Jacksonville foundation serves Duval, St. Johns, Nassau, Baker, Clay and Putnam counties through a range of charitable and civic activities, while helping individual donors achieve their philanthropic goals. Oliver oversees investments, budgets, grant-making and fundraising. He serves as a bridge, fostering partnerships between individuals and community organizations.
“I lead our organization by engaging people in philanthropy through their time, talent, treasure, and ties, to leverage making the community a better place,” Oliver said.
A Michigan native, Oliver graduated from Central Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and a minor in art history. As a student, he discovered his talent for simplifying and communicating complex messages. Oliver dreamed of working for an advertising agency or a newspaper, but after graduation couldn’t find a job in those fields. He began his professional career in education, and spent 10 years as an associate administrator at Mott Community College in Flint.
“I used those same skills to make it easy for others to understand complex issues and be the best I could be in my role,” Oliver said.
He gained many new skills while working in education including serving as an instructor and grant writing for workforce-related programs. Oliver joined the Community Foundation of Greater Flint as vice president of community impact and was named president and CEO in 2014. He played a pivotal role leading his community through a public health crisis involving contaminated drinking water. During his time at the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, Oliver gained greater understanding of the management of philanthropy and how connections and opportunities converge to move forward innovation. Community leadership and partnerships continue to be a key focus of his current position in Jacksonville.
For those interested in pursuing a career in philanthropy, relationship building and emotional intelligence are essential skills. Hiring managers seek out the individuals they want to work with daily. “Know who you are and what you bring to the table,” Oliver said. “Your ability to relate is going to be the differentiator.”
As a college student, Oliver’s sociology and art history classes offered insight and exploration of meeting people’s needs and resolving challenges. “They provide an amazing opportunity to think about how things were done and uniquely positions you to do this work,” Oliver said.
Diversifying interests and experiences offer many benefits to an individual’s career path. “Be open to life’s journey and be thoughtful where you invest your time,” Oliver said.
