Social Impact Holiday Mixer: Celebrating Philanthropy, Partnership and Purpose

Dec 21, 2025

Guest

Eddy Zheng

Guest

Elisabeth Pang Fullerton

Guest

Willie Brown

Willie L. Brown, Jr., a former San Francisco mayor and civic leader, shares his insights on community-driven solutions and philanthropy. Elisabeth Pang Fullerton discusses merging nonprofit and for-profit impact while advocating for universal healthcare access. Eddy Zheng emphasizes the importance of visibility and trust-based philanthropy in supporting incarcerated individuals. The dynamic roundtable allows attendees to share success stories, covering innovative initiatives like tiny homes for homelessness and tech solutions for nonprofit accountability.

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ANECDOTE

Seals Stadium Moment Sparked Fair Housing

Willie Brown described being barred from viewing a house due to racial deed restrictions and how that incident sparked local fair-housing action.
That event helped mobilize city leaders and led to San Francisco passing a fair-housing ordinance that influenced state and national policy.

INSIGHT

Treat Social Impact As One System

Elisabeth Pang Fullerton argued social impact is one holistic system spanning nonprofit and for-profit sectors.
She said outcomes, accountability and data should guide both philanthropy and impact-driven business decisions.

ADVICE

Demand Outcome-Based Accountability

Hold organizations accountable by demanding transparent outcomes for every dollar you give.
Measure impact by concrete results like lives served, animals saved, or healthcare access improved.

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The Social Impact Holiday Mixer is an evening of celebration and connection bringing together philanthropists, nonprofit leaders, and changemakers from across the Bay Area. Hosted at Commonwealth Club World Affairs, the program blends festive warmth with civic purpose.

Honorary chair and emcee Willie L. Brown, Jr., two-term mayor of San Francisco and former speaker of the California Assembly, opens the evening with reflections on leadership, philanthropy and community. He is joined by co-hosts Elisabeth Pang Fullerton, a philanthropist and impact investor studying Global Public Health Leadership at Harvard, and Eddy Zheng, founder of the New Breath Foundation and national advocate for cross-cultural healing and justice.

Following brief remarks, the evening transforms into an interactive roundtable discussion, with microphones, held by the co-organizers, circulating among guests to share social impact success stories and lessons learned. The program concludes with an open reception, inviting continued conversation and collaboration. Wine and hors d'oeuvres by Vino Godfather.

About the Speakers

Honorary chair and emcee Willie Brown was a two-term mayor of San Francisco, legendary speaker of the California State Assembly and is widely regarded as one of the most influential African-American politicians of the late 20th century. Mayor Brown has been at the center of California politics, government and civic life for more than five decades.

Co-host Elizabeth Pang Fullerton is a philanthropist, early-stage investor, and startup veteran who leads a foundation advancing equity in health care, education and conservation. As general partner of her family office, she invests in mission-driven ventures addressing global challenges. Currently studying at the Global Public Health Leadership Program at Harvard, she focuses on building more just, inclusive, and human-centered systems.

Co-host Eddy Zheng, president and founder of the New Breath Foundation, bridges Black, Asian American, immigrant, refugee, and formerly incarcerated communities. Featured in The New Yorker, The Guardian, PBS, NPR, and the award-winning film Breathin’: The Eddy Zheng Story, he advances cross-cultural healing and justice through culture, history and identity.

Moderator Dave Clark is an Emmy Award-winning television news anchor for KTVU Channel 2, a trusted Bay Area morning voice since 2007. With more than 50 years in broadcasting, his work has aired nationally and internationally. He now pairs journalism with community service, supporting Joshua’s Gift and The Vibrancy Foundation alongside his wife, artist and entrepreneur Lucretia Clark (aka Livacious Lu).

A Social Impact Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums.

OrganizerVirginia Cheung & Ian McCuaig

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