Founders
Gina Halow, Co-Founder
Growing up in Alamo, Gina has always had a strong tie to the East Bay Community. Her passion for philanthropy started in middle school when she joined National Charity League and volunteered for various local non profits; her favorite was spending Sunday’s in the NICU at John Muir Hospital. The Jesuit community at Santa Clara University continued to inspire her to want to help others. After graduating with a BA in Accounting she went to work at Deloitte and then into Lincoln Financial Group but always found time for nonprofit work. She volunteered for Junior Achievement where she taught fundamental business concepts to children, she helped with bookkeeping and fundraisers for Camp Okizu and then served on a board as assistant treasurer for Buena Vista Auxiliary. After spending a few years away from the East Bay she was excited to move back with her husband and two sons in 2014. She founded Impact Diablo Valley with Mindy Longo as a way to both drive giving and increase awareness of the many outstanding organizations within the East Bay Community. This Community has a strong sense of family and philanthropy and she is eager to engage families in Impact Diablo Valley to help collectively make a powerful impact.
Mindy Longo, Co-Founder
After spending 10 years on the east coast, Mindy returned to the East Bay Area in 2007 with her husband Brian and was happy to raise their two kids in her hometown, Alamo. She, too, was a member of National Charity League, and it was through this organization that she saw the profound impact giving can have on the community. Attending Penn State University, that love for giving grew as she took leadership roles in Penn State’s Dance Marathon, a student run philanthropy benefitting children suffering from pediatric cancer, throughout all 4 years of college. After graduating from Penn State with a BS in Business Marketing, she moved to Philadelphia and began her career in Marketing strategy consulting; eventually working in Marketing and Brand management at various healthcare and medical device companies. After leaving her professional life to stay home with her two kids, she had a growing need to get back to her roots of wanting to help and give back. Working with Contra Costa Child Abuse Prevention Council opened her eyes to the various needs in her local community. Through her work with Impact Diablo Valley, she is able to tap into her passion for helping while fostering philanthropy within her own family and the families in this organization.