Lean Keen Producing Machines Peer Community: 6/5/24

Berkeley Bryant (she/her) joined Blue Sky Funders Forum in 2021. Raised in Texas, Berkeley pursued a degree and career in environmental education in Colorado. Working for nonprofits and state agencies, she was able to expand education programs to underserved populations. This helped spark her passion for racial equity and justice, especially as it relates to outdoor access and recreation. Through her role at Blue Sky, Berkeley hopes to help facilitate the conversation around equity, justice, and the outdoors, and provide resources to increase funding for outdoor access. She is an avid reader, baker, traveler, and outdoor enthusiast. Berkeley lives in Graham, North Carolina with her partner, cats, and dog.

Taryn Palumbo serves as the Executive Director of Orange County Grantmakers, a regional association of philanthropic funders in Orange County. As Executive Director, Taryn provides strategic leadership, oversees and executes programming, communication, member services and community engagement, and supports the operations of the organization. Taryn joined OCG as a part-time Executive Administrator in January 2017 and was promoted to Executive Director in February 2018.

Prior to joining OCG, Taryn held roles in public policy, government affairs, education, small business engagement and community relations. She has also served as a consultant with United Way Orange County, helping to launch UpSkill OC, a middle-skills job initiative and with The Olin Group, supporting a variety of nonprofit clients.

Before moving back home to Orange County, Taryn spent four years with the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, first as their Manager of Public Policy and later as their Director of Strategic Partnerships. In this role she created, grew and implemented UniteSF, an education/workforce development initiative, and co-chaired San Francisco’s Small Business Week Committee.

Taryn earned her Juris Doctorate from Chapman University School of Law and passed the CA Bar in 2011. She earned her B.A. from Loyola Marymount University. Taryn currently serves on the Executive Board of the OC Forum and is the proud mother of 3.5 year old boy and 1 year old girl.