Khanh serves as President and CEO of the Pasadena Community Foundation. He has extensive leadership experience in philanthropy, public policy, and community engagement, as well as his deep commitment to building resilient, thriving communities through strategic grantmaking, collaborative partnerships, and systems change.
Prior to joining PCF, he served as Vice President of Policy and Innovation at the San Francisco Foundation, where he led regional and statewide efforts to promote racial equity, affordable housing, health equity, and workforce development. Khanh also held the role of Director of Strategic Partnerships and Performance for San José Mayor Sam Liccardo, driving civic innovation and public-private collaborations to benefit underserved communities. His philanthropic leadership includes positions at Cisco Systems and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, where he supported community-based nonprofits and championed inclusive economic growth and cultural connection.
Khanh holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Santa Clara University and a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University. His academic and professional grounding in governance, equity, and community development inform a leadership style centered on trust, transparency, and long-term impact.
Khanh’s service on nonprofit boards and advisory councils spans sectors critical to Pasadena’s civic fabric, including education, social services, the arts, and health. He has held leadership roles with organizations such as Next City, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, Downtown College Prep, Santa Clara University’s College of Arts and Sciences, and Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana (MACLA). He currently serves as a Strategic Artificial Intelligence Program Advisor at the University of San Francisco, helping nonprofits adapt to emerging technologies for the public good.
“My work has always been guided by values of empathy, collaboration, and equity, and I am passionate about creating pathways for opportunity,” Khanh notes. “Residents in the Greater Pasadena area are known for their commitment to philanthropy, and PCF has been at the forefront of channeling that generosity to improve the lives of Pasadenans. It will be such a privilege to work with PCF’s extended family of community partners and donors to elevate the incredible legacy built by my predecessor, Jennifer DeVoll, and strengthen the Foundation’s collective impact.”
Bio Source: https://pasadenacf.org/news/khanh-russo-named-pcfs-new-president-ceo/
