Meet Dr. Jerry White, the Foundations New Board Chair
Meet Dr. Jerry White, the Foundation’s New Board Chair
Jim Alexander’s two-year term as Chair of London Community Foundation’s Board of Directors came to an end at the turn of the year, with Dr. Jerry White taking up the role for 2026 and 2027. Jerry recently shared some insight about himself, his professional history, and his relationship with the Foundation.
Q. How did you first hear of London Community Foundation, and what led you to get involved?
A. As a university professor, I had the opportunity to meet many very talented people. One was Vanessa Dolishny, who, after studying at Western, worked at the Foundation. When she was Director of Communications, she reached out to me and arranged a meeting with then-CEO Martha Powell. One lunch later, I was a volunteer. Frankly speaking, I find the people who are attracted to the Foundation and who work here to be just great – my kind of folks. They are forward-looking, talented individuals who want to make the world a better place. The work being done looked thoughtful and impactful. It was really easy to say, “I want to be part of this!”
Q. What is your professional background? How do the skills and experience gained from your profession benefit the Foundation and the Board of Directors?
A. I trained as a sociologist and I got my PhD at McMaster University a little later in life in my late 30s. By that age, I had worked in government as well as doing UN contract work, so I was aware of how good and bad the world can be. I have never been one who sits back and does not care, so my personality and training made the work that London Community Foundation does very appealing to me. As a scientist, I worked a lot with Indigenous peoples in Canada and around the world, which gave me an appreciation of other cultures and peoples that I hope helps me understand how we reach out to diverse communities. Lastly, as an administrator at Western University, I had to engage in planning, both strategic and tactical, which helps me now as well.
Q. What experiences have you gained (or what have you learned) from your role as a Board member so far?
A. Where to start? I was a member and then Chair of the Social Finance Committee. The whole process of supporting social entrepreneurs and affordable housing development was quite amazing. I found pride in seeing the positive impact on people’s lives – whether it was seeing homes created, or women’s medical supply needs met.
What I have learned is how to work side by side with people who have many differences but share a common desire to improve the world we live in. I have learned that the best projects are those that have the greatest opportunity for making change, and I also learned we have to be considerate of risk – I have been taught a lot about that.
Q. Is there an element of the Foundation's work that is of particular interest to you, or that you're particularly proud of? Why?
A. I am very interested in everything we do – from donor development to grants and loans. The number of organizations and programs we have helped and engaged with makes me very proud. As a social scientist, I really appreciate the quality of our Vital Signs publication. Targeting key problems and needs helps us make our work more effective.
Q. The start of your term as Board Chair coincides with the beginning of a new strategic plan for the Foundation. What opportunities does this present for the Foundation?
A. We had a really wonderful process getting the Strategic Plan done – we had the opportunity to reach out to donors, volunteers, London Middlesex community leaders, and diverse communities, including newcomers. That helped establish bridges – now we have to build on those ties and develop partnerships. The support for the strategic plan among those involved with London Community Foundation is very high, which can lead to greater engagement and more growth. Lastly, it gives us the chance to really focus our work, increase impact, and measure that impact. All of which will help us grow.
Q. Do you have any personal goals or targets for your two-year term as Board Chair?
A. I want three things. First, is to put the strategic plan at the centre of our work – develop measurement techniques and report back publicly on our work. Second, it would be to grow our donor base and our capacity to loan and grant. Lastly, to create the conditions where those connected to London Community Foundation, whether volunteer or staff, have the best possible conditions so their many talents can come forth and shine.
Q. Why do you choose to continue to volunteer your time with London Community Foundation? What inspires you to stay involved?
A. I have seen some amazing projects – whether it was Village SoHo, the Health and Homelessness Fund for Change, the $25 million Social Impact Fund, Vital Signs… I could keep listing, but looking at the smiles of people that we partner with and hearing their stories and thanks back to us, that is what inspires me.