Michelle Decker
CEO, Inland Empire Community Foundation
Michelle Decker is the President and CEO of the Inland Empire Community Foundation serving San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. She held leadership positions in community-based nonprofits for over 27 years, with a focus on community economic development, community development, and sustainability. She has also specialized in building or re-building nonprofit organizations at the local level in both urban and rural communities. All of these efforts have meant developing deep experience in partnerships and collaborations – with other nonprofits, local, state, and federal governments, and private businesses.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Michelle was the CEO of Rural Action, a membership-based community development corporation in Appalachian, Ohio, working to build a more just economy through leadership development, social enterprises and environmental restoration. She initiated multiple social enterprises including a produce auction serving regional farmers, a Zero Waste Event Production business, and a water quality initiative with multiple higher education and natural resource partners. Michelle expanded Rural Action’s national service program from 6 to 40 members. She partnered with the USFS for 10 years to undertake watershed restoration, native plant restoration, and environmental education. She collaborated with the USDA on food systems and local agricultural efforts, and with the Appalachian Regional Commission and Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, now part of LOCUS and Virginia Community Capital, to bring greater entrepreneurship potential and small businesses to towns in southeast Ohio.
Before working in Appalachian Ohio, Michelle ran Southeast Community Development Corporation in Baltimore City and helped re-build the state’s community development trade association called the Asset Building Community Development Network. She worked at the Faith Fund, a faith-based CDFI, and was the first program officer for Community Economic Development at the Maryland Center for Community Development.
Today her work is focused on expanding the power of philanthropy across the Inland Empire’s 27,000 square miles and extremely diverse geographies and populations. IECF was California’s ACBO for Region 7 during the 2020 Census, recently hired a Director of Policy and Governmental Affairs, and is establishing the backbone function for the Inland Economic Growth and Opportunity strategy.
Michelle lives with her husband Zach, also a community development professional, and their two children in Riverside.
Michelle Decker is the President and CEO of the Inland Empire Community Foundation serving San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. She held leadership positions in community-based nonprofits for over 27 years, with a focus on community economic development, community development, and sustainability. She has also specialized in building or re-building nonprofit organizations at the local level in both urban and rural communities. All of these efforts have meant developing deep experience in partnerships and collaborations – with other nonprofits, local, state, and federal governments, and private businesses.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Michelle was the CEO of Rural Action, a membership-based community development corporation in Appalachian, Ohio, working to build a more just economy through leadership development, social enterprises and environmental restoration. She initiated multiple social enterprises including a produce auction serving regional farmers, a Zero Waste Event Production business, and a water quality initiative with multiple higher education and natural resource partners. Michelle expanded Rural Action’s national service program from 6 to 40 members. She partnered with the USFS for 10 years to undertake watershed restoration, native plant restoration, and environmental education. She collaborated with the USDA on food systems and local agricultural efforts, and with the Appalachian Regional Commission and Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, now part of LOCUS and Virginia Community Capital, to bring greater entrepreneurship potential and small businesses to towns in southeast Ohio.
Before working in Appalachian Ohio, Michelle ran Southeast Community Development Corporation in Baltimore City and helped re-build the state’s community development trade association called the Asset Building Community Development Network. She worked at the Faith Fund, a faith-based CDFI, and was the first program officer for Community Economic Development at the Maryland Center for Community Development.
Today her work is focused on expanding the power of philanthropy across the Inland Empire’s 27,000 square miles and extremely diverse geographies and populations. IECF was California’s ACBO for Region 7 during the 2020 Census, recently hired a Director of Policy and Governmental Affairs, and is establishing the backbone function for the Inland Economic Growth and Opportunity strategy.
Michelle lives with her husband Zach, also a community development professional, and their two children in Riverside.