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Culinary Angels, a homegrown nonprofit that provides nutritious meals and health education to Tri-Valley cancer patients and their caregivers, is going through a leadership transition as founder Lisa McNaney is stepping back and the board is recruiting for a new executive director.
McNaney, who created the nonprofit in 2016 inspired by her own experience with cancer and has served as its executive director for most of that time, plans to resign as Culinary Angels’ operational leader at the end of September. The nonprofit’s board is in the midst of interviews for her successor after soliciting applications publicly earlier this year.
“I am extremely proud of our collective accomplishments and the knowing that we have seen incredible growth in our programs thanks to our tremendous volunteers, partners and funders,” McNaney said in a press release. “The organization is now at a place of important opportunity. One that makes way for new leadership and the chance to further shape its evolution and guide its impact.”
Lynn Monica, who rejoined the Board of Directors as chair in April to help with the transition after McNaney’s internal announcement, said Culinary Angels is well-positioned to continue growing. The organization, which began with McNaney cooking nutritional meals biweekly for a few people in cancer battles, now serves up to 150 meals weekly prepared in a professional kitchen in Pleasanton.
“Having direct alignment with major oncology facilities, our local garden partners, and over 150 active volunteers, has primed us to meet the expanding needs and satisfy our mission,” Monica told the Pleasanton Weekly. “Lisa has been the executive director for over eight years since founding Culinary Angels and believes this is the right time to bring in new leadership to guide, continue to grow and develop the organization.”
Culinary Angels attempted once before to bring in another executive director to succeed McNaney. The nonprofit announced in spring 2023 that Rusty Weekes had been hired, but he was quietly gone from the organization by that August and McNaney returned to the top leadership role at that time. Monica declined to comment further on the circumstances behind the separation with Weekes.
As for the recruitment process ahead, Monica said, “We have received a number of applications and are in the process of interviewing candidates to find someone who has the appropriate level, depth of experience, and fit for Culinary Angels.”
