PACF News
CEO Irene Wong Receives an Athena Award
Please join us in congratulating PACF CEO Irene Wong, recipient of the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 ATHENA Leadership Award! Presented on October 15, the honor is part of an international program recognizing professional excellence, community service, and a commitment to advancing women’s leadership. Irene joins a distinguished group of local ATHENA award recipients.
In her acceptance remarks, Irene reflected on her mother and grandmother, whose everyday generosity taught her the importance of caring for neighbors, and the mentors who shaped her career.
Irene’s philanthropic leadership spans serving as eBay Foundation’s inaugural executive director and CEO, 15 years at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and now PACF. She spoke about The Giving Code, a study commissioned during her time at Packard that highlighted the disconnect between Silicon Valley’s extraordinary wealth and the needs of local nonprofits. At PACF, she is helping close that gap by connecting local generosity with nonprofits serving Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, and Menlo Park.
As Irene shared: “We all have something to give, and caring for our neighbors begins with each of us doing what we can, right where we live.”
We also warmly congratulate Peying Lee, Director of Community Partnerships for Project Safety Net, recipient of this year’s ATHENA Emerging Professional Leadership Award. Congratulations to both honorees, and thank you for your commitment to our community!