Paul Bachleitner

Paul is the communications director for the Northwest Area Foundation in St. Paul, MN. He has helped advance change for more than 20 years as a strategic thinker and collaborator through various leadership roles with nonprofits and in philanthropy—at local, regional, and national levels. This includes his position prior to coming to t as a member of the D5 Coalition’s leadership team and the first-ever director of the Joint Affinity Groups (now CHANGE Philanthropy), a coalition of national grantmaking professionals that integrate diversity, inclusion, and justice into philanthropic practice. 

He is currently a member of the Marnita’s Table board, the Minnesota Council of Foundations’ Membership and DEI committees, and the Convergence Leadership Council. He graduated cum laude from Harvard University and holds a nonprofit leadership certificate through Harvard’s Kennedy School. He graduated from three, yearlong national fellowships with the Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE) and Council on Foundations.