Featured Conversation: Jamie Schenker and Daniel Berkowitz

Welcome to the Executive Team: A Conversation with Jamie Schenker, California Wellness Foundation and Daniel Berkowitz, Neubauer Family Foundation

Jamie Schenker is a Program Director at The California Wellness Foundation, where she has been involved violence prevention since 2000. Having witnessed the impact of gun violence firsthand, Jamie is passionate about addressing this critical issue through a racial justice lens. 

Daniel Berkowitz is the Chief Strategy Officer at the Neubauer Family Foundation. With a background in finance and nonprofit work, Dan has focused on addressing the root causes of gun violence, particularly in high-poverty neighborhoods. We’re excited to have Jamie and Daniel as new members of the executive team at the Fund. This conversation is edited for length and clarity. 

What drew you to this work in the first place?

Jamie Schenker: I’ve held a variety of roles at Cal Wellness, on and off since 2006, but my passion has always been in violence prevention. Growing up in Oakland, I was familiar with gun violence from an early age, knowing friends who had been shot and even experiencing my own mother surviving being shot during a robbery. Witnessing that firsthand solidified my desire to work in this field. At Cal Wellness, I deeply value our roots in the community and our focus on social determinants of health, including race and access to income. This work, particularly through a racial justice lens, is truly my dream job.

Daniel Berkowitz: I started my career in finance but transitioned to the nonprofit sector about 10 years ago. I’ve been with the Neubauer Family Foundation for almost eight years now, originally focusing on young people. My nonprofit work in Los Angeles involved using music as a vehicle for social change in high-poverty neighborhoods. (Editorial Note: Dan has a violin displayed in the background.) We were in some communities experiencing a lot of violence, which grounded me in the realities young people face daily across the country. This work naturally led to my current focus at the foundation, where we look at gun violence as a central issue that holds together many of the challenges these communities face.

How does the Fund for a Safer Future (FSF) stand out, and how does being part of this collaborative make your work easier or more impactful?

Daniel: FSF is unique in that it tackles the gun violence issue from every angle—prevention, intervention, and systems transformation—across various topical perspectives. It’s fascinating to see discussions ranging from rural firearm suicide prevention to community violence intervention within the same group. The breadth of expertise and the opportunity to learn from both large and small players in the field is invaluable. Plus, it’s a great group of people, which makes for a supportive and comfortable learning environment.

Jamie: I completely agree with Dan. FSF has opened my mind to different perspectives, particularly during site visits to rural areas where guns are a way of life for many families. That kind of insight is something I wouldn’t have gained without being part of FSF. Since joining in 2020, I’ve also benefited from the collective knowledge and generosity of time and experience shared by other members. The collaborative has allowed us to leverage opportunities and dollars on a national scale that we couldn’t have accessed otherwise.

Has your involvement in FSF influenced how your foundations approach other types of funding or grant-making strategies?

Jamie: Not immediately, as we have a strategic plan that guides our grant-making. However, the perspectives I’ve gained through FSF are important, especially as we approach the end of our current strategic plan and think about what’s next. The diversity within California itself—from Los Angeles to the rural northern regions—requires us to consider a wide range of approaches as we move forward.

Daniel: For us, FSF has indeed introduced us to new partners and ideas that have impacted our grant-making. For example, we started focusing on state-level opportunities in Pennsylvania, an area where we hadn’t engaged before given our Philadelphia-focus. The collaborative nature of FSF provides a wealth of knowledge that we can draw upon when new opportunities arise.

The landscape of gun violence varies greatly between states like Pennsylvania and California. What gives you hope for the future in your respective states?

Daniel: In Pennsylvania, we’re starting to see progress in areas like gun dealer accountability and the implementation of electronic records of sale, which provide better tracking of crime guns. The fact that we’re moving towards more effective measures in such a complex state gives me hope.

Jamie: In California, I’m encouraged by innovative legislation like AB 28, which proposes taxing ammunition to fund community violence intervention programs. Although it’s currently held up, it’s an innovative use of the system to support our efforts. There’s also a lot of innovative work happening around equitable distribution of benefits for victims of violent crime. It’s great to see some momentum in this work.

What compelled you to take on an executive committee role at FSF, and how would you like to see FSF’s strategy evolve in the coming years?

Jamie: My role shifted to focus solely on violence prevention, so I had the capacity to take on more responsibility within FSF. I’m thrilled to be part of the executive team. As we grow, I think it’s important to be mindful of how and why we’re expanding. With more members, there are more perspectives, which is great, but it also requires us to be thoughtful about how we continue to include and learn from each other.

Daniel: I agree with Jamie. As we grow, we have a responsibility to aggregate the knowledge we gain and align ourselves more closely to support those on the ground doing the work. The more we can serve as a platform for good while educating our members, the better we can help everyone move faster and more effectively.