Program formed to offset challenges, inequities magnified by pandemic
July 21, 2021 – Joint Venture Silicon Valley today announced the appointment of Quency Phillips as executive director of its newly-established Building Back Better initiative. The effort is providing backbone support to a variety of recovery initiatives that are working to reduce the stark inequities magnified by the pandemic.
Phillips most recently led community engagement for Google Development Ventures’ $15B Silicon Valley development portfolio. He attended Northwestern University where he graduated with a BS in mechanical engineering and manufacturing engineering. He holds a certificate in nonprofit management from Stanford Social Innovation Review.
“Quency comes to Joint Venture at a critical time for the region,” said Joint Venture CEO Russell Hancock. “He is passionate about opportunity and devoted to community.”
Phillips comes to Joint Venture with a strong background in community service and entrepreneurship. Phillips has served on the Boards of a number of non-profit organizations, including SOMOS Mayfair, MACLA, the Women’s Foundation of California, and the Redwood City Police Activities League. Phillips was a strategic consultant for regional affordable housing organizations and local jurisdictions.
“I am truly thrilled to join Joint Venture and to roll up my sleeves and do the hard work necessary to create positive and collective impact for the people of this region,” said Phillips. “There are so many needs to be met, realizing that we have even more to uncover and understand, and we want to bring resources to the table as soon as possible.”
The Building Back Better initiative is supporting leaders and organizations from across Silicon Valley. Joint Venture serves as a backbone organization, utilizing the Silicon Valley Recovery Roundtable and San Mateo County Recovery Initiative reports as a strategic framework. Using a data-driven approach, Building Back Better tracks gaps and overlaps in recovery in order to optimize efforts and inform planning and coordination. The initiative includes the Bridge to Recovery Network (B2R), a collective effort with over 140 community leaders, including Santa Clara County, and Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County. Building Back Better is also partner in the Equity Forward initiative led by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation with Stanford University’s Social Impact Lab and d.School.
