Chapter 11 - THE FOUNDATION DECIDES
The hiring committee removed Vanessa from consideration for the executive role.
Not because I demanded it.
I recused from every foundation decision involving her.
Independent directors reviewed.
Their conclusion:
Her fundraising performance was strong.
Her judgment around cost disclosure and resource allocation was not currently compatible with an executive fiduciary role.
Correct.
They did not ban her forever from philanthropy.
They removed her as advisory chair for eighteen months.
Required governance training before any future committee position.
Commissioned written resource-allocation policy between family property and foundation operations.
Reimbursed the villa for unsupported historical costs from unrestricted foundation funds where legally and accounting-wise appropriate, while some costs remained documented in-kind donations.
No fictional financial collapse.
Then Bellwether.
The vendor had billed actual labor.
No fake workers.
The allocation was the issue.
Contract remained after competitive review but with tighter timekeeping.
Boring reform.
Good.
Then the Moretti Women’s Initiative continued.
Without Vanessa.
Donations did not disappear.
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That hurt her.
It also freed the program from one person’s identity.
