Chapter 11 - THE FOUNDATION REMOVES A CHAIR
The Ventresca Foundation board commissioned an independent governance review.
I recused from disciplinary decisions involving Claudia because she was my cousin and I had assaulted her.
Important.
The independent directors acted.
Findings:
Claudia exceeded the intended scope of her advisory role.
She promoted an unofficial youth ambassador designation without staff approval.
She submitted materially exaggerated descriptions of Evelyn’s personal gardening involvement.
She pressured estate staff to reassign a private family-use garden bed for donor presentation.
She failed to disclose personal interest in using foundation activities for Evelyn’s school portfolio.
She encouraged weak allocation of several donor-event expenses.
No evidence of embezzlement.
No evidence partner children were harmed.
No evidence clinical services were falsified.
Consequences:
Removal as advisory chair.
Three-year bar from foundation committee leadership.
Permitted future volunteering only under staff direction after one year.
Mandatory conflict and nonprofit-governance training if she returned.
No automatic permanent ban.
The advisory committees themselves were dissolved six months later as already planned.
Professional program director appointed.
No family replacement.
That last part mattered.
I did not take Claudia’s chair.
May you like
Ruby did not.
There was no chair.
