Welcome to IECF!

Hello! I’m Brie Griset Smith, CSPG, Chief Development Officer for IECF. Thank you for connecting with us through Palm Springs Life. It’s an honor to help make our donors’ dreams come true with an incredible team of charitable giving professionals.

To this end, I’m pleased to introduce you to my colleague, John McGuirk, our Charitable Giving Officer for the Coachella Valley. Before moving to the area and joining IECF, John held senior leadership positions at Community Foundation Sonoma County, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the James Irvine Foundation, and Arts Council Silicon Valley. He has also served as adjunct faculty at Claremont Graduate University, teaching strategic planning and change management.

John holds an M.A. in public management, with a concentration in arts management, from Carnegie Mellon University. In addition to being an expert on all things philanthropy, you can ask him anything about organic farming, the arts, or music (he’s a classically trained pianist)!

Over the span of his career in philanthropy, John has directed more than $400 million in charitable donations. With his extensive experience and a deep understanding of the local community, John is committed to providing exceptional service and building strong relationships with you, our donors. Whether you’re interested in making a gift, learning more about our grantmaking programs, or simply exploring ways to get involved, John is here to assist you.

Please feel free to contact me or John directly at jmcguirk@iegives.org or give him a call at 760.836.2400. I know you’ll find him to be a valuable resource and a pleasure to work with.