Gina Zottola is the Vice President of Advancement & Philanthropic Innovation at the Humboldt Area Foundation working to promote and encourage generosity, leadership and inclusion to strengthen our communities. Humboldt Area Foundation and affiliate, Wild Rivers Community Foundation, serve Del Norte, Humboldt, and Trinity counties in California and Curry County in Oregon through grantmaking, convening and capacity building of nonprofits, Tribes, local government, and businesses.  

Since 1972, the Foundation has granted over $90 million dollars to the region, in addition to implementing long standing programs and initiatives such as the Native Cultures Fund, Equity Alliance of the North Coast, and Building Healthy Communities.  

Before arriving at the Foundation over eight years ago, Ms. Zottola was the Executive Director of Crescent City/Del Norte Chamber of Commerce, and before then a financial advisor for Dean Witter and then Morgan Stanley in the Bay Area for 15 years before returning home. She is a third-generation resident of Del Norte County, growing up the youngest of seven children. A graduate of Del Norte High School, she played basketball at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz and also played pro beach volleyball. 

In 2016, Ms. Zottola was honored by the California State Senate as “Woman of the Year for Del Norte County.” Gina’s values around building relationships and trust echoes in her pursuit to lift up rural voices and share the stories of the people of the region.