Yvonne Thomas

Yvonne is the founder and principal of Proximity, a philanthropic advising firm that works to ensure that the goals and values of people who want to give are well matched to the needs and interests of the people, communities, and issues they care about. She has spent more than two decades working across philanthropy, communities, education, business, and government. Prior to founding Proximity, Yvonne spent 19 years in a variety of roles within Microsoft Philanthropies. Most recently, as the director of global programs for Microsoft Philanthropies, she was responsible for global strategy, programs, and partnerships across more than 40 countries. Before joining Microsoft, Yvonne worked in the nonprofit sector, with a focus on youth development.