San Francisco, CA — Nia Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing gender equity and inclusive leadership, today announced the winners of the 2026 He for She Awards, honoring male leaders who are taking meaningful action to support, elevate, and promote women in asset management.

​

The recipients of the inaugural 2026 Nia He for She Awards are R. Paul Herman of HIP Investor, Scott Saslow of One World Investments and Cory Booker, U.S. Senator from New Jersey. Each of these three award recipients have stepped up, stepped forward and used their voice and their platform to support women and diverse managers in asset management. Each of these men are paving the way for women in finance by being a mentor, a collaborator, an investor in women’s leadership and women-led funds.

 

In their acceptance comments the awardees shared:

Senator Cory Booker, “We cannot have a nation where the trillions of dollars in our economy, whether it's VC dollars or assets under management, is [managed by] less than 1% of half of our country. The absurdity of that is something that we all should be called to address, and that men should champion for their own self-interest.”

​

He for She awardee R. Paul Herman said: “Women aren’t given enough fair opportunities to demonstrate their excellence, and to show their leadership.  This He For She award will be a beacon to encourage  men to support women or 'He to support She' in investing for our future, including our own portfolios. ” 

​

He for She awardee Scott Saslow emphasized: “We know that female representation of capital managers is off the charts low. It absolutely makes no sense. So I think as capital owners we have to ask ourselves is it important to us, do we care who we are actually investing in and do we care about how that money is made? I think the answers to these questions are an absolute Yes across the board.”

​

The awardees were announced at an event on January 28th in San Francisco at an evening filled with exciting and distinguished speakers including:

​

• Jennifer Siebel Newsom, First Partner of California

• Rob Bonta, Attorney General of California

• Malia Cohen, California State Controller

• Anton Orlich, Managing Investment Director, CalPERS 

• Kat Taylor, Co-Founder, Beneficial State Bank 

• Val Red-Horse Mohl, CEO, Red-Horse Financial Group

• Darian Rodriguez Heyman, Best Selling Author

 

Kristin Hull, Founder and Director of Nia Community Foundation, emphasized the importance of collective engagement: “Authentic male allyship requires listening, reflection, and sustained action. When men show up as partners and advocates, not bystanders, we create stronger, more inclusive systems where everyone has the opportunity to contribute and lead.”

​

The awards are brought to you by the Nia Community Foundation along with the following non-profit organizations: How Women Lead, Invest for Better, and The Real Mental Health Foundation.  These organizations are excited to be planting the seed with this inaugural event, and look forward to seeing it grow as more non-profits, allies, and others join this movement. 

 

Learn more https://www.niacommunity.org/heforshe and express your interest in joining the movement.
 

About Nia Community Foundation
Nia Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 2010, and provides grants to mission-driven non-profit organizations working on social justice, environmental sustainability, racial and gender equity.

​

​

​

Media Contact:
Paloma Mate-Kodjo
info@niacommunity.org
www.niacommunity.org