Zoe Byl

As a San Francisco native, Zoe Byl brings both passion and purpose to her role as Senior Program Associate at Sobrato Philanthropies (SP). With more than seven years of experience in the nonprofit sector, she has developed deep expertise in grants management, donor relations, and operations—guided by a firm belief in the power of community-led solutions to drive lasting, equitable change.

At Sobrato Philanthropies, Zoe provides comprehensive grant management, operational, and strategic support to strengthen the organization’s philanthropic efforts and family grantmaking. She collaborates closely with the leadership team to ensure effective grantmaking systems, issue area development, and governance coordination—helping to advance The Sobrato Organization’s mission of building a more equitable and sustainable world.

Before joining SP, Zoe served as Senior Manager of Grants and Development at Power for All, a global campaign advancing renewable energy access across emerging economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Her earlier career included roles with (RED) in New York City, PATH in Los Angeles, and The Forgotten International in San Francisco, where she now serves on the Board of Directors.

Zoe holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Development Studies from UCLA and a Master of Science in International Development Studies from the University of Amsterdam. Her graduate research in Ghana explored gender norms, sex education, and personal aspirations as part of Her Choice, a global initiative to combat child marriage.