Charles Huggins

Charles Huggins, or "Chip" as they are known to their friends, is a lifelong resident of the Bay Area and a committed leader in the non-profit sector. Charles has held Board leadership roles in non-profit organizations such as Peninsula Community Foundation, Boys and Girls Club, Coyote Point Museum, Guardsmen, Portola Valley School Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation and Easter Seals Society. In 2002, they were named the San Mateo County Volunteer of the Year.

In addition to their extensive experience in the non-profit sector, Chip also has a background in the for-profit world. From 1980 to 2002 they worked for See's Candies, Inc. in progressively more responsible positions, ending their tenure as General Manager, Director of Purchasing. From See's, Chip moved to Joseph Schmidt Confections where they served as President and CEO until 2005. In 2005, Chip was CEO of the San Francisco Chocolate Company, a social enterprise company owned by the California Autism Foundation. In 2006 Chip was recruited to the Second Harvest Food Bank of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties as CEO.

Chip joined Caminar as CEO in 2009. Caminar is a nonprofit agency with over 50 years of experience providing community based support services for people with disabilities. Caminar services are designed to enable adults and older adults with mental health, physical and developmental disabilities to live and work in their community in accordance with their ability and desire.

Under Chip's leadership, Caminar has flourished. The organization has expanded its services into four counties and two states with approximately 400 employees. Caminar's mission is to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities by providing opportunities to live with dignity and independence.

In 2018, Chip was named President & CEO of Hope Services, a Silicon Valley-based nonprofit that provides a wide range of services for people with developmental disabilities including employment training, housing assistance, and life skills development. Hope Services has a long history of helping people with developmental disabilities lead fulfilling and productive lives, and Chip is committed to continuing that tradition.

Charles Huggins has a business administration degree from Stanford University, a JD from John F. Kennedy University, and a BS in finance from Menlo College.

Some individuals on their team include Mitchell Koblis - Director, Facilities, Sara Grignon - Director, Central District, San Jose, and Sheryl Hagemann - Director, Santa Cruz, Aptos & Watsonville.