By Tom LeNoble—
This month, we reflect on what I call The Philanthropic Mindset. It is not philanthropy defined by wealth or recognition, but by presence, compassion, and everyday choices. It could be a conversation, a gesture, or a moment of unexpected grace. We often overlook the quiet acts that restore connection and renew hope, yet these moments remind us that caring for one another remains one of the most powerful expressions of our shared humanity.
Lance Toma is the Chief Executive Officer of the San Francisco Community Health Center (formerly API Wellness Center). He is the Board Chair of NMAC (National Minority AIDS Council), and has served as Co-Chair of the San Francisco HIV/AIDS Providers Network. He also co-chairs the board of CenterLink. In 2020, Lance was appointed to the California Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islander Affairs.
Tom LeNoble: What first opened your eyes to the issue your organization works on?
Lance Toma: The communities we are serving and ensuring that we’re providing the best care and services to them. We are continually advocating and lifting up their stories, needs, and priorities.
I was a social worker. When I was in Chicago, I volunteered with queer youth at the LGBT center there, and that was a huge awakening of what I wanted to do through service, advocacy, and policy.
Tom LeNoble: Was there a specific moment when you realized this work would become part of your life?
Lance Toma: From high school through college, there was always a drive in me to volunteer. I studied engineering, but my path kept pulling me back toward service. For graduate school, I returned to social work and made a commitment that this was going to be my career—to be of service to the community.
Tom LeNoble: Who modeled generosity for you when you were young?
Lance Toma: My grandparents on both my mother’s and father’s side. Their generosity, care, and love shaped me deeply. I’m from Hawaii, and my father’s parents dedicated much of their lives to contributing to the Okinawan community. That was very present for me growing up.
Tom LeNoble: When you hear the word philanthropy, what does it mean to you personally?
Lance Toma: It means giving selflessly. It is giving back without conditions. I feel like it is a philosophy of caring for our society.
Tom LeNoble: What motivates you to keep showing up for this work?
Lance Toma: I’ve been working in the Tenderloin for over 26 years. I see and interact with the community we are serving every day. I have respect, love, and gratitude for our clients. While we’ve lost many, I’ve also seen joy and hope within our community, and it never fails to inspire me—every day. I’ve been connected to so many brilliant people in the community and beyond, including leaders and community members across the country who constantly inspire me.
Tom LeNoble: What is something about this work that most people misunderstand?
Lance Toma: This work can be emotionally draining and isolating. At the same time, this work is also about the relationships we build, foster, and nurture. It is inspirational. I’ve always believed that we cannot be isolated in this journey. It is about staying connected in the relationships we build and taking the time to nurture them.
Tom LeNoble: What gives you hope about the community you serve?
Lance Toma: I see resilience when I visit our Trans Thrive drop-in center. As difficult as conditions are for someone who is trans right now, with the violence and attempts to erase our trans community, there is still a space within the San Francisco Community Health Center that helps uplift the trans community.
Tom LeNoble: What have you learned about leadership through service?
Lance Toma: I have learned that leadership is about having a clear and bold vision. It’s about inspiring others toward that vision. It’s about courage and perseverance in the face of attacks that threaten justice, human rights, and democratic principles.
Leadership shows up in everyday moments, in interactions with community members, in conversations. It’s about being true to your word and doing what you say you are committed to doing.
It’s about how we engage in respectful conversations, how we build and nurture relationships that are genuine, mutually beneficial, and impactful, and how we work through the complicated challenges that arise in community and within our organizations.
Tom LeNoble: What would surprise people most about you outside of this work?
Lance Toma: After all these years, sometimes I feel 7like my life is an open book with my friends and colleagues. What I might share is that my husband often tells me he gets to see the real Gemini that I am, and that I actually have more than two sides to my personality.
I do my best to be kind, compassionate, and empathetic in my daily interactions with everyone. However, when I’m home with Erik, I can be less than compassionate. He manages those unfiltered parts of my personality. He absorbs a great deal from me and for me, and it’s one of the reasons I love him so much.
Tom LeNoble: If you had an unexpected free day in San Francisco, where would you go?
Lance Toma: Those days are becoming rarer and rarer. I have a niece in the East Bay who just turned five, and I would hope she might be available to spend some time with her Uncle Lance on my day off. My husband and I also have a son who just turned 33, and spending time with him is something I prioritize.
I also enjoy binging whatever series I’m currently watching as a form of escape. And I love running in McLaren Park on the Philosopher’s Trail, which is a very special place to me.
Tom LeNoble: If someone reading this wants to begin developing a philanthropic mindset, what is the first small step they could take?
Lance Toma: Have self-awareness. Know what is motivating you. Be in the mindset of generosity and giving and allow it to grow and expand. I feel like there is momentum that can be generated from that place. It’s not just about money. It’s about resources in so many forms, and how they build upon one another. Come from a place of true caring, and I think the possibilities are endless.
Tom LeNoble is an international speaker, confidential advisor, and resilience strategist who works with leaders navigating meaningful inflection points in life and leadership. He has held senior leadership roles at MCI, Walmart.com, Palm, and Facebook, and high growth startups. He is the author of the award-winning memoir “My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels.” Through speaking, coaching, and writing, he explores resilience, leadership, and the choices that shape how we show up for others and for the communities we serve.
The Philanthropic Mindset
Published on May 21, 2026
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