About Us
Ravi & Naina Patel Foundation
As a family team, we’ve been working together for over 15 years to make happiness possible for underserved communities by promoting basic education, proper nutrition, secure housing, and a healthier environment through our nonprofit organization.
Our Story
Starting from humble beginnings in Apartheid South Africa and rural India, Doctors Ravi and Naina Patel made their way to America and enjoyed highly successful careers. Dr. Naina worked for 30 years as a Cardiac Anesthesiologist and Dr. Ravi Patel established one of the largest freestanding cancer centers in the country known as the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center (CBCC).
In an effort to give back for all the success they enjoyed, they established the RNP Foundation over 15 years ago to support the local community that gave them their professional success and the global community that raised them.
As they worked hard to serve as many people as they could, they made sure to inculcate those same values into their children and other RNP Foundation members in order to form the team we have today. Although the work has increased drastically in scale and scope, we still maintain the ethos of simplicity and service passed down and maintained by two immigrants from humble beginnings.
Our Philosophy
Increasing happiness through spirituality and self- transcendence is our ultimate goal. We believe that this is the way to true, lasting happiness. It is because of this that we have the five pillars of our foundation: homelessness, education, environment, nutrition, and spirituality. We focus on building a strong foundation of these elements in order to concentrate on our spirituality and happiness.
Our Pillars
At the RNP Foundation, we’re driven by the five core pillars of our organization: addressing homelessness, promoting better education, caring for the environment, providing nourishment, and fostering a sense of spirituality.
1
Homelessness
We believe that we are all interconnected, so no part of society should be isolated. Therefore, we help combat the issue of homelessness in our community by being a part of the Kern County Homeless Collaborative.
2
Education
We believe in the power of education and the impact it can have. Therefore, we do what we can to make it easier for people in the community to obtain an education.
3
Environment
We believe that protecting the environment is imperative to our society. To do this we make sure we invest our resources in people and organizations that promote the well being of our planet.
4
Nutrition
We understand the importance and impact of good nutrition on the mind, body, and spirit. We love this community, so we are committed to the health of the people who live here. We work with a non profit cafe who promotes these beliefs and values.
5
Spirituality
We believe that true happiness is connected to our spirituality. Therefore, once we help provide the basic necessities, such as a home, food, and education, we can focus on our spirituality.
Leadership
Ravi Patel
Principal
After having founded the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center (CBCC) in 1984, Dr. Ravi Patel started the RNP Foundation in 1998 in order to give back for all his success at CBCC in areas that were not health care related. A deeply compassionate and principled man who grew up in the poverty and social injustice of apartheid South Africa, Dr. Patel is no stranger to hardship and founded the RNP Foundation in order to help people all around the world in difficult circumstances.
Naina Patel
Principal
Dr. Naina Patel, Dr. Ravi Patel’s wife, was instrumental in founding and creating the structure of the RNP Foundation. As a physician and mother, with a long time interest in spirituality and social work, Dr. Naina Patel had a unique and impactful background and skillset for directing the RNP Foundation. It was under her guidance and vision that the 5 pillars of the RNP Foundation were formed. Dr. Naina Patel embodies the ancient Hindu principle of Karma Yoga: noble work done with no aspiration for rewards or results.
Amar Patel
Chief Philanthropy Officer
As the Chief Philanthropy Officer, Amar is responsible for identifying organizations in need of grants and developing partnerships that align with The RNP Foundation’s vision and strategy. This long time spiritual practitioner graduated from University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Biology. In addition to his philanthropic efforts, he currently works at The Comprehensive Blood & Cancer Center.
Neeraj Rama
Chief Investment Officer
A homegrown talent, Neeraj Rama completed his undergraduate studies and his MBA at CSU Bakersfield focused on Financial Economics and Capital Markets. After some time at Morgan Stanley, Neeraj came to be the Chief Investment Officer of a group of family offices including Dr. Patels as well as the CIO of the RNP Foundation. With an uncanny talent for predicting markets and picking stock matched with a strong moral compass on what investments align with the values of the Foundation, Neeraj is the perfect CIO for managing and growing the RNP Foundation portfolio.
Pritesh Patel
Chief Financial Officer
Pritesh Patel’s unique combination of business acumen, non-profit experience, community connections, and social responsibility make him a perfect CFO for the RNP Foundation. He grew up and spent his professional life Bakersfield so has deep roots in the community and understands how to serve it. After obtaining his B.S. in Business Administration from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2005 he returned to Bakersfield working as a banker in commercial lending for 13 years as well as completing a 3 year program at the Graduate School of Banking of Colorado in 2014. Over this time period he worked extensively with many local non-profits and currently sits on the boards of the Alliance Against Family Violence and Bakersfield Homeless Center. He joined as the CFO of Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center, the RNP Foundation, and the Patel Family Office in 2018 and has been invaluable to the team ever since.
Rishi Patel
Compassion Consultant
A palliative care physician at UCLA, Dr. Rishi Patel’s job requires his heart as much as his brain. Due to his unique position seeing and helping patients and their families in the last days of the patients’ lives, he offers powerful advice from experience on what is most important and useful to those who are suffering. His one-of-a-kind perspective along with his massive network make Dr. Rishi Patel invaluable in guiding grant making, communication, and project decisions for the RNP Foundation.
