Q&A With Caitlin Latta ’07, Poly Alumni Board Philanthropy Chair
Caitlin Latta ’07, Poly Alumni Board Philanthropy Chair, is the Director of Selection at Denison University. She has spent the last several years working in higher education at several institutions across the country. In the summers, she acts as an assistant director at Jameson Ranch Camp, a children's summer camp in the Southern Sierras. She lives in Pasadena with her husband, Ryan Griffith, and their chickens. She holds a BA in Spanish from Claremont McKenna College and a Master’s of Education from the University of Southern California.
Ahead of Giving Day on April 16, PolyNews chatted with Caitlin about the importance of community and why she gives to Poly.
Why do you choose to volunteer your time with Poly? I choose to volunteer to give back to one of the communities that means the most to me. To me, Poly is more than a school—it's a family and one that I want to help ensure it thrives and survives.
What does the Poly community mean to you? It means lifelong friendships—many of my best friends are my Poly friends. It also means multigenerational friendship. As a second-generation Poly alumna, I have developed close and meaningful relationships with many of my mom's Poly friends, which is something rare and means a lot to me. The Poly community means people who have your back. I always know that if I need help, I can rely on my Poly classmates regardless of the length of time since we last chatted. This most recent disaster here in Altadena really showed that Poly friends were checking in on each other—donating to GoFundMe pages, helping find housing—and more.
What does philanthropy mean to you? Philanthropy means helping ensure the sustainability of the organization you're volunteering for. Whether it's time, money, knowledge or more, it means giving back however you can best.
What motivated you to be Philanthropy Chair? After being on the Alumni Board's Philanthropy Committee, I realized it isn't hard to ask people to help a cause I believe in. In this case, the cause is Poly. When asked to help lead the alumni effort, I was more than happy to say yes. I want to help other people have the same positive experience with philanthropy that I have had.
Why does participation matter for Giving Day? Participation of all kinds matters—it's important that we do everything we can to help the incredible community that helped raise so many of us continue to thrive.
Save the Date: Poly Giving Day 2025
Join us on April 16 to celebrate generosity and the power of community. Everyone—parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends—plays a vital role in sustaining Poly. Stay tuned!
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