In their 1885 Napa Victorian home, Kent Rasmussen and Celia Ramsay are surrounded by art, much of it collected at local charity auctions and events—including Nimbus Arts’ NIMBASH. A love of art is just one of the passions Kent and Celia have cultivated over their 40 years of marriage and entrepreneurship.
Together, they built Rasmussen Winery and other ventures, always making decisions side by side. “Dinner is never less than an hour and a half, and a lot of it is us discussing what matters,” Celia shares. “We both retain the right to veto any decision—we’ve always made choices together.”
When they sold their winery property in St. Helena, Kent and Celia turned to philanthropy, placing the proceeds into a Donor Advised Fund (DAF). That decision gave them a way to channel their shared values into action. “We’ve worked hard and had some luck, but we don’t really want for things,” Kent says. “That frees us to give—because what matters more is making a difference.”
Their giving reflects both their personal passions and their practical experience. Several years ago, they opened a DAF with Napa Valley Community Foundation, and last year launched a Skilled Trades Scholarship that’s managed by NVCF.
“Running a winery in Napa, you need tradespeople—and there just aren’t enough,” Kent explains. “That’s what inspired the scholarship.”
For Kent and Celia, philanthropy is another way of building—not vineyards or businesses, but opportunities for others. “Napa means something to us. We know it well, and giving here feels like making a difference where it matters,” Celia says.
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