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Mesch to Step Down From Women’s Philanthropy Institute; Other People News

By  M.J. Prest
May 18, 2018
Mesch to Step Down From Women’s Philanthropy Institute; Other People News 1
Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

Women’s Philanthropy Institute

Debra Mesch, director of the institute for the past 10 years, will step down from the role on August 1. She will continue at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy to concentrate full time on research and teaching as a professor of women’s philanthropy.

Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation

Holly Humphrey, dean for medical education at the University of Chicago, has been named president of the foundation, the only national philanthropy dedicated to improving the education of health professionals.

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Mesch to Step Down From Women’s Philanthropy Institute; Other People News 1
Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

Women’s Philanthropy Institute

Debra Mesch, director of the institute for the past 10 years, will step down from the role on August 1. She will continue at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy to concentrate full time on research and teaching as a professor of women’s philanthropy.

Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation

Holly Humphrey, dean for medical education at the University of Chicago, has been named president of the foundation, the only national philanthropy dedicated to improving the education of health professionals.

Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation

Aisha Alexander, director of thought leadership at KaBoom, will join the foundation in Washington as senior director for strategy and equity. In this newly created role, she will oversee efforts to ensure racial equity in the foundation’s grant making and internal operations.

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust

Mary Jane Rynd was named president and CEO of this Arizona grant maker. She has worked at the $500 million foundation for 17 years, most recently as executive vice president. Rynd is replacing Susan Pepin, who is leaving the trust after four years for Arizona State University where she will be managing director of its Office of Health and Clinical Partnerships.

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SOS Children’s Villages USA

Neil Ghosh, executive vice president at the Global Fund for Children, has been tapped as the charity’s new CEO. He succeeds Lynn Croneberger, who has left after six years in the role. In April, the Association of Fundraising Professionals honored Croneberger as its 2018 Outstanding Fundraising Professional. No reason was given for her departure.

More New CEOs

Blair Duncan, vice president and chief operating officer at the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, has been promoted to CEO and president, effective July 1.

Hal Hoxie, a retired colonel in the U.S. Air Force and currently the president of Central Christian College, will become president of the Butterfield Memorial Foundation on August 2.

Mary Katherine Morn, chief development officer at the Unitarian Universalist Association, has been named president and CEO of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.

Bela Moté, vice president for evidence-based youth-development interventions and national director of character development at the Y-USA, is the new CEO of the Carole Robertson Center for Learning.

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Thomas Putnam, director of education and public programs at the National Archives and Records Administration, has been named the executive director of the Concord Museum, in Massachusetts. He follows Margaret Burke, who has retired after seven years.

Rob Richie, executive director of FairVote since he co-founded the organization in 1992, has been promoted to president.

Josh Sevin, acting executive director of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, has joined International House Philadelphia as president and chief executive officer.

Nita Smith has been named executive director of Friends of the Children’s chapter in Tampa Bay, Fla. Previously she was president and chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Club of the Suncoast.

Erika Walker, vice president for development for Guest House, has become executive director of the McLaren Oakland Foundation.

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University Development Hires

Frank Doria, a major-gifts officer at ProMedica Healthcare System, has joined Aquinas College as vice president for advancement.

Don Griffith, founder of Cornerstone Advisory Group, formerly Griffith Financial, will become vice president for university advancement at Fresno Pacific University and executive director of the FPU Foundation on July 1. At that time, he also will step down as chair of the university’s Board of Trustees.

Margaret Miller, deputy vice president for alumni affairs, has been appointed deputy vice president for volunteer engagement at Princeton University, a new role that encompasses both alumni affairs and development.

Margaret Onken, senior adviser for Let America Vote, will serve as vice president for development at Maryville University. She succeeds Tom Eschen, who is retiring.

Kurt Peterson, assistant vice president for principal gifts at Loyola University Chicago, has been named executive director of the College of Lake County Foundation.

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A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation

The Bethesda, Md., foundation has announced three senior leaders for programs and operations.

Natalie Grandison, director of external relations in the department of mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland’s Clark School of Engineering, has been named director of engineering initiatives.

Jennifer Houston, vice president of special projects and events at the consulting firm Innovative Philanthropy, has been appointed operations and grants manager.

Ryan Palmer, chief external relations officer for Martha’s Table, has become director of D.C. community initiatives.

Other Notable Appointments

Marisa Cecil, director of philanthropy at the Spartanburg Regional Foundation, has been appointed director of development at Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas.

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Melanie McGuire, director of the development associates program and mid-Michigan major gifts at Michigan State University, has been named director of development and major gifts for WKAR Public Media.

Molly O’Hagan Hardy, a guest curator at the Cape Ann Museum, has been appointed director of the museum’s library and archives.

Ellen Oost, director of development at 21st Century Parks, has joined Louisville Public Media as director of development.

Benilda Samuels, chief marketing communications officer, has been promoted to chief operating officer at the Nurse-Family Partnership’s National Service Office.

Departures

Mark Goldring, chief executive of Oxfam Great Britain, says he will step down from his post at the end of the year. The humanitarian-aid group is rebuilding its reputation following accusations that staff members of the organization sexually abused survivors of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

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Andrea Wagner, vice chancellor of advancement at the University of Colorado at Denver, is retiring.

Send an email to people@philanthropy.com.

We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
Executive LeadershipWork and Careers
M.J. Prest
M.J. Prest has been writing about major gifts, grant making, and executive moves for the Chronicle since 2004.
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SPONSORED, GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

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