Patrick J. McGovern Foundation
Vilas Dhar will be the first president of this $1.2 billion foundation that promotes the ethical use of artificial intelligence and data science for social good. Most recently he was a senior fellow at the Berggruen Institute in its Transformations of the Human program.
The foundation was created upon the 2014 death of Patrick McGovern, who was the founder and CEO of the International Data Group, a global media company that publishes the magazines Computerworld, Macworld, and PCWorld.
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Kevin Young, a poet and director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, will become director of the Smithsonian’s museum on Black history on January 11. He succeeds Lonnie Bunch III, who now leads the Smithsonian Institution.
Weingart Foundation
Miguel Santana, president and CEO of Fairplex and the former city administrative officer of the City of Los Angeles, will become president of the $797 million social-justice foundation on January 25.
Fred Ali, who has been president and CEO since 1999, will step down at the beginning of next year.
More New CEOs
Sol Anderson, executive director at LIFT-Chicago, was tapped as executive director of I Grow Chicago, a community-development group in the city.
Aysha Akhtar has been named the first president and CEO of the Center for Contemporary Sciences, a new group that aims to end animal testing in scientific discovery. She is a neurologist and specialist in preventive medicine and public health at the Food and Drug Administration.
Nicole Clifton, vice president for public affairs at UPS, has been promoted to president of social impact and the UPS Foundation, effective November 1. She will succeed Eduardo Martinez, who is retiring after working at the shipping company for 44 years.
Dean Dimke is now executive director of the West Palm Beach Library Foundation. Previously he was director of corporate relations at the Miami City Ballet.
Pilar Montoya, president of Envision Collective Consulting, has been tapped as executive director of Resource Media, a nonprofit communications firm. Amy Frykman, interim executive director, will return to her role as deputy director.
CDC Foundation
Lauren Smith, co-CEO of FSG, a social-impact consulting firm, has been named chief health equity and strategy officer.
A physician who also holds a master’s degree in public health, Smith was previously medical director and later interim commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Walton Family Foundation
Chelsea Peters, senior vice president and chief regional strategy and operations officer at Unicef USA, has joined the $4.8 billion family foundation as chief strategy officer.
Other Notable Appointments
Howard Brown was promoted from program officer to senior program officer at the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation.
Naeema Campbell, program associate for the environment and informed communities program at the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, has been promoted to environment program officer.
Chrissy Deal has been tapped as director of the Livingston Fellowship Program at the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, as well as its arts and social change grantmaking. Most recently she was director of social responsibility and inclusion at the Western States Arts Federation.
Nora Wang Esram, chief engineer and team lead at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has been appointed senior director for research at the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. In addition, Lauren Ross has been promoted from director of its local policy program to senior director for policy.
Joshua Felix, head of people at Brilliant Corners, has returned to Think Together as chief people officer. Previously he was executive director of strategic partnerships there until 2018.
Opal Hawkins, chief financial officer at the University Professional and Continuing Education Association, has been named chief financial officer at Prosperity Now. In addition, Mary-Frances Wain, senior vice president at the National Women’s Law Center, has been hired as chief engagement officer.
Melissa Karachalios has been promoted to deputy executive director and development director at the Workers Circle. She joined the organization in 2018 as director of development and external affairs.
Carolyn Lange has been named chief financial officer at the Community Foundation of New Jersey. Previously she was chief financial officer at ByteGrid, a national data center company.
Adam Lopez, an estate lawyer at the Johnson Law Group, in Madison, Wis., has been appointed director of planning services at the Barnabas Foundation. In addition, Nathan Osborn has joined the Christian giving group as managing director of planning services. Most recently he was a partner at Nylen & Partners LLC, in Whitewater, Wis.
Jennifer Ross has been named to a newly created position as director of diversity and strategic initiatives at the Akron Urban League. Most recently she was a post-doctoral senior research fellow at Columbia University Law School, where she worked in its African American Policy Forum and the Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies.
Richard Tate has been promoted from vice president of public affairs to executive vice president at the California Wellness Foundation.
Legacy
Michelle Smith, president of the Robert H. Smith Family Foundation, died on September 23. She was the daughter of the late Robert Smith, a real-estate magnate who developed the Crystal City area of Arlington, Va., and succeeded him as president of the family’s foundation in 2010. She also served on the Aspen Institute’s Board of Trustees, the John F. Kennedy Center’s International Committee on the Arts, the Mayo Clinic’s Leadership Council, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Board of Commissioners, among other board appointments.
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