People: CEO Exits Council on Foundations, New Leaders Join Teagle and SunTrust Funds

John Pankratz

Vikki Spruill, president of the Council on Foundations, is departing on June 1 after six years at the helm of the organization. Spruill said her new job as CEO of the New England Aquarium in Boston will allow her to return to her “central passion.” Before taking over at the Council on Foundations in 2012, she led the Ocean Conservancy and founded and led SeaWeb, a nonprofit that promoted ocean conservation.

At the council, Spruill inherited an organization with a declining membership and multimillion-dollar budget deficits. She scaled back programs and cut staff by nearly half, to 45. She said she stabilized membership declines at the organization and largely closed the budget gap.

Council on Foundations

However, some observers criticized the organization under her leadership. Aaron Dorfman, president of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, said the council’s importance has declined in recent years due in part to its reluctance to advocate for policies that directly affect the communities foundations serve, even if it means alienating some members with different political views. “I’m not at all sure that a big-tent, keep-everyone-happy approach will work,” Dorfman said.

Several major foundations have appointed new leaders:

• Richard Fahey, chief operating officer at the $580 million Skoll Foundation, will begin serving as interim president on May 1. Sally Osberg, who has worked at the foundation for 17 years, announced last April that she would end her tenure as president and CEO this year. She will become a senior adviser to the organization’s founder, Jeff Skoll, the former president of eBay.
• Andrew Delbanco, a professor of American studies at Columbia University since 1985, has been selected as president of the Teagle Foundation. He will take over in July, succeeding Judith Shapiro, who is retiring.
• Stan Little, senior vice president for marketing strategy and operations at SunTrust Banks, has been named president of the bank’s $205 million corporate foundation. He will succeed David Fuller, who retired at the end of March.

Best Friends Animal Society

Julie Castle has become CEO of this national animal-rescue group working to end euthanasia in pet shelters.

SunTrust Foundation

Most recently, she served as executive director of the charity’s No More Homeless Pets program in Utah and led community programs nationally for the No More Homeless Pets Network.

She succeeds her husband, Gregory Castle, who is stepping aside after nine years as CEO.

Omidyar Network

Mike Kubzansky, who has led the foundation’s intellectual-capital function since 2013, has been promoted to managing partner for the philanthropic investment firm the Omidyar Network, overseeing $463 million in assets. He will succeed Matt Bannick, who is stepping down after 11 years in the role and will continue to serve on the firm’s Board of Directors.

More New Leaders

Carolyn Berkowitz, the former president of the Capital One Foundation and co-founder of Mission Partners, will become president and CEO of the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals on July 2. She will succeed Mark Shamley, who is stepping aside after nearly 11 years.

Meri-Margaret Deoudes, president and CEO of EarthShare, has been named president and CEO of the National Environmental Education Foundation. She follows Diane Wood, who is retiring.

Tonya Gollotte, associate vice president for advancement at the University of Mobile, has been named executive director of the newly created University of Mobile Foundation.

Marianna Tu, chief operating officer at America Needs You, has been promoted to CEO of this charity, which helps prepare first-generation college students for higher education. She succeeds Kimberly Harris, who is stepping down.

David Willis, a pediatrician whose Oregon practice focuses on early-childhood development and family therapy, has been named the first executive director of the Perigee Fund. Founded last year, it makes grants for the healthy social and emotional development of young children.

Mike Wilson has been promoted to executive director of the Yellow Ribbon Fund. Wilson joined this charity, which assists wounded veterans, as director of operations last August and was promoted to deputy executive director in September.

Frank Daidone, who has served as acting CEO of the Nurse-Family Partnership since September, has been installed permanently in the top role. He was previously chief operating officer of the Denver charity.

Ellen Davis, senior vice president for research and strategic initiatives at the National Retail Federation and executive director of its foundation, has been promoted to president of the foundation.

Elizabeth Andersen has joined the World Justice Project as executive director. Most recently, she was the associate executive director for global programs at the American Bar Association and director of its Rule of Law Initiative.

Departures

Arthur Brooks intends to step down as president of the American Enterprise Institute in mid-2019. He has led the conservative think tank since 2009.

Wendy DuBoe, president and CEO of United Way of Metro Chicago since 2012, will step down later this year, pending the selection of a successor. She has served in a variety of leadership roles at the charity for 15 years.

Handy Lindsey Jr., president of the Ruth Mott Foundation, announced he will retire in November or as soon as a successor is found. During his four-year tenure, Lindsey oversaw a strategic plan that shifted the foundation’s grant making to focus on north Flint, Mich.

Legacies

Peter Peterson, the billionaire financier and co-founder of the Blackstone Group, died on March 20. He was 91. In 2007, he took the Blackstone Group public and plowed $1 billion from the sale of his stock into the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, which makes grants to educate the public about America’s federal debt.