October 2, 2018 | Read Time: 2 minutes
Julia Stasch, who narrowed the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s grant-making strategy to focus on several “big bets,” announced last month that she plans to step down in 2019.
Stasch joined the $7 billion fund in 2001 and served as vice president for U.S. programs before she was named to the top job in 2014.
Under Stasch, the foundation committed more aid to causes such as criminal justice, climate change, and nuclear disarmament.
She also helped start MacArthur‘s 100&Change competition, promising $100 million to a single proposal to solve a significant problem.
Planned Parenthood Pick Health Official as CEO
Leana Wen, commissioner of health for the City of Baltimore, is now president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Formerly an emergency physician, she is the first medical doctor to lead the organization in half a century. Wen replaces Cecile Richards, who announced in January that she would be leaving after 12 years in charge.
Feeding America Chooses Corporate Executive as CEO
Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, who has held senior jobs at Walmart and PwC as well as in government, has been named chief executive of Feeding America, a network of 200 food banks and 6,000 pantries and meal programs.
She replaces Diana Aviv, former head of Independent Sector, who in January, left abruptly.
Getty Foundation Head to Retire
Deborah Marrow, director of the Getty Foundation since 1989, will retire at the end of December.
Marrow oversees all of Getty’s grant-making activity. She created the foundation’s Multicultural Undergraduate Internship program, which over 26 years has placed more than 3,300 young people at 160 local arts institutions.
GlobalGiving and duPont Fund Hire New Leaders
Mari Kuraishi, co-founder and president of GlobalGiving, has been named to run the Jessie Ball duPont Foundation. She succeeds Sherry Magill, who is retiring after 25 years in the top role.
Kuraishi will be succeeded at Global Giving by Alix Guerrier, co-founder of the education technology company LearnZillion.
More Leadership Shifts
Tracy Wolstencroft, chairman of Heidrick & Struggles, is the new chief executive of the National Geographic Society. He succeeds Gary Knell, who is now the CEO of National Geographic Partners.
Susan Reichle, president and chief operating officer at the International Youth Foundation, will be promoted to chief executive officer on January 1. She succeeds William Reese, who is retiring after 14 years as CEO and 21 years at the charity.
Cathy Tisdale, CEO of Camp Fire for the past eight years, plans to retire, effective April 1.
Tyler Nickerson, founding director of investments and state strategy at the Solutions Project, has been appointed vice president for commercial banking at Amalgamated Bank. In his new role, he will lead the bank’s financial strategy for its foundation and philanthropic clients.
