October 21, 2022 | Read Time: 4 minutes
Alzheimer’s Association
Joanne Pike will become its CEO in January. She has worked there since 2016, most recently as president.
Pike will replace Harry Johns, who has led the association since 2005.
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
Maurine Knighton has been promoted from program director for the arts to chief program officer at the $2.6 billion foundation.
William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust
Nancy Cable, chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Asheville, will become executive director of the $465 million foundation in January.
She was previously president of the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations from 2012 until 2018.
James S. McDonnell Foundation
Jason Purnell will begin as president of the $468 million foundation on February 1. Currently he is vice president of community health improvement at BJC HealthCare.
Purnell will succeed Susan Fitzpatrick, who is retiring. She has led the foundation since 2015.
More New CEOs
Erika Backberg, chief impact officer at the Kresser Institute for Functional Medicine, has been named executive director of Pathways, a Healing Center. She replaces Tim Thorpe, who is departing after 13 years there.
Vanessa Cárdenas, acting deputy director of America’s Voice and America’s Voice Education Fund, has been promoted to executive director. She succeeds its founder, Frank Sharry, who has retired.
Arvenita Cherry, vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Maximus, will now serve as president of the Maximus Foundation. She follows John Boyer, who has been the information-technology company foundation’s president and chairman for the past 17 years and plans to retire later this fiscal year.
Otis Hackney, chief education officer for Mayor Jim Kenney of Philadelphia, has been appointed president and CEO of the I Have a Dream Foundation. He succeeds Eugena Oh, who has led the group since 2017 and will remain a member of its board.
Khady Kamara will be the Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center’s first executive director. She was most recently executive director of New York’s Second Stage Theater.
Robert Kordenbrock, executive director of the Fenway Community Center, is now executive director of Rehearsal for Life.
Yasmene McDaniel, interim CEO of HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast since June, will remain in the role permanently. She will be its first Black CEO and was hired in July 2021 as chief operating officer.
Gregory Morris will be the next CEO of the New York City Education and Training Coalition. He was previously president and executive director of the Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center for eight years until he left in April.
Dava Schub, CEO of the Edlavitch Jewish Community Center, will become CEO and director of the Children’s Museum of Manhattan on January 2.
Ballmer Group
Sam Ballmer has been hired as climate lead, where he will direct the organization’s new grant-making strategy to address climate change.
A son of the tech billionaires Steve and Connie Ballmer, he was previously manager of strategic partnerships at New Story, a nonprofit group working to end global homelessness.
Other Notable Appointments
Loren Abbey, human-resources director at the Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association, has been hired as the Rasmuson Foundation’s first director of people and culture. Bill Bailey has also joined the $729 million foundation in Alaska as director of external affairs. Most recently he was Fairbanks communications manager at the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.
Braden Abraham, artistic director at the Seattle Repertory Theatre, will join Writers Theatre in Chicago over the winter as artistic director.
Judith Alperin has been named chief development officer at Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America. She was most recently CEO of the Jewish Federation, Foundation, and JCC of Greater New Haven.
Sampada Aranke will serve as director of the Mellon Archives Innovation Program at the Rebuild Foundation. She is an assistant professor in the Art History, Theory, and Criticism Department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Amanda Hickman, interim executive director at the Association of Independents in Radio, has been named the MuckRock Foundation’s first chief operating officer.
Ed Park is joining the fintech group Daffy as chief financial officer for Aside, its cloud-based technology platform for donor-advised funds. Most recently he was chief financial officer at Enjoy Technology.
Carol Peterfeso, founder and managing partner of the investment-management consulting firm Dolomite Capital Partners, has been appointed managing director of investments at the Bush Foundation, where she will help guide its $1.8 billion in assets.
Rowena Taylor, vice president and chief human-resources officer at Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow, has been named vice president of administration at New York Junior Tennis and Learning.
Mohini Venkatesh will be the first chief of staff at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. She has worked there since 2007, most recently as vice president of business and strategy.
Sarah Wilkins, senior major-gifts officer at St. Mark’s School, has been hired as associate director of development at the New England Aquarium.
Departures
Melissa Berman will step down next year as president and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. She has led the group since its founding in 2002.
Jesse Hahnel is leaving after 14 years as executive director of the National Center for Youth Law.
Send an email to people@philanthropy.com.
