September 4, 2018 | Read Time: 5 minutes
American Diabetes Association
Tracey Brown, former senior vice president for operations and chief experience officer at the Sam’s Club division at Walmart, has become CEO of this organization, which raises millions for diabetes research. It was No. 230 on last year’s Philanthropy 400, our annual ranking of charities that raise the most money.
Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis
Patricia Snell Herzog, associate professor of sociology and co-director of the Center for Social Research at the University of Arkansas, has been selected as the first professor to hold the Melvin Simon chair in philanthropy at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. She is also the co-author of American Generosity: Who Gives and Why.
Discovery Park of America
Scott Williams, president and chief operating officer of the Newseum, has been hired as the president and CEO of this Tennessee children’s museum. He will replace James Rippy, who has led the museum since it was built in 2008 and will now retire.
Philanthropy Roundtable
Joanne Florino has returned to the Philanthropy Roundtable as vice president for philanthropic services. Before leaving in 2016, she was senior vice president for public policy and led its Alliance for Charitable Reform. She has spent the past two years as project lead for the Atlantic Philanthropies archival collection at Cornell University Archives.
More New CEOs
Bridget Clark Whitney, executive director of Kids’ Food Basket, has been promoted to founding CEO. In addition, Afton DeVos, associate director, has been promoted to chief operating officer.
Liz Hume, vice president at the Alliance for Peacebuilding, will serve as acting president and CEO. She succeeds Melanie Greenberg, who has joined Humanity United as managing director for its Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation portfolio, and will additionally lead its Washington office when she joins on October 1.
Glenn Merry, CEO of the United States Rowing Association, has become executive director of Disabled Sports USA.
Jennifer Owens has been named president and CEO of the Arlington Community Foundation, in Virginia. Previously she was senior vice president and chief development officer at the Central New York Community Foundation.
Nancy Sasaki, executive director of the Alliance Healthcare Foundation, has been tapped as president and CEO of the United Way of San Diego County.
Connelly Foundation
The grant maker in West Conshohocken, Penn., has hired two new executives.
Fran Burns, chief operating officer of the Philadelphia School District, has been named chief operating officer.
Tim Durkin, a senior officer of the Pew Charitable Trusts Philadelphia program and director of its civic efforts, joined as vice president for grant making.
Other Notable Appointments
Cornell William Brooks, president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People until 2017, has joined Harvard Kennedy School as professor of the practice of public leadership and social justice. He will also lead the William Monroe Trotter Collaborative for Social Justice at the Center for Public Leadership.
Zenna Elhasan, corporation counsel for Wayne County, Mich., will join the Kresge Foundation as its first lead attorney, effective October 1. In this role, she will oversee the development and enforcement of foundation policies and practices.
Sandra Gasca-Gonzalez, director of the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, has been promoted to vice president of its Center for Systems Innovation, which advocates for child welfare and juvenile justice. She succeeds Teresa Markowitz, who has been named chief executive officer of Case Commons.
Keishia Gu has been appointed head of education at the J. Paul Getty Museum. Most recently she was director of admissions and enrollment at Geffen Academy at the University of California at Los Angeles.
Bianca Jackson, senior director of fund and community development at Genesis Women’s Shelter and Support, has been named chief development officer at New Friends New Life. In addition, Jessica Brazeal, clinical director, was promoted to chief programs officer.
Philippe Sion, a managing director at the consulting firm FSG, has joined Humanity United as managing director for its Forced Labor and Human Trafficking portfolio.
Lauren Snelling, founding artistic director of OZ Arts, in Nashville, has been appointed senior director of alumni programming at the National YoungArts Foundation.
Marissa Wolf, associate artistic director at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, has been picked as the artistic director of the Portland Center Stage at the Armory.
Departures
Tamara Copeland, president of the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers since 2006, intends to retire at the end of the year.
Peter Fleischmann, chief executive of the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies since 1982, has resigned. He had been on paid leave since June, during an investigation into the handling of donations to the foundation. Lynn Catalano, director of development, has been leading the charity on an interim basis.
Dennis Kois, president and CEO of the Milwaukee Public Museum for four years, has resigned. Ellen Censky, senior vice president and academic dean for the museum, will serve as acting president and CEO during its executive search.
Legacies
Betty Schoenbaum, a philanthropist in Sarasota, Fla., died on July 31 at the age of 100. Her late husband, Alex, co-founded the Shoney’s restaurant chain. The couple gave millions to education and human-service organizations, primarily in Florida, Ohio, and West Virginia, including $31 million to the Salvation Army and a leadership gift for the Glasser-Schoenbaum Human Services Center, in Sarasota.
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