Schmidt Ocean Institute Selects Its First Executive Director (Transitions)

Schmidt Ocean Institute

Jyotika Virmani will be its first executive director. She was most recently executive director of planet and environment at X Prize and the executive director of the Rainforest X Prize.

This foundation was created in 2009 by the billionaires Eric and Wendy Schmidt, who allocated $18 million to it last year as part of their $1.3 billion total in giving.

Human Rights Funders Network

Ana María Enríquez, a consultant for gender equality, human rights, and international philanthropy, has been tapped as executive director, based in Colombia. She was chief of the U.N. Women Fund for Gender Equality until 2012.

Robert R. McCormick Foundation

Timothy Knight, former president and CEO of the Tribune Publishing Co., has been named president and CEO of the $1.5 billion grant maker in Chicago. He succeeds David Hiller, who is retiring after 10 years.

Mercy Housing

Ismael Guerrero, executive director of the Housing Authority of the City and County of Denver, has been hired as president and CEO. He will begin his new role on July 1.

More New CEOs

Sharon Corwin, director and chief curator at the Colby College Museum of Art, has been appointed president and CEO of Terra Foundation for American Art.

Kelly Garrity was appointed executive director of the Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation, which increases access to high-quality maternal and infant care for low-income mothers and their children. Garrity was most recently senior director of member services and development at the National Health Council.

Leslie Gordon, president and CEO of Feeding Westchester, has been named president and CEO of the Food Bank for New York City.

Moky Makura has been named executive director of #AfricaNoFilter, a collaborative group that shares stories from African people. She most recently worked for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as its country representative to South Africa.

Shawn Osborne has been named CEO of the Two Ten Footwear Foundation, which makes grants to support employees of the U.S. footwear industry. He is the former president and CEO of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship.

Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project

The legal-aid group in Tucson has named its first three program managers.

Lillian Aponte Miranda, pro bono manager for its children’s program, will now serve as its children’s program manager.

Anthony Pelino has been promoted to manager of its adult program. He has been managing attorney at the Florence Project since 2018.

Kaitlin Porter, a social worker at the Florence Project for four years, has been promoted to be its social-services program manager.

Other Notable Appointments

Elizabeth Cahill, chief communications officer at the Atlantic Philanthropies, has joined the Surdna Foundation as director of communications and engagement.

Mary Crowley has been appointed senior vice president and chief external-affairs officer at Fountain House. She comes to the mental-health group from the Vera Institute of Justice, where she was vice president of communications and public affairs.

C. Lynn McNair, vice president of philanthropic partnerships at the Alliance for Excellent Education, has been named chief advancement officer at the Georgetown Day School.

Sylia Obagi, who founded the consulting firm Generative Group, has joined the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation as vice president for finance. Previously, she was the founding president and CEO of the Roy & Patricia Disney Foundation.

LaKoya Rochell is now director of programs and associate director of development for the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Most recently she was executive director of resource development at the Anderson, Muncie, Marion, and Henry County campuses at Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana.

Gelila Selassie has joined Justice in Aging as a staff attorney to assist state advocates focusing on long-term services and supports, and home and community-based services for older people. She previously worked as a lawyer in Charlotte, N.C., representing clients in Medicaid and Marketplace appeals.

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