Southern Poverty Law Center Brings in New President and CEO (Transitions)

Southern Poverty Law Center

Margaret Huang, executive director of Amnesty International USA, will become president and CEO in April.

Last spring, the civil-rights watchdog dismissed its co-founder Morris Dees, following employee allegations of harassment and unfair treatment. Richard Cohen, its president, resigned shortly thereafter.

Center for Disaster Philanthropy

Patricia McIlreavy, vice president of humanitarian policy and practice at InterAction, will be the disaster-relief grant maker’s next president and CEO. She succeeds Robert Ottenhoff, its first CEO, who is stepping down after nearly eight years.

Science Philanthropy Alliance

Valerie Conn, who became executive director in 2017, has been promoted to president. She succeeds Marc Kastner, who stepped down after nearly five years of leadership.

In addition, Shirley Tilghman, a molecular biologist who served as president of Princeton University from 2001 to 2013, has joined the group as senior science adviser.

Yawkey Foundations

Maureen Bleday, executive vice president and general counsel, has been promoted to CEO of these two grant makers in Boston that reported combined assets of $533 million in 2017, the most recent year for which data is available.

More New CEOs

Rod Brooks will now be CEO of Convergent Nonprofit Solutions, a fundraising company. Most recently he was president and CEO of the nonprofit group Rise Against Hunger.

Geronimo (Jerry) Diaz, chief development and marketing officer at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona, has founded Geronimo Consulting, a Phoenix firm that will focus on strategic planning, fundraising, and board and staff development at nonprofit organizations.

Jamie Fitzpatrick, chief operating officer at the Maui Humane Society, has been hired as executive director of the Pet Network Humane Society in Incline Village, Nev. She succeeds Jason Stipp, who left to become the K-9 and veteran programs director at the Dave and Cheryl Duffield Foundation.

Kyra Kyles, program officer of media and storytelling at the Field Foundation, has been appointed CEO of YR Media. She succeeds its co-founder Ellin O’’Leary, who has retired.

Adam Levine, who was deputy director and curator of ancient art at the Toledo Museum of Art until his departure in 2018, has returned as director. More recently he served as director and CEO of the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, in Jacksonville, Fla.

Clooney Foundation for Justice

The legal nonprofit group, founded by the human-rights lawyer Amal Clooney and the actor George Clooney, has two new senior executives.

Anya Neistat, previously the senior director for research at Amnesty International, will now serve as legal director of the Docket, which provides legal representation for individuals who are victims of international crimes.

John Prendergast has joined as strategic director. He will continue to lead the Sentry, a war-crimes watchdog group he co-founded with George Clooney in 2016.

Fetzer Institute

The private operating foundation in Kalamazoo, Mich., has new roles for several staff members.

Sharif Azami, a program officer, has been promoted to senior program officer in its democracy program.

Xiaoan Li has been promoted from program officer to senior program officer, focusing on educational priorities.

Michelle Scheidt, a program officer, has been promoted to senior program officer for projects related to spiritual formation.

Shakiyla Smith is now director of organizational culture. She was previously a program officer.

William Vendley has joined the institute as a senior adviser for world religions. Previously, he was secretary general of the World Conference of Religions for Peace.

Urban Alliance

Nicola Diamond has been named chief operating officer of the Urban Alliance. Most recently she was chief financial officer at Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland.

Urban Institute

Faith Mitchell, who recently stepped down as president and CEO of Grantmakers in Health, has joined the research center as an institute fellow. She will work with the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy and the Health Policy Center.

New Top Fundraisers

Margi English, chief development officer at Hamilton Families, has been appointed chief development officer at Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco.

Suzanne Hudson-Smith has joined the Van Wezel Foundation as associate director of leadership gifts. Previously she was executive director of Players by the Sea Theatre, in Jacksonville Beach, Fla.

Valerie Otten will become senior vice chancellor for university advancement at the University of Denver on March 30. Most recently she was associate vice president for development at the California Institute of Technology.

Marie Schultz, assistant vice chancellor at the University of California at Riverside, was promoted to associate vice chancellor for development.

Stephen Sporer, director of principal and major gifts at Macalester College, has been named vice president for development at Luther College.

Other Notable Appointments

Nicole Howe Buggs, associate corporate secretary at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, has been promoted to chief administrative officer and corporate secretary. In addition, Trish Callahan, human-resources director at the Education Trust, has joined the $3.6 billion foundation as chief human-resources officer.

Tracie Powell, founder of AllDigitocracy.org and a senior fellow at the Democracy Fund, is now a program officer for the Racial Equity in Journalism Fund at Borealis Philanthropy.

Katie Swenson, vice president of design and sustainability at Enterprise Community Partners, is now a senior principal at MASS Design Group.

Departure

Joe Voeller has stepped down as communication director at the NoVo Foundation after five years there.

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