True Colors United, a Charity Founded by Cyndi Lauper, Names Its First Transgender CEO

True Colors United

Dylan Waguespack has been promoted from chief policy officer to CEO of this charity co-founded by the singer Cyndi Lauper to prevent homelessness and offer an array of other support services for LGBTQ youths.

Waguespack will be the organization’s first transgender leader.

Arnold Ventures

Rachel Weiss has joined the grant maker as vice president of advocacy for health care, based in Washington.

Most recently she was director of communications for the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Cleveland Foundation

Leta Obertacz, director of advancement at the Cleveland Zoological Society, will join the $3.2 billion community foundation as senior vice president for advancement on September 6.

In addition, Ginger Mlakar has been promoted from general counsel and senior director of gift planning to general counsel and vice president for advancement.

Monique Burr Foundation for Children

Tanya Ramos-Puig will be the next CEO and first Latina leader of this bullying-prevention charity created by the real-estate developer Edward Burr, the founder and CEO of GreenPointe Holdings, in honor of his late wife.

Most recently, Ramos-Puig was president of the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Latin Recording Academy.

More New CEOs

Jax Chaudhry, regional director at the Literacy Lab, will now be executive director of Project Invent.

Whitney Rencountre II, associate director of the Indian University of North America at the Crazy Horse Memorial, will become CEO of the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation, effective September 15. He will succeed Joseph Konkol, who has served as interim CEO since January and will return to his role as chief financial officer in September.

Jason Spangler, executive medical director and head of global HTA (health technology assessment) policy strategy and engagement at Amgen, will now serve as CEO of the Innovation and Value Initiative. He succeeds Jennifer Bright, who has led the nonprofit research group on the science, practice, and use of value assessment in health care since 2018.

Other Notable Appointments

Hannah Gelbs-Gadd, vice president of operations at HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake, has been appointed chief operating officer at the Woman’s Hospital of Texas.

Sarah Hernandez, a postdoctoral researcher and assistant project scientist focusing on Huntington’s disease at the University of California at Irvine, has been named director of research programs at the Hereditary Disease Foundation.

Lauren Marshall has been promoted from director of marketing and civic engagement to vice president of marketing and civic engagement at the Cambridge Community Foundation.

Ashutosh Nandeshwar, who co-authored the book Data Science for Fundraising, has been tapped as senior vice president of data science and analytics at CCS Fundraising.

Ken Shatzkes has been promoted from senior program officer to program director at the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts.

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