The Children’s Aid Society recently announced the appointment of Phoebe Boyer as its new president and CEO, making her the first women to hold these positions. Boyer, the current executive director of the Robertson Foundation, has extensive experience in the nonprofit sector as well as in government. She served for 12 years as the executive director of the Tiger Foundation, where the organization distributed over 112 million dollars to diverse efforts to fight poverty throughout New York City. Before this, Boyer also served for four years as the assistant executive director of Inwood House, another New York nonprofit dedicated to helping distressed teens through services and education. Her public sector experience includes work in the New York City Dept. of Corrections and the Dept. of Transportation’s Bureau of Bridges. Boyer obtained her master’s in public-nonprofit management from Columbia Business School and her bachelor’s from Wesylan University. Phoebe Boyer will succeed Richard Buery, Jr. on Oct. 1 as he goes on to serve as deputy mayor to New York’s Mayor Bill de Blasio.
William D. Adams has been confirmed by the United States Senate as the new chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) by unanimous consent agreement. Adams, an army veteran and veteran of the education sector, served as the president of Colby College in Maine since 2000 and resigned his post for his new role at NEH on June 30. He began his career teaching political philosophy at Santa Clara University and the University of North Carolina; going on to coordinate programs at Stanford University and then become vice president of Wesleyan University. Bucknell University appointed him as its president in 1995 where he served until his move to Colby College. Adams received his bachelor’s in philosophy at Colorado College and his Ph.D. from the University of California. His education was interrupted for three years by his service in the U.S. Army, including one year of combat service in Vietnam. Adams replaces deputy chairman Carole Watson who has been serving as acting chairman since the parting of former chairman James A. Leach.
The Joyce Foundation has appointed Beth Swanson as the organization’s new vice president of strategy and programs. Her policy construction and implementation experience in the Great Lakes region makes her an ideal fit for Joyce Foundation, one of the most prominent Great Lakes-based charitable foundations. As Chicago’s deputy chief of staff for education under Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Ms. Swanson helped to craft the city’s current education policy agenda and expand access to quality early learning initiatives. Swanson begins work at Joyce this September where she will oversee the foundation’s work in the areas of education, employment, environment, democracy, gun violence prevention and culture. Ellen Alberding, president of the Joyce Foundation expressed confidence and enthusiasm for the appointment of Beth Swanson: “We at Joyce, and I know many of you, have admired Beth’s deep understanding and deft management of complex policy issues, and we are very pleased that she will be joining our team.”
With a heavy heart, the McGregor Fund recently announced the passing of its longtime president, David Campbell at the age of 61. Campbell led the McGregor Fund for nearly 20 years, first as executive director and then as president and CEO. Before his tenure at the McGregor Fund, he served as vice president of the Program at Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan and also as dean of students at the College for Creative Studies. Over the many years serving at McGregor, Campbell became familiar with leading nonprofits around the nation and earned a reputation for being kind, humble, thoughtful, driven and was known as a man of the highest integrity. Dave, born and raised in Midland, MI, earned his BA from Alma College and his MA from Central Michigan University. His regretful early passing was due to a long struggle with pancreatic cancer which he sadly lost on July 7. He is survived by his mother and father as well as his wife, daughter, sister, brother, and several nieces and nephews. He will be sorely missed by his family and friends, as well as the numerous individuals and businesses he touched and worked with throughout his distinguished career.
The Bush Foundation recently selected G. Bryan Fleming to serve as its new leadership programs director where he will lead the foundation’s Bush Fellowship and Leadership Network Grants programs. Fleming has been director of admissions for The Blake School in Minneapolis since 2000 where he has developed a capacity for recognizing potential in students and staff. After earning his undergraduate degree in music education from the University of New Mexico he went on to complete a master’s in education at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. Having dedicated much of his life to education and music education, Fleming is very experienced in the fields. He currently sits on the boards of several community, arts and human services organizations, including Children’s Theater Company, Friends of the Hennepin County Library and PACER Center. His arrival at the Bush Foundation is timely, as applications for the 2015 Bush Fellows just began being accepted and the Leadership Network Grants selection process is also now in full swing. His abilities and experience will be instrumental in helping shape the direction and efficacy of the programs.
