Rebecca Benghiat has been chosen to lead the youth mental health and suicide prevention nonprofit, The Jed Foundation (JED), as its president and COO.
Benghiat is a veteran executive of the sector, having founded and led numerous organizations with a focus on mental, social and/or emotional health.
She comes to JED from The Quad Preparatory School, a nationally-recognized independent K-12 school known for its integration of social and emotional learning with regular academic curriculum and its support of children with learning differences. There she worked for two years as chief operating and advancement officer.
Prior to her time at The Quad, Benghiat served as chief operating officer for the global youth mental health advocacy and community action organization, citiesRISE.
Benghiat also headed the women’s physical and mental health nonprofit, Seleni Institute, as executive director for six years. Her tenure there saw the organization grow rapidly and have a renewed focus on maternal and reproductive mental health. This was not a new focus for her as early in her career she founded and led New Space for Women’s Health, a now-shuttered nonprofit centered on empowering women to make their own choices about healthcare.
Between her time at New Space and the Seleni Institute, Benghiat served as chief of staff at the Child Mind Institute for two years.
Benghiat’s education includes a bachelor’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago and a juris doctor degree from Yeshiva University.
“We are excited to welcome Rebecca to The Jed Foundation. Her leadership in organizational and growth management will be invaluable during this critical time when JED’s work in colleges, universities, and high schools is needed more than ever,” said JED CEO John MacPhee in a news release about the appointment. “She brings decades of experience in the nonprofit sector and a proven commitment to supporting the mental health of our nation’s young people.”
Rebecca Benghiat began her duties as president and COO of the Jed Foundation on Nov. 8, 2021. She will focus her work over the coming months on expanding and scaling the foundation’s comprehensive higher education and high school student mental health programs.
