The James S. McDonnell Foundation (JSMF) has announced that president and CEO SUSAN M. FITZPATRICK will retire by the end of 2022. Following the change in leadership, JSMF intends to shift its worldwide focus of research in behavioral and biomedical sciences to contributions in economic development and mobility, life sciences, PK-12 STEM education, and workforce development specifically within the St. Louis metropolitan area. 

The McKnight Foundation in Minneapolis has announced the appointment of CEDRICK BAKER as its chief of staff, effective May 16. For the past five years, he has served the Saint Paul Public Schools, most recently as chief of staff. At McKnight, he will serve as a key strategic advisor to the foundation’s president, TONYA ALLEN.

The Terra Foundation for American Art in Chicago has announced four additions to its board of directors. AMINA DICKERSON is president of Dickerson Global Advisors, a leadership coaching and consulting practice; ERIC T. MCKISSACK is an investment executive, entrepreneur, and independent board member; RAVI SALIGRAM is president, CEO, and board member of Newell Brands, a Fortune 300 global consumer products company; and AMANDA WILLIAMS is a visual artist who trained as an architect. 

Americans for the Arts in Washington, D.C., has announced the addition of five members to its board of directors, effective June 1: TORRIE ALLEN, president and CEO of Arts Midwest; CHRISTOPHER CUTLER, founder and president of Manager Analysis Services, LLC; MARC D. FOLK, president and CEO of the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo; KRISTINA NEWMAN-SCOTT, executive director of the Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at New York Public Radio; and RAVI S. RAJAN, president of the California Institute of the Arts.

The Chicagoland Habitat for Humanity has announced the election of eight board members. J. KELLY BUFTON is senior counsel in the real estate practice group in the Chicago office of Haynes and Boone; MELISSA DORKO serves as managing director at Deloitte Consulting; JAMES HARRIS is senior vice president at Wintrust Mortgage; CHRIS KEMPA is CEO of True Value; KIM KING serves assenior director of global sourcing and procurement for Elkay Manufacturing; ASHLEE PFORR is a project executive at Skender; ANTHONY SCATTONE serves as chief people officer at Aon; and SANJAY SOOD is senior vice president and chief technology officer for CDW. 

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation in Short Hills, New Jersey, has announced the appointment of MARCO BAPTISTA as its chief scientific officer. Baptista will help lead the foundation’s efforts to advance cures for spinal cord injury and paralysis and provide scientific and innovative oversight of the nonprofit’s collaborative approach to accelerating the field toward meaningful therapeutics. 

Community Coalition in Los Angeles has announced the appointment of RYAN SMITH as its first-ever chief strategy officer. Smith will focus on supporting Angelenos who suffer from systemic and institutional barriers within education and beyond, particularly those affecting Black and Latino communities. 

Democracy Works has announced that LUIS LOZADA has been promoted to CEO. Lozada joined Democracy Works as general counsel in August 2020 and was appointed interim CEO in December 2021.

Human Rights Watch has announced that executive director KENNETH ROTH will step down at the end of August 2022 after nearly 30 years. Since becoming executive director in 1993, Roth has helped transform it from a small group of regional “watch committees” to an international human rights organization with global influence. Roth plans to write a book drawing on his personal experiences about the most effective strategies for defending human rights. TIRANA HASSAN, chief programs officer, will serve as interim executive director. 

The Indiana Philanthropy Alliance has appointed NICK MCLAIN as its communications manager and JOANNA NESS as director of community foundation programs. McLain most recently served as the communications manager at the Indiana Library Federation, a statewide nonprofit association representing more than 2,000 librarians and library staff. Ness was serving as communications director of the Steuben County Community Foundation.

The Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) has announced that JACLYN GOLDBERG of Keane & Beane has been appointed to its board of directors.

New Settlement has announced the appointment of JASON ACOSTA to its board of directors. Acosta currently serves as a diversity, equity, and inclusion strategist for the New York City Department of Education. 

The Young People’s Chorus of New York City has announced the appointment of LEONIE KRUIZENGA as chief advancement officer. Kruizenga has served as development director for Holland Festival, trust fund consultant at Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, and head of development for the Swiss Institute New York.