The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation in Menlo Park, California, has named MATT BAKER as an officer in its Environment program. Baker, currently vice chair of the National Association of Regulated Utilities Commissions Committee on Natural Gas, previously served as a commissioner with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission and was founding executive director of environmental advocacy organization Environment Colorado. He earlier served as a member of Colorado's Pollution Prevention Advisory Board, was vice chair of the Transit Alliance, and served as organizing director and hiring director for the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group, where he oversaw environmental and social advocacy programs on twelve New Jersey college campuses.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Princeton, New Jersey, has announced the appointment of CHARLES "ROBIN" HOGEN as vice president of communications. Hogen, currently director of strategic communications at Yale University, earlier ran his own communications consultancy and served in senior communications roles at Purdue Pharma, Fisher Scientific International, Hybridon, Inc., United Technologies Corporation, and Merck & Co., where he also was president of the Merck Company Foundation.

The Blue Shield of California Foundation in San Francisco has announced that MELISSA RODGERS will direct its Heath Care and Coverage program. Rogers, a public-interest attorney experienced in healthcare policy, will replace Brenda Sol�rzano, who will continue to serve as chief program director. Earlier, Rodgers served as directing attorney of the Child Care Law Center, associate director of the Berkeley Center on Health, Economic & Family Security at the UC Berkeley School of Law, and director of the Health Consumer Center at the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County. In addition, Rodgers co-founded the Legal Aid Society's medical-legal partnership with the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford and designed and taught medical-legal partnership courses at Stanford and UC Berkeley. The foundation also announced that CHRISTINE MAULHARDT has been promoted to communications manager, responsible for communications and public policy.

The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation in Winston Salem, North Carolina, has announced the appointment of SHAHEEN SYAL as director of communications. Syal, most recently communications director for e-NC Authority, previously directed the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center's Leadership Institute and worked in various areas of television and video production, most notably as a producer/writer for the Emmy award-winning series NC Wanted.

The New York City-based Ovarian Cancer Research Fund has announced the appointment of MARA SANDLER and BROOKE GOODMAN COHEN, both of whom lost their mothers to ovarian cancer, to its board. Sandler, who is returning to OCRF's board after a brief hiatus, will serve as the first chair of its program committee. Goodman Cohen brings to the board a diverse background in fashion, travel and leisure, Wall Street, advertising, and real estate, as well as her experience on the boards of several nonprofit organizations.

The Los Angeles-based Ralph M. Parsons Foundation has announced the election of FRANKLIN E. ULF, a leader in Southern California's investment management industry, as board chair. Ulf, current chair of private investment advisory firm Covington Capital Management, serves on several civic and nonprofit boards, including the California Science Center Foundation, the USC Marshall School of Business, the Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County, YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, and Pomona College.

The Council on Foundations in Arlington, Virginia, has announced the appointment of VICKI SPRUILL as president and CEO. Spruill, currently president and CEO of Ocean Conservancy, previously helped create FoundationWorks, an independent organization devoted to helping foundations and others in the philanthropic sector use strategic communications to enhance their philanthropic effectiveness; was the first director of the Philanthropic Awareness Initiative; and founded and led SeaWeb, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing ocean issues through strategic communications and social marketing. Earlier, she had a fifteen-year career in public relations, including five years as a senior vice president of Ruder Finn. Jeff Clarke will remain as interim president and CEO of the council through June 30.

In other news, L.A.-based Free Arts for Abused Children has announced the appointment of SHAUNA MCCLURE as executive director. McClure, most recently executive director of the Hollywood Arts Council, earlier worked as a freelance grant writer in Washington, D.C.