The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has announced the appointment of JOSH McMANUS as program director for Akron. McManus, currently lead inventor at urban problem-solution incubator Little Things Laboratories,  co-founded CreateHere, a placemaking project focused on talent retention and cultural change in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Earlier, he served as vice president of organizational development at the United Way. McManus is a frequent  keynote speaker on topics such as informed urban action, talent retention and attraction, and entrepreneurial development and was chosen as a Marshall Memorial Fellow.

The MacArthur Foundation has announced the planned departure of BARRY LOWENKRON on August 1. Lowenkron, who has been the foundation’s vice president of international programs since 2007, earlier served  five different U.S. presidential administrations in variety of  international policy roles, including assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. Before that, he was an adjunct lecturer in American foreign policy at Johns Hopkins’ Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, a Ford Foundation Fellow focused on arms control and Eastern Europe, and a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow. In stepping down, Lowenkron  said, “I have always believed that while people in our line of work have a permanent commitment to advance the human condition, none of us should view ourselves as ‘permanent’ in the positions we are privileged to occupy. For me, it’s time to move on to other challenges and opportunities where I can apply my passion.”

Catholic Charities USA has announced that its president, LARRY SNYDER, will step down on January 31, 2015, to take the role of vice president for mission at the University of St. Thomas, a Catholic university in St. Paul-Minneapolis. Snyder, who has served as CCUSA’s president since 2005 and has worked for the organization since 1991, is viewed as largely responsible for expanding the organization’s role as a national advocate for policies aimed at lifting Americans out of poverty. Before joining the organization, he was a priest in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and a high school teacher.

The California HealthCare Foundation has announced the election of MARC JONES and BRADLEY GILBERT to its board. Jones, chair and CEO of cellular communications company Aeris Communications, has more than twenty-five years’ experience in the technology industry as a securities lawyer, investment banker, and senior business executive.  Gilbert, CEO of the Inland Empire Health Plan, serves on the boards of the California Association of Health Plans, the Local Health Plans of California, and the California Association of Public Hospitals (Safety Net Institute).

Donors Forum has announced its board officers and members for the 2015 fiscal year (July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015). Named as vice chair was DEBORAH GILLESPIE, vice president of finance and administration and secretary/treasurer at the Joyce Foundation. Named to the board for the first time are DERONDAL BEVLY, partner, Social Venture Partners Chicago; SHARON BUSH, Elgin program director and senior program officer, Grand Victoria Foundation; EVELYN DIAZ, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services; SHELLY STERN GRACH, director of civic engagement, Microsoft; DIANA HESS, senior vice president, Spencer Foundation; MARK ISHAUG, CEO, Thresholds; and LOUISE FERRY STEWART, president, Community Foundation of Macon County.

The Life Sciences Foundation has announced the appointment of CARL FELDBAUM as interim board chair. Feldbaum, who has served on the organization’s board since 2011, also serves on the boards of BIO Ventures for Global Health, Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd., and Exelixis. He previously served as founding president of the Biotechnology Industry Organization until his retirement in 2005. Feldbaum will replace G. STEVEN BURRILL, who helped establish the Life Sciences Foundation in 2010.

The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City has announced a new board of advisors, as well as the priority areas it will focus on going forward. The latter include improving neighborhood open spaces, expanding access to quality arts education, and increasing youth employment. New members of the organization’s board of advisors are: HUSAM AHMAD, HAKS Construction; MARISOL ALCANTARA, West Harlem district leader; JO ANDRES, artist, filmmaker, and choreographer; GINA ARGENTO, Broadway Stages; BARRY BERKE, Kramer Levin; ANTHONY BONOMO, Physicians’ Reciprocal Insurers; BARBARA BOWEN, professional staff, U.S. Congress; JILL BRIGHT, Conde Nast; STEVE BUSCEMI, actor; DERRICK CEPHAS, Weil, Gotshal & Manges; JANET DEWART BELL, communications and policy consultant; CHERYL EFFRON, Conjunction Fund and founder, Greater NY; JAY EISENHOFER, Grant & Eisenhofer; STEVEN FELDMAN, Bullion International; HAL FETNER, Sidney Fetner Associates; MARIAN FONTANA, writer, performer, and founder of the  9-11 Families Association; CHARLENE GAYLE, Macon Realty; ARON GOVIL, Ducon Technologies; BETH GREEN, attorney; GEORGE GRESHAM, 1199 SEIU; JON HALPERN, Halpern Real Estate Ventures; FRED HELLER, Metro Systems; LOUIS HERNANDEZ, former president, NYPD Hispanic Society; ANNE HESS, MADRE, philanthropist; LORNA BRETT HOWARD, philanthropist; LAURA IMPERIALE, Tully Construction; AMABEL BOYCE JAMES, philanthropist; ORIN KRAMER, Boston Provident; PAM KWATRA, Kripari Marketing; JOHN McAVOY, Con Edison of New York; MARY McCORMICK, Fund for the City of New York; CHERYL McKISSACK, McKissack & McKissack; RON MOELIS, L+M Development; RUD MORALES, Primary One, Inc.; MIKE MUSE, Muse Recordings; CHARLES MYERS, Evercore Partners; CYNTHIA NIXON, actor; RONALD O. PERELMAN, MacAndrews and Forbes; BRUCE RATNER, Forest City Ratner; STEVEN RUBENSTEIN, Rubenstein Communications; BILL RUDIN, Rudin Management; BILL SAMUELS, Effective New York; MARY SANSONE, Congress of Italian-Americans Organization; CHRIS SHELTON, CWA, District 1; HARENDRA SINGH, Singh Hospitality Group; DAISY SOROS, Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans; JERRY SPEYER, Tishman Speyer; ROB SPEYER, Tishman Speyer; MARY ALICE STEPHENSON, GLAM4GOOD; STUART SUNA, Silvercup Studios; KEN SUNSHINE, Sunshine Sachs; CAROL SUTTON LEWIS, Carol Sutton Lewis and William M. Lewis, Jr. Charitable Foundation; JON TISCH, Loews; DAN TISHMAN, Tishman Construction; ESTELA VASQUEZ, 1199 SEIU; GEORGE WALKER, Neuberger Berman; JEFF WILPON, Sterling Equities; and STEVEN WITKOFF, The Witkoff Group.

Foundation Source has announced the appointment of SALVATORE BUCCI as president. Bucci, who served the organization as an executive consultant over the last year, most recently was president of Home Partners Credit Corp, a privately held specialty finance company. Earlier, he served in executive positions at a variety of organizations, including the International Fight League, biotech company Paligent Inc., and DeGeorge Financial Corporation. He began his career with Coopers & Lybrand and later joined Merrill Lynch’s real estate and insurance group, holding management positions in both finance and mortgage banking.

In other news, Habitat for Humanity International has announced the appointment of JESSICA JACKLEY to its board. Jackley, currently an investor and advisor with the Collaborative Fund, is co-founder and former chief marketing officer of Kiva as well as co-founder and CEO of crowdfunding platform ProFounder. She also is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a 2011 World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leader, and has served as an advisor or board member for several organizations that support women’s rights, microfinance, technology, and the arts.