The Council on Foundations has the appointed new members to its Board of Directors to help lead the Council’s strategic planning efforts.

The appointments include Peter Laugharn who currently serves as President & CEO of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, who has 25 years of foundation and nonprofit experience, with a focus on improving the well-being of vulnerable children. Prior to his current role, Laugharn served for six years as executive director of the Netherlands-based Bernard van Leer Foundation.

Current Vice President of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Mae Hong, has also been appointed. As Vice President, Hong led the opening of the organisation’s Chicago office and has nearly 20 years of nonprofit and philanthropy experience.

Finally, Brennan Gould who currently serves as President & CEO of the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation was also appointed.  Gould was influential in creating the Heal Charlottesville Fund which received national recognition for the organisation’s response to 2017 attacks in Charlottesville.

‘We are fortunate to welcome this distinguished slate of leaders to the Board,’ said Jamie Merisotis, Council Board Chair and President, Lumina Foundation. ‘They join us at an exciting time as we reimagine the Council’s role in supporting philanthropy. I am confident they will add significant value to the Board and I look forward to our future collaboration.’

In 2020, the Board will lead the Council’s strategic planning efforts, define the organization’s new mission, vision and core beliefs and continue to provide fiduciary oversight.

‘I am thrilled to have Brennan, Mae and Peter join the Council’s Board of Directors. Their combined experience and knowledge of what ethical and effective philanthropy looks like makes them perfectly suited to help lead the organization into the future, said Kathleen Enright, President & CEO, Council on Foundations. ‘I look forward to working with them as we build a strong, trusted Council that supports our members and the field to advance the greater good.’

New Council Board members were voted on and confirmed during the annual meeting of members on December 4 2019, and began their terms on January 1 2020.