Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I’m excited to announce that, after a national search, we have found and selected our next President and CEO, Sushma Raman – who will formally join us in February!

Sushma is a seasoned leader and social change strategist. She is currently the Executive Director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, which serves as the hub of the Harvard Kennedy School’s research, teaching, and training in the human rights domain.

She has deep experience in philanthropy, having led initiatives at both the Ford and Open Society Foundations. You can learn more about her here.

I couldn’t be more thrilled that Sushma is joining us. Sushma comes to us with expertise and interdisciplinary experience across many of the areas of work to which we are dedicated. She is a learner as well as a leader, someone whose humility and intellectual curiosity will take her far in the philanthropic journey ahead.

Sushma is connected and respected nationally in the field, as well as here in California, where she previously served as President of the Southern California Grantmakers Association. Sushma has expressed an enthusiastic commitment to our entire body of philanthropic and advocacy work and looks forward to meeting our partners and colleagues as she dives into her new role.

When I think about our uncharted future, and our need to work in concert with our allies, our government, and all who share our aspirations for a better world, I can’t think of a person better suited to lead us than Sushma.

Please join us in welcoming Sushma to the Foundation.

Sincerely,
Liz Simons
Chair, Heising-Simons Foundation