The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation endeavors to strengthen, promote, and, where necessary, defend the contributions of the humanities and the arts to human flourishing and to the well-being of diverse and democratic societies. To this end, they support exemplary institutions of higher education and culture as they renew and provide access to an invaluable heritage of ambitious, path-breaking work.

Charity

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Akua Bonsu is an operation, and administrative coordinator. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Bonsu served as a senior research associate at Everytown for Gun Safety where she focused primarily on school safety, Stand Your Ground laws and community trauma among Black Americans. She earned a BA in urban studies and psychology with a specialization in anthropology from Columbia University.

Akua Bonsu

Elizabeth LoCascio is a program assistant for the Higher Learning program. Prior to assuming this role, she served as the Foundation's office services assistant. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. LoCascio worked at WMNR Fine Arts Radio in Monroe, Connecticut. She graduated in 2017 with a BA in social work from Western Connecticut State University.

Elizabeth LoCascio

Kris Choe serves as a program assistant for the Higher Learning program. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Choe managed events, student programming, and donor stewardship for the Graduate School of Arts and Science Dean's Office at New York University. She received her BA from California State University, Fullerton, and an MA in English from New York University.

Kris Choe

Rachel Ninomiya serves as a program assistant in the Arts and Culture program. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2022, she held archival and collections management positions at the Calder Foundation. Previously, she held front-of-house positions at museums in Los Angeles and New York. Ms. Ninomiya graduated from Brooklyn College with a BA in art history and is currently pursuing her MA at Hunter College.

Rachel Ninomiya

Casandra Hernández Faham is a program associate in the Arts and Culture program at The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2020, Ms. Hernández Faham served as executive director of CALA Alliance (Celebración Artística de las Américas), a multidisciplinary Latinx arts organization that organizes creative collaborations with artists in Arizona, México, and Latin America. Through a joint appointment, she also served as Curator of CALA Initiatives at the Arizona State University Art Museum. Previously, she worked as an artist programs coordinator at the Arizona Commission on the Arts, where she managed artist grants and created the AZ ArtWorker program to facilitate dialogue and knowledge-sharing. She holds an MA in anthropology and museum studies from Arizona State University and curated public programs at ASU Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve. Among other honors, she was the recipient of the 2014 40 Hispanic Leaders Under 40 Award, and a fellow of the National Arts Strategies Chief Executive Program and the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures Leadership Institute.

Casandra Hernández Faham

Chandra Marshall serves as a program associate in the Public Knowledge program. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Marshall received an MA in public humanities from Brown University where she held the Public History of Slavery Fellowship. She holds a BA in history and international relations from Scripps College. After receiving her degree, Ms. Marshall spent one year teaching English in France and served as an AmeriCorps volunteer in Clarkston, Georgia.

Chandra Marshall

Elizabeth Foley is a program associate for Higher Learning and previously held that role in the Diversity program. She has worked with the Foundation's flagship Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship program for over a decade, managing the reporting of MMUF's nearly 6,000 fellows to the Foundation and serving as administrator of the MMUF website (www.mmuf.org). In this capacity, she has overseen several rebuilds of the website and is responsible for compiling data on the program's outcomes for internal and external communities. An English major by training, she is a frequent writer and editor of internal program documents. She holds a bachelor's degree from Bryn Mawr College and a master's degree in liberal studies from the City University of New York Graduate Center.

Elizabeth Foley

Mary Bates first joined the Foundation in 1997 as an executive and program assistant to the vice president of the Liberal Arts Colleges program. In 2004, she became a founding member and marketing manager for the Emeriti Retirement Health Solutions Consortium, serving until 2007, when she devoted herself to caring for her family full-time. Ms. Bates returned to the Foundation in 2011, and currently works with grantees in developing new grants. She holds a bachelor's degree in art from Carnegie Mellon University.

Mary Bates

Martha Scott Burton is a research associate in the Office of the President. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Burton held curatorial and research positions at the Whitney Museum of American Art, The Morgan Library & Museum, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, and The Studio Museum in Harlem. She has also supported the production of a number of academic publications and exhibition catalogues. Ms. Burton holds an MA in art history from the University of Texas at Austin and a BA in art history (magna cum laude) from Columbia University, where her research focused on the politics of identity in modern and contemporary art, histories of photography, and legacies of colonialism.

Martha Scott Burton

Spencer Shapiro serves as a senior investment analyst. Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Shapiro worked on the investment team at RockCreek, a DC-based asset management firm, where he focused primarily on international public investments. He holds an AB in government and a secondary in economics from Harvard University.

Spencer Shapiro

Makayla Baker serves as a senior investment analyst. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2021, Ms. Baker worked at the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois as a senior investment analyst focused on the private equity asset class. She holds a BS in business administration with an emphasis in finance as well as a BA in international studies including a multicultural certificate from the University of Missouri.

Makayla Baker

Yindeng Jiang joined the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in 2021 as a senior portfolio manager. He works with the chief investment officer to manage the Foundation's investment portfolio across asset classes with a focus on liquid strategies. He also provides input into asset allocation, risk management, and portfolio strategy, and leads the design and implementation of tools and analytics to support investment decision-making.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Jiang was an investment analytics specialist at Soros Fund Management, where he worked closely with the CRO and the CIO on researching and building quantitative approaches to portfolio construction. From 2005 to 2017, Mr. Jiang worked on the investment team at the University of Washington Investment Management Company.

Mr. Jiang graduated from the University of Washington with a Ph.D. in statistics.

Yindeng Jiang

Vanessa K. Corrêa joined the Foundation in 2020 as a chief communications officer. Ensuring consistency, coherence, and impact, she provides strategic direction for and drives the execution of the Foundation's brand, marketing, and communications. 

Previously, Ms. Corrêa served as the chief brand officer for the University of California, where she led the conceptualization, development, and implementation of the UC's first systemwide brand platform coupled with building a cross-functional and nationally recognized marketing communications team. While at UC, she also spearheaded large-scale integrated marketing, advocacy, and communications programs, while providing strategy and counsel across the organization.

Vanessa Corrêa

Rocco Praderio is a program assistant in the Arts and Culture program. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2020, he worked in the eastern bonding office at the Actors' Equity Association where he administered agreements between producers and the union for both commercial and nonprofit theater productions. Mr. Praderio also has experience in casting, literary management, new play development, and technical production from previous positions at nonprofit theater companies in the Northeast. He graduated summa cum laude from Ithaca College with a BA in theatre studies and writing.

Rocco Praderio

Yoona Hong serves as a program assistant for the Higher Learning program. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Hong served as a program associate for the Mellon Mays Fellows Professional Network at the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. She has also held a number of roles both abroad and in the United States at social justice organizations, such as Liberty in North Korea and Hagar International where she worked on issues such as refugee support and human trafficking. Ms. Hong received a BA in international studies from Johns Hopkins University and an MA in human rights from Columbia University.

Yoona Hong

Mammotsa Makhene is the manager of strategic initiatives and planning in the Humanities in Place program. In this role, she provides planning, research, and grantmaking support for the program and cross-program initiatives.

Before joining the Foundation, Ms. Makhene worked in research-related social justice work, analyzing the impact and outcomes of social programs on marginalized communities in both New York and South Africa. In addition to her work at the Foundation, she serves as adjunct faculty at Hunter College, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate level students in the politics and social work departments. Her courses focus on race, racial inequality, human rights, and exploring oppression within social welfare policy. A Soweto native, she began her career at Investec, one of South Africa's leading investment banks.

Mammotsa Makhene

Achille Tenkiang serves as a program assistant for the Humanities in Place program. Prior to joining the Foundation, he served as a legal assistant at White and Case LLP in Paris, France. He is also currently a director at the Boarding School and was formerly a trustee at Princeton University. Mr. Tenkiang received his BA in African studies and development from Princeton and an MA in race, migration, and decolonial studies from the University College Dublin where he was a Mitchell Scholar.

Achille Tenkiang

Jackie Clay is a program associate in the Arts and Culture program at The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2021, Ms. Clay served as executive director and curator at the Coleman Center for the Arts, a contemporary arts organization that produces socially engaged public art projects in the Alabama Black Belt region. She holds dual-interdisciplinary degrees in curatorial practice and visual + critical studies from California College of the Arts in San Francisco. In addition to her work in Sumter County, Ms. Clay hosts Monograph, a documentary series produced by Alabama Public Television that focuses on creative practice both inside and outside the framework of the traditional arts. She has contributed to catalogs including Prospect 4, black is a color, and An Impulse to Keep the Greenwood Art Project catalog.

Jackie Clay

Emma Boast is a program associate in the Office of the President. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Boast was a member of the arts and culture department at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, where she facilitated cultural planning projects on behalf of local governments throughout Greater Boston and spearheaded social justice-oriented initiatives in community engagement, partnerships, and research. Her experience includes curatorial work with the National Public Housing Museum in Chicago and the Brown Arts Initiative, as well as cultural policy development with the Department of Art, Culture + Tourism in Providence, RI. She also spent five years as the founding director of exhibitions and programming at the Museum of Food and Drink, where she curated groundbreaking exhibitions and programs at the intersection of history, culture, and science. She earned a BA in art history at the University of Chicago and an MA in public humanities at Brown University, where she was a curatorial fellow.

Emma Boast

Julissa Peña is a program associate in the Humanities in Place program. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Peña was involved in higher education administration, advising students, faculty, staff, parents, and other stakeholders at Columbia University. During her time there, she oversaw the dissertation office at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, which supports all doctoral candidates at Columbia, and worked as a senior registration and financial analyst within the Office of the University Registrar. 

Ms. Peña has a BA in Latin American studies and sociology from Wesleyan University and an MA in American studies from Columbia University.

Julissa Peña

Deana Haggag is a program officer in Arts and Culture at The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation in May 2021, Ms. Haggag was the president and CEO of United States Artists (USA), a national arts funding organization based in Chicago. During her tenure, USA saw unprecedented growth, expanding its fellowship award program, launching the Berresford Prize, and developing coalition efforts to advance support for individual artists most notably including Artist Relief, a $25 million emergency initiative to support artists facing dire financial circumstances due to COVID-19, and Disability Futures, an initiative aimed at increasing the visibility of disabled creative practitioners across disciplines and geography and elevating their voices individually and collectively. Before joining the USA in February 2017, she was the executive director of The Contemporary, a nomadic and non-collecting art museum in Baltimore for four years. 

In addition to her leadership roles, Ms. Haggag lectures extensively consult on various art initiatives, contributes to cultural publications, and has taught at institutions such as Johns Hopkins University and Towson University. She is on the board of The Underground Museum, as well as the artistic director's council of Prospect.5 and an advisory council of Recess.

Deana Haggag

Julia Marden serves as a research associate in the Public Knowledge program. Ms. Marden comes to the Foundation from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, where she had the role of civic data lead and headed a cross-departmental group responsible for developing strategic metrics and assessing the impact of the library's work. Her experience includes positions at Columbia University Libraries, where she was the research support and data services librarian, and at DataKind, where she worked as the community manager overseeing a global network of volunteers contributing data science expertise to community-based projects. She is also the founder of Tiny Panther Consulting, which offers workshops and consultations that help organizations and individuals demystify data and empower them to use data to question, advocate, collaborate, and change the world.

Ms. Marden holds a BA in public policy analysis from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MS in library science from Pratt institute.

Julia Marden

Ianna Angelo is a senior events manager at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation where she leads the planning and production of internal and public-facing events that amplify shared goals toward a more just, equitable, and vibrant society. Ms. Angelo has a decade of experience in event production, partnership building, and engagement strategies, with past positions at The Municipal Art Society of New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. She loves how events have the ability to inspire ideas, propel the action, and connect people. She has planned events in a range of formats and scales—from intimate fundraising receptions, large gala dinners, and award presentations, to full-day conferences, craft fairs, and even an urban walking festival for over 70 thousand in-person and virtual attendees. 

Born in San Diego, California, Ms. Angelo is a proud Banana Slug and graduated with honors from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a BA in anthropology and a minor in the history of art and visual culture.

Ianna Angelo

Ehsan Jami joined the Foundation in 2018 as a senior executive assistant to Elizabeth Alexander where she proudly serves alongside colleagues in the Office of the President supporting President Alexander and the Foundation in furthering the social justice mission. 

Between 2009 and 2013, Ms. Jami worked for the America-Mideast Educational and Training Services organization in Tunisia. She taught English as a Foreign Language to adults and young learners and her work included training to teach English for International Communication preparatory courses. She also participated as a teacher and mentor in the ACCESS program, which provides micro-scholarships to young learners from disadvantaged communities in the Greater Tunis area funded by the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. She has eight years of experience in the administrative support space as a former executive assistant and compliance analyst at CIFC Asset Management LLC and as an executive assistant at The Carlyle Group. 

Ms. Jami holds a bachelor of liberal arts from the City College of New York-CUNY with a major in history and a minor in French, and a master of arts degree from Hunter College-CUNY in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.

Ehsan Jami

Dale Rejtmar is a senior executive assistant in the Higher Learning program, providing support to Phillip Brian Harper and Armando I. Bengochea. 

Prior to joining the Foundation in 2020, Mr. Rejtmar worked for three decades at New York University, where, at various points, he provided administrative support to the Music Department, the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, and the Graduate School Dean's Office. Most recently, he was chief of staff to the dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Science. He holds a BA in music theory and composition, and an MA in museum studies, both from New York University.

Dale Rejtmar

Dawei Liu joined the Foundation in 2020 as an investment analyst. Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Liu worked in Bluestem Asset Management, an alternative investment fund, and was previously an analyst on the public investing team at DUMAC, Duke University's endowment. He holds a BS in economics with a concentration in finance as well as a BA in political science from Duke University.

Dawei Liu

Emma Taati serves as a senior program associate in the Higher Learning program. Ms. Taati joined the Foundation in 2014 following 11 years as a staff member at the Social Science Research Council, where she most recently served as associate director of the Mellon Mays Graduate Initiatives. She has also been a project management consultant to the Graduate Center at the City University of New York, Race Forward, the Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University, and Teachers College. Her experience includes roles at the Rockefeller Foundation and at the Barr Foundation in Boston, which resulted in the published study, Catalytic Change: Lessons Learned from the Racial Justice Grantmaking Assessment. Ms. Taati graduated from Vassar College with honors in political science and a correlated concentration in women’s studies.

Emma Taati

Alexis Ortiz is a senior program associate in the Office of the President. Prior to assuming this role, she served as a program associate in the Arts and Cultural Heritage program, specializing in performing arts. Before joining the Foundation in 2017, Ms. Ortiz held positions at the Kennedy Center, Jazz@Lincoln Center, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Lisa Booth Management. She has also produced performances, tours, television specials, and community events at venues ranging from the White House to SXSW, as well as for PBS. A graduate of Yale University, Ms. Ortiz majored in political science and Latin American studies. She earned an MA at the University of Miami in international administration, with a concentration in culture and sustainable development.

Alexis Ortiz

Armando Bengochea is a senior program officer for Higher Learning and director of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF), a program he had previously been involved with at both Brown University and Connecticut College. Mr. Bengochea has started or restructured a wide range of initiatives at Mellon that foster diversity, access, and inclusion in higher education for both students and faculty. He brought to the Foundation more than 26 years of experience as an academic dean.
 
After completing his undergraduate education at the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Bengochea earned a Ph.D. in politics at Princeton University where he wrote a political philosophy dissertation on Tocqueville. From 1986–2006, he worked at Brown University where he served as dean of freshman studies and associate dean of the college. In 2002, Mr. Bengochea helped create, launched, and then oversaw the university’s First Year Seminar program and for many years had oversight of signature academic advising initiatives and related curricular programs. As part of these roles, Mr. Bengochea planned and participated in many programs and initiatives in support of students of color. Throughout his 20-year career at Brown, he was charged with monitoring the academic and social well-being of Latino/a undergraduates across all four undergraduate classes.

Armando I. Bengochea

Kamilla Szabados serves as an investment analyst. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2021, Ms. Szabados worked at CIT as a senior analyst in the energy group where she focused on renewable transactions. She holds a BS in business administration with an emphasis in finance from Chapman University.

Kamilla Szabados

Matt Tomasello is a database support analyst on the Data Management team. In this role, he helps to maintain and support the grants management system (Fluxx), assists on the grantee and staff help-desks, and assists with quality assurance tasks related to system data and records. Prior to joining the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Mr. Tomasello held technical support and administration roles at webcasting company PGi. He holds a master of business and science (MBS) degree from Rutgers University.

Matt Tomasello

Schuyler Marquez serves as a grants manager. Before joining the Foundation, Ms. Marquez worked as a cultural anthropologist, specializing in the intersections between religion and global foodways. In addition to conducting ethnographic fieldwork with communities in Brazil and the United States, she taught courses as an adjunct lecturer at the City College of New York and New York University and completed postdoctoral research at Arizona State University. Prior to her academic training, she served as a program assistant at the Social Science Research Council where her work focused on promoting new fields of inquiry and enhancing doctoral proposal development and training.

Ms. Marquez holds a BA in anthropology from Mount Holyoke College and a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from New York University.

Schuyler Marquez

Nina Pincus serves as a grants manager for the Foundation.  Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Pincus served as the senior global grants manager at C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, an international nonprofit organization focused on bringing mayors together to tackle climate change.  During her six years at C40, she oversaw the grants management function and implemented the funding development process to streamline proposal development at the organization. 

She holds a BA in foreign languages, focusing on Spanish and Japanese, from Scripps College.  After receiving her degree, Ms. Pincus spent two years teaching English in Japan.

Nina Pincus

Colleen J. Ross joined the Foundation in 2021 as an integrated content director, a role created to translate Mellon's priorities into compelling storytelling that fosters a broad understanding of the Foundation's core mission to advance social justice through the arts and the humanities. 

Ms. Ross has 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, strategic marketing, communications, and project management for media and cultural organizations.

At StoryCorps, the groundbreaking personal history project and national nonprofit, Ms. Ross directed all marketing and communications activities. She diversified the platforms on which StoryCorps stories are seen and heard. During her tenure, more people than ever engaged with StoryCorps content or recorded their stories to preserve them at the Library of Congress.

Colleen J. Ross

Deborah Cullen-Morales

Tatiana Evans

Anthony Parler serves as a facilities assistant for the Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Parler worked for many years in the service industry.

Anthony Parler

Kevin Graham has worked for the Foundation since 2011 and is the director of investment operations. Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Graham was a senior associate within Russell Investments' global investment operations team, based in London. He has a BA in business administration from Brunel University and is a CFA charterholder.

Kevin Graham

Charles Aikhoje joined the Foundation in February 2018 as an IT service engineer. Mr. Aikhoje is responsible for user support and service delivery at the Foundation.

Previously, Mr. Aikhoje was at The New York Racing Association, where he initially worked as a help desk analyst and was then promoted into the role of desktop engineer. His work there was focused on providing IT support for three New York State race tracks: Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga Springs. After the NYRA, Mr. Aikhoje joined BBC Studios, where he served in a dual role as both an IT analyst providing executive day-to-day support for the Americas region, as well as the lead for their audio-visual infrastructure. He was instrumental in several large-scale IT projects and also in developing process improvements that foster better communication and user support relationships for BBC technology.

Charles Aikhoje

Chris Jo serves as a program assistant for the Higher Learning program. Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Jo served in project management roles at Columbia University, Berklee College of Music, and Parsons School of Design. He earned a BA in history from Columbia University and an MFA in creative writing from The New School.

Chris Jo

Lindsey Menichella serves as the manager of grant systems and strategic projects.  Prior to joining the Foundation in 2022, Ms. Menichella was a grants associate at the Helmsley Charitable Trust.  In addition to undertaking grants management tasks, she focused on their grants management system.  She overhauled and implemented new processes to ensure data integrity, led projects to better track modifications to agreements and to build out the secondary database for reporting and analytics, managed the system's help desk, and regularly identified improvements to the system.  Before Helmsley, she worked on the data management team in Columbia University's Office of Alumni and Development, where she helped to manage their database and focused on quality assurance tasks. 
 
Ms. Menichella received an MSc in classical art and archaeology from the University of Edinburgh and a BA in art history and classics from Wellesley College. 

Lindsey Menichella

Kibra Yohannes is the current Program Associate at [The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation](/org/the-andrew-w-mellon-foundation). Kibra has held various positions in the past, such as Founding Executive Director at AFRICA'SOUT!, Director of Volunteers at the Association to Benefit Children, and Director at LIU Brooklyn, School of Continuing Studies. Kibra has also been with Arts Engine, Inc. as the Director of Programs + Operations and The Philadelphia Tribune as a Consultant for Archival + Preservation.

Kibra Yohannes has a Master's Degree in Social Sciences from [Long Island University](/org/long-island-university) and a BA in Anthropology with a minor in Arabic Language from the [University of Virginia](/org/university-of-virginia). Kibra also studied Arabic Language in Morocco at the [School for International Training](/org/school-for-international-training).

Kibra Yohannes reports to Emil J. Kang, Program Director, Arts & Cultural Heritage. They work with Isabel Quinzaños Alonso - Program Associate, Abigail Choudhury - Program Associate, and Natasha Forrester - Program Assistant.

Kibra Yohannes

Alan Rosario is a senior investment staff accountant at the Foundation. Mr. Rosario is responsible for the accounting and reconciliation of the Foundation's investments and provides general support to the director of investment accounting. Mr. Rosario has prior experience at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Lehman Brothers, and Oaktree Capital, specializing in the accounting and reporting of alternative investments. Mr. Rosario is a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College with a BS in accounting.

Alan Rosario

Zuleika Milan

Michael Gossett is the manager of strategic initiatives and planning for the Public Knowledge program. In this role, he assists the program officer in developing grantmaking strategies to support the creation and preservation of the cultural record.

He joined Public Knowledge in 2017, most recently serving as its senior program associate, where he developed grant proposals and managed a portfolio of grants in digital preservation, web archiving, and digital monograph publishing. From 2013 to 2017, he served in a variety of grants management and data management positions with the Foundation's operations team.

Mr. Gossett is currently an incubator member at NEW INC, the New Museum's cultural incubator for people working at the intersection of art, design, and technology. He is also pursuing an MA in digital humanities at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York. His research practice explores how bottom-up and collective forms of data stewardship—such as data trusts—can support artists and writers in the creation and placement of their archives.

Michael Gossett

Peri Zelig joined the Foundation in December 2017 as the Foundation's assistant general counsel. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Zelig served as assistant general counsel at The Rockefeller University, where she advised the university on a broad range of legal matters including policy development, corporate and contract work, litigation, and regulatory and research compliance. Previously, Ms. Zelig was a litigation associate at the law firm of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where she represented clients across diverse industries in a variety of commercial litigation matters, including antitrust, securities, and insurance cases.

Ms. Zelig received her JD, magna cum laude, from New York University School of Law and was admitted to the Order of the Coif. She received a BA, summa cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania, with a major in political science and a minor in American history.

Peri Zelig

Henri Benaim

Kareema Fernan is an accounting manager at the Foundation. She is responsible for all aspects of grant accounting, including financial reporting, and provides general support for the accounting department. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Fernan was a senior accountant with Condon, O'Meara, McGinty & Donnelley, specializing in audits and preparation of tax returns for nonprofit organizations. Ms. Fernan is a graduate of Long Island University, C. W. Post.

Kareema Fernan

Raquel Fernandez

Mabel Olivera

Ihsan Christie

Nora Mitnick

Bianca Lucien

Kimberly Herder is the Foundation's senior grant accountant. Prior to joining the Foundation in October 2018, Ms. Herder was a senior auditor at the public accounting firm, Buchbinder Tunick & Company, where she performed auditing and tax services for various nonprofits and labor unions. Ms. Herder holds a BA in business and studio art from Franklin & Marshall College, an MS in public accounting from St. John's University, and a not-for-profit management certificate in coordination with the University of Pennsylvania and National Arts Strategies.

Kimberly Herder

Doris E. Cruz

Ronald M. Sheppard serves as the Foundation's director of facilities. Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Sheppard worked in the electrical construction and maintenance sector for 20 years. He holds several current FDNY licenses in fire safety.

Ronald M. Sheppard

Marek Szczesny serves as a facilities assistant for the Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Szczesny worked for several years in the construction industry.

Marek Szczesny

Vivien Ying is a receptionist at the Foundation. Ms. Ying worked for the law firm Shearman & Sterling in their Hong Kong office and also their New York office as a senior legal assistant to the senior partner. She earned a bachelor's degree from Skidmore College.

Vivien Ying

Emily Hickman

Kathryn Hall

Joshua S. Friedman

Angela Harrison

Carolina Chavez

Susan I. Dady is a program associate for the Higher Learning program, assisting with the administration of the program’s grantmaking and the management of grants to liberal arts colleges.

When she joined the Foundation in October 2001, Ms. Dady brought with her over 20 years of experience in various positions in strategic planning, finance, and operations at International Paper Company (1978-86), Ivy Hill Corporation (1986-88), Brooke Management Inc. (1988-93), and Morgan Stanley (1993-2001).

During her tenure at the Foundation, Ms. Dady completed her undergraduate degree, earning a bachelor of arts in history from Marymount Manhattan College. She is currently studying Italian at New York University and plans to pursue her interest in British history, art, and literature through graduate study.

Susan I. Dady

Josephine Kang is an administrative assistant for the Foundation's finance department, providing support to Sepi Sepasi as well as to the accounting and investments accounting teams. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2022, Ms. Kang received a BA in business management economics from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She has served as an administrative assistant in the field of health and medicine and holds accounting experience from the internships she completed during university.

Josephine Kang

Richard H. Brodhead

Marina Gillen is a data visualization analyst on the Data Management Team. In this role, she develops reports, visual analytics, and dashboards primarily focused on grant-making information. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Gillen worked as a business intelligence manager at Mediterranean Shipping Company. She is also a part-time instructional associate for Data Analytics at General Assembly. She holds a degree in sociology from The National Research University Higher School of Economics in Moscow, Russia.

Marina Gillen

Shevaun O'Neill is an events coordinator on the Communications team where she is responsible for various planning and logistical tasks related to both internal and public-facing events. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. O'Neill served as a special event coordinator with the Metropolitan YMCA of The Oranges where she planned fundraising events. Her previous experience also includes time as the marketing and events coordinator at Ferrari, as well as manager of venue sales and events at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. She graduated with a drawing and photography studio arts degree from the University of Maryland and continues to pursue her passion for the arts and humanities in her everyday life.

Shevaun O'Neill

Rachel Elizabeth Zeiss serves as the Foundation's event and meeting planner. Ms. Zeiss works within the Office of the President planning internal and public events as well as assisting other staff with their meetings. Prior to joining the Foundation, she worked as an event manager at UJA-Federation of New York supporting fundraisers with their annual events and galas. Previously she worked as a hospitality associate at the World Economic Forum where she coordinated travel and logistics for meetings. Ms. Zeiss earned a bachelor's degree in public relations with a minor in theater from SUNY Fredonia.

Rachel Elizabeth Zeiss

Julie B. Ehrlich joined the Foundation in 2019 as program advisor and chief of staff.  She serves as a counselor and key resource to the president on internal matters, providing a link in the integration and communication among the president, and Foundation grantees, officers, leadership groups, and staff.  She also partners with the president to identify and support strategic opportunities for grantmaking in the Office of the President.
 
Previously, Ms. Ehrlich was assistant dean for strategic initiatives and chief of staff, executive director of the Birnbaum Women's Leadership Network, and adjunct professor of clinical law and co-instructor of the Reproductive Justice Clinic, at NYU School of Law.  She was responsible for the Law School's strategic planning and its implementation; for leading inter-departmental and high-level projects; for advising the dean on a range of issues; and for ensuring collaboration among the Law School's administrative departments.
 
Prior to joining NYU Law in 2014, Ms. Ehrlich litigated First Amendment cases at Levine Sullivan Koch & Schulz, LLP (now [Ballard Spahr](/org/ballard-spahr)), and handled a range of civil rights matters at Cuti Hecker Wang LLP, where her cases concerned sex discrimination, harassment, and other unequal treatment in employment, legislative redistricting, prison conditions, the rights of the exonerated, and police misconduct, among other issues.  She began her legal career as a staff attorney/fellow in the ACLU Women's Rights Project, and then clerked for Judge Nina Gershon in the Eastern District of New York and Judge Robert D. Sack on the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
 
Ms. Ehrlich holds a BA cum laude with distinction in American studies from [Yale University](/org/yale-university), and a JD magna cum laude from NYU, where she received a Hays Fellowship in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the Maurice Goodman Memorial Prize for Scholarship and Character.  She is a member of the board of directors of the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU).

Julie B. Ehrlich

Michele S. Warman is executive vice president, chief operating officer, general counsel and secretary of the Foundation.  Ms. Warman oversees the Foundation's overall operations and legal affairs, and is secretary to the Board of Trustees.  Ms. Warman works closely with the Foundation's president, board, and staff in the day-to-day management of the Foundation and in setting overall direction.

Ms. Warman received an AB from [Princeton University](/org/princeton) in 1982, where she received the M. Taylor Pyne Honor Prize, the university's highest undergraduate distinction, an MA from the [University of Oxford](/org/university-of-oxford), which she attended as a Rhodes Scholar, and a JD from Harvard Law School in 1988, where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Prior to joining the Foundation in 1999, Ms. Warman was an associate at the law firm of [Davis Polk & Wardwell](/org/davis-polk-wardwell), and a law clerk at the US Court of Appeals, DC Circuit.  At Davis Polk, Ms. Warman represented Fortune 500 companies in litigation and investigative matters and provided counsel to corporate boards.  In her pro bono practice, she represented civil rights groups in amici briefs before the US Supreme Court and indigent clients in litigation disputes.  Ms. Warman has been honored as one of New York's Outstanding Women of the Bar by the New York County Lawyers' Association.

Ms. Warman is a board member of the Southern Education Foundation and [Princeton University](/org/princeton)'s Center for Jewish Life; and past member of [Princeton University](/org/princeton)'s Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs' Advisory Council, and of Princeton's Alumni Council's Executive Committee and Committee on Academic Programs.  She serves on a variety of fellowship selection panels, including for the Rhodes Scholarship, Schwarzman Scholars, and Schmidt Science Fellows, and on the Rhodes Development Committee.  Ms. Warman is admitted to the US Supreme Court, SDNY, EDNY, New York, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC Bars.

Michele S. Warman

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso serves as a program associate in the Arts and Culture program at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2021, she served as the project manager of the Institutional Partnerships team in the development department at [The Public Theater](/org/public-theater-the) in New York. Previously, she worked as the education manager and assistant director for Out of Joint Theater Company in England and taught Drama at Aiglon College in Switzerland. Throughout her career, Ms. Quinzaños Alonso has also directed and produced independent theater in London, Cambridge, Edinburgh and New York. She holds a BA in theater directing from Drama Center London, University of the Arts London and an MA in arts administration and cultural policy from Goldsmiths, University of London. 

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

Ashley Garner

Johnny Leavitt is a Senior Executive Assistant at [The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation](/org/the-andrew-w-mellon-foundation). Johnny previously worked at Zurich North America from March 2016 to July 2021, where they were a Senior Executive Assistant and directly supported the CEO/Head of North America Life and the Head of Business Performance & Execution. Johnny's responsibilities included coordinating meetings, conference calls and special events; executing complex domestic and international travel; tracking and distributing weekly schedules for the NAL Operations Team; preparing and tracking monthly expense reports; identifying and processing vendor invoices; preparing and reviewing materials/correspondences for client/vendor/internal meetings; functioning as the PC Coordinator for Zurich North America; managing organizational charts and other operational data; responsible for creating presentations for board meetings and other governance meetings; structuring and implementing archives for various governance meetings; drafting agendas, recording minutes and organizing catering for meetings; paying invoices and resolving billing issues; providing additional administrative support, as requested, for other related departments; and being a Floor Fire Warden - assisting in regular training sessions and drills.

Johnny Leavitt has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Hampshire in Liberal Arts. Johnny also has certification from the New York State Department of State in Notary Public and certification from the [Boy Scouts of America](/org/boy-scouts-of-america) in Eagle Scout.

Johnny Leavitt reports to Carter Stewart, EVP, Programs. They are on a team with Phillip Brian Harper - Program Director, Higher Learning, Justin Garrett Moore - Program Officer, and Jack Frésquez - Program & Research Assistant.

Johnny Leavitt

Daniel Kent

Emily L. Waters serves as a senior program associate in the Arts and Culture program at The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Ms. Waters began her career as a professional ballet dancer, dancing with Philadelphia Ballet (formerly Pennsylvania Ballet) and the Royal Danish Ballet. During her ten-year dance career, she performed works by a range of choreographers and performed in venues throughout the US and Europe. After transitioning from a career as a performing artist to arts administration, she was awarded a BAM Professional Development Program Fellowship through the DeVos Institute. Prior to the Foundation, Ms. Waters worked at American Ballet Theatre in the development and executive offices. Emily holds a BA in performing arts through the Liberal Education for Arts Professionals (LEAP) Program at St. Mary's College of California, received an MS degree in nonprofit management from Columbia University, and is a trustee of Collage Dance Collective.

Emily L. Waters

Zuri Phelps

Ann Siddiqui joined the Foundation in 2004 and serves as director of investment accounting. Ms. Siddiqui works with the chief financial officer and oversees the Foundation's investment accounting. From 1995-2004, Ms. Siddiqui worked as vice president and product delivery manager at Deutsche Bank, where she was responsible for the administration of over 40 highly diversified clients with portfolios in excess of $50 billion in assets. Prior to joining Deutsche Bank, Ms. Siddiqui worked for Bankers Trust in their Unit Investment Trust department. Ms. Siddiqui holds a BS in business administration with a concentration in finance from the City University of New York.

Ann Siddiqui

Dave Padua

Rabeya Nizam

Alex Whittaker is currently a Program Assistant at [The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation](/org/the-andrew-w-mellon-foundation). Prior to that, they interned at the Arts Council of Greater New Haven, where they conducted research on the history of urban renewal in New Haven for an upcoming exhibition. They also interned at the National Building Museum, where they worked in the Education department. Alex has a keen eye for detail and takes great care in everything they do, whether it's cleaning museum displays or conducting research.

Alex Whittaker is an architect who has a Bachelor's degree from [Yale University](/org/yale-university) and studied abroad at DIS - Study Abroad.

Alex Whittaker reports to Carter Stewart, EVP, Programs. Alex Whittaker works with Mammotsa Makhene - Manager, Strategic Initiatives & Planning, Justin Garrett Moore - Program Officer, and Jack Frésquez - Program & Research Assistant.

Alex Whittaker

Jay Oppenheim

Renee Johnson-Thornton is a Senior Program Associate and Associate Director of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) program at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Renee has over 25 years of experience in designing and implementing programs to support the academic success of underrepresented minority students, with a focus on recruitment, retention, and curriculum development. 

Johnson-Thornton began their career in higher education as a Recruitment Counselor for the NYC Office of Student Recruitment at the State University of New York. In this role, they advised high school students and their families on college planning and assisted with the application process. Renee also developed relationships with high schools and community-based organizations to increase awareness of SUNY programs and opportunities. 

In 1995, Johnson-Thornton took on the role of Project Coordinator for the United Technologies/Trinity College Engineering Initiative (UTCEI) at [Trinity College](/org/trinity-college) in Hartford, Connecticut. The UTCEI was a program designed to increase the number of women and underrepresented minorities in engineering fields. Johnson-Thornton was responsible for all aspects of the program, from recruitment and curriculum development to financial management and program evaluation. Renee also coordinated the UTCEI Scholars' Program and the UTCEI Summer Research Fellowship, delivered presentations to students and community groups, supervised work-study employees and research teams, and monitored the academic performance of enrolled engineering students. 

In their current role at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation,

Renee Johnson-Thornton received their PhD in Education from the [University of Rhode Island](/org/university-of-rhode-island). Renee also has a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from [Wesleyan University](/org/wesleyan-university), and a Bachelor's degree in English (Literature & Rhetoric) and African-American/Black Studies from Binghamton University.

Renee Johnson-Thornton works with Logan Heiman - Program Associate, Daniel Kent - Program Associate, Research, and Camilla Somers - Manager, Strategic Initiatives & Planning. Their manager is Phillip Brian Harper, Program Director, Higher Learning.

Renee Johnson-Thornton

Johnny Ho serves as an office services manager at the Mellon Foundation.  Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Ho was an office manager at a small family-owned locksmith company in Williamsburg.  He holds a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology.



Johnny Ho

Logan Heiman

Lisa Mintz is currently a Senior Executive Assistant at [The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation](/org/the-andrew-w-mellon-foundation). Prior to that, they were an Executive Assistant at [WeWork](/org/wework), Compass, and GLG (Gerson Lehrman Group).

Lisa has over 10 years of experience as an Executive Assistant. Lisa is skilled in managing calendars, coordinating travel, and handling sensitive business documents. Lisa is also experienced in overseeing budgets and promoting employee engagement.

Lisa is a dedicated professional who is committed to their work. Lisa is detail-oriented and takes pride in their ability to provide excellent administrative support.

Lisa Mintz received their MA in Humanities and Social Thought from [New York University](/org/nyu) and their MA in Writing from [Rowan University](/org/rowan-university). Lisa received their BA in English from [Rutgers University](/org/rutgers-university).

They work with Paola Vasquez - Paralegal, Henri Benaim - Assistant General Counsel, and Peri Zelig - Associate General Counsel. Lisa Mintz reports to Patricia J. Diaz, Acting General Counsel & Secretary.

Lisa Mintz

Janel L. Brown joined the Foundation in 2020 on a temp assignment in the Office of the President and became the Communications Department's first senior executive assistant in 2021.  Before joining the Foundation, Ms. Brown was an executive assistant at private equity firm [Antin Infrastructure Partners](/org/antin-infrastructure-partners), where she supported two partners, four investment directors, and three associates.  Ms. Brown also worked as a legal administrative assistant at [Kekst CNC](/org/kekst-cnc), where was the lead contract administrator and primary administrative assistant to the senior vice chairman, three principals, five managing directors, and a secondary support to the CEO.  

Ms. Brown earned her bachelor of science from [Pace University](/org/pace-university-new-york), and her juris doctor from Pace Law School.  Growing up in the entertainment industry, she is a lover of the arts and enjoys spending her leisure time attending, live music concerts, theater, and photography. 

Janel L. Brown

Scott Taylor serves as the Foundation's chief investment officer.  Prior to joining the Foundation in 2018, Mr. Taylor was a managing director at Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) where he oversaw the investment process and monitored the organization's public market external manager program.  He previously served as a senior member of CPPIB's private investments team where he focused on private equity fund investments and private equity secondaries.  Mr. Taylor began his career in mergers and acquisitions at BMO Nesbitt Burns.  He is a former member of the European Corporate Development team at Level 3 Communications.  Mr. Taylor holds a master's in finance from [London Business School](/org/london-business-school) and a BBA from [Wilfrid Laurier University](/org/wilfrid-laurier-university).

Scott Taylor

Maria Sachiko Cecire is a program officer for Higher Learning. Before joining the Mellon Foundation, she was the founding director of the academic concentration and Center for Experimental Humanities at Bard College, and associate professor of literature (currently on leave). She graduated from the University of Chicago before going on to the University of Oxford, where she was a Rhodes Scholar. There she earned a master's in English medieval studies and a doctorate in English, which she completed in 2011.
 
Ms. Cecire's research addresses children's literature and youth culture, media and digital studies, medieval literature and its afterlives, and the role of the humanities in contemporary society. She is the author of Re-Enchanted: The Rise of Children's Fantasy Literature in the Twentieth Century (2019), which explores transformations in Anglo-American popular culture in terms of institutional power, the legacies of racism and colonialism, and political and affective uses of childhood and the mythological past. She is also co-editor of Space and Place in Children's Literature, 1789–Present (2015), author of a number of articles and essays, and a member of the feminist digital humanities Data-Sitters Club project.

Maria Sachiko Cecire

Holloway has served as [Northwestern University](/org/northwestern-university) provost since 2017. He is the school's chief academic officer, overseeing educational policies and academic priorities, preparation of the annual budget, and faculty appointments and promotions at the Big Ten institution, which includes a highly ranked medical school and other nationally and internationally recognized educational programs. Before moving to Northwestern, Holloway was the dean of Yale College and Edmund S. Morgan Professor of African American Studies, History, and American Studies at [Yale University](/org/yale-university).

Holloway received a bachelor's degree with honors in American Studies from [Stanford University](/org/stanford) and a PhD in History from [Yale University](/org/yale-university). He began his academic career at the University of California, San Diego, before joining the faculty at Yale in 1999.

Jonathan Holloway

Jessica Feldman is a Research Associate at [The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation](/org/the-andrew-w-mellon-foundation). Jessica previously worked as a Course Instructor/Teaching Assistant at the University of Chicago from January 2015 to December 2017, where they instructed Urban Space and Place (SOCI 28072) and served as a Teaching Assistant for Environmental Law (PBPL 23100) and Environmental Policy (PBPL 24701). Jessica also worked as a Research & Planning Analyst at [New Yorkers for Parks](/org/new-yorkers-for-parks) from September 2011 to December 2013.

Jessica Feldman earned their Bachelor of Arts in Portuguese Language and Literature from [Smith College](/org/smith-college). Jessica then pursued a Master of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, where they specialized in Public Policy Analysis. Finally, Jessica completed their Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology from the University of Chicago.

Their manager is Emil J. Kang, Program Director, Arts & Cultural Heritage. They are on a team with Natasha Forrester - Program Assistant, Deborah Cullen-Morales - Program Officer, and Ashley Garner - Program Associate.

Jessica Feldman

Erin Cantrell-Martinez is the Executive Assistant at [The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation](/org/the-andrew-w-mellon-foundation). Erin previously worked as an Executive Assistant at Columbia University Irving Medical Center from November 2017 to October 2019. In their role at Columbia, they were responsible for office maintenance, mailing, shipping, supplies, IT orders and equipment maintenance, bills, and errands. Erin also cultivated professional and efficient front office operations through exceptional telephone and email etiquette, promptly responding to any issues or concerns. Additionally, they monitored and maintained the Vice Dean’s schedule via Outlook Calendar, disseminating correspondence on behalf of the Office of Academic Affairs, Faculty Affairs, and Career Development.

Erin is skilled in diverse administrative tasks such as recording meeting minutes, tracking agenda items, arranging meeting schedules for the upcoming academic year, and booking the Faculty Club for Faculty Council meetings. Erin is also an expert in coordinating and executing elections for Faculty Council and Executive Committees, including creating online ballots using Qualtrics and monitoring election progress. Erin is a dedicated and hardworking individual who always puts the needs of their team first.

Erin Cantrell-Martinez earned a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities from [Sarah Lawrence College](/org/sarah-lawrence-college).

Erin Cantrell-Martinez reports to Emil J. Kang, Program Director, Arts & Cultural Heritage. They work with Ashley Garner - Program Associate, Emily L. Waters - Senior Program Associate, and Jackie Clay - Program Associate.

Erin Cantrell-Martinez

Timothy Wroten is [The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation](/org/the-andrew-w-mellon-foundation)'s social media manager and web editor. Mr. Wroten has a strong interest in how art, history, and culture enrich individuals and their communities. He previously served as senior communications manager at the New-York Historical Society—New York City's first and oldest museum. Mr. Wroten holds a BA in historical studies from Eugene Lang College of The New School and studied 19th-century American architecture, art, and preservation at the Victorian Society's Summer School in Newport, RI. He is currently working towards an MA in arts administration at Baruch College of the City University of New York.

Timothy Wroten

Alexandra Gershuny

Perrin Wicks serves as Mellon's director of talent management.  She is charged with expanding the Foundation's capacity for human resources planning in concert with organizational structure and growth and in support of talent recruitment and development.  Ms. Wicks brings over twenty-five years of experience in progressive organizations committed to social justice, in roles spanning talent and culture, capacity building, and senior leadership. 

Most recently, Ms. Wicks led talent management at Children's Aid, one of New York City's oldest, largest, and most respected nonprofits committed to children, youth, and families impacted by poverty.  She guided the recruitment team to deepen its focus on strategic partnerships with organizational divisions, on sourcing capacity, and on consistent and equitable hiring practices.  She spearheaded learning and development efforts to connect employees to core organizational culture and served as a member of Children's Aid's inaugural Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion advisory council. 

Previously, Ms. Wicks worked for the ASPCA, supporting team leaders, managers, and staff to create environments where every employee had meaningful opportunities to learn and grow.  From 2006–2017, she served as director of partnerships and then chief of staff at The Urban Assembly, a rapidly growing education support organization that founded and developed a network of 21 New York City district public schools.  As chief of staff, she was a member of the senior leadership cabinet, championed organizational coherence and culture, and managed strategic planning and goal-setting, special projects, and hiring for senior positions. 

Ms. Wicks's earliest professional roles were in educational theater, following her college experience as a member of a children's theater improvisational storytelling troupe.  She holds a BA in art history from Yale University and an MPA in public and nonprofit management from NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.  

Perrin Wicks

Ravi Shah serves as an investment analyst.  Prior to joining the Foundation in 2022, Mr. Shah worked as an investment analyst at Cambridge Associates in their endowments and foundations practice and as a healthcare investment banking analyst at Cain Brothers.  Mr. Shah graduated from Claremont Mckenna College with an economics/accounting degree. 

Ravi Shah

Caitlin Callaghan is director of strategic and executive communications. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Callaghan ran her own strategic communications firm, and earlier served as the lead speechwriter and executive communications strategist for two presidents of the [University of California](/org/regents-of-the-university-of-california) system. She holds a BA in English from [Stanford University](/org/stanford), an MSt in English from the [University of Oxford](/org/university-of-oxford), and a PhD in medieval studies from [Cornell University](/org/cornell-university).

Caitlin Callaghan

Carter Stewart is executive vice president for programs. He works closely with the Foundation's president, board, and staff to shape the Foundation's funding priorities and programmatic direction. 

Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Stewart served as a managing director of the venture philanthropy Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (DRK) where he played a lead role in sourcing new investments and grantees—primarily early-stage, justice-oriented organizations—and then worked closely with those organizations on strategy, scaling the organizational capacity building, and leadership development.

Carter Stewart

Patricia Hswe is the program officer for Scholarly Communications at the Foundation, which she joined in August 2016.  In this role she works on a range of grants and initiatives supporting libraries, archives, museums, universities, presses, and other institutions that further the world's collective knowledge of the humanities.  Previously, Ms. Hswe was digital content strategist and co-department head of Publishing and Curation Services at Penn State University Libraries (2010–2016) and, at the [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign](/org/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign), program manager (2008–2009) for several digital preservation projects funded by the [Library of Congress](/org/library-of-congress).  She began working in academic libraries as a Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) postdoctoral fellow, also at the University of Illinois, in 2004, the year that [CLIR](/org/clir) launched the program.  Ms. Hswe has also served as an in-house editor (2001–2003) for Bruccoli Clark Layman, publisher of reference works in literary and social history, and has taught in the Russian department at [Amherst College](/org/amherst-college) (1990–1994).

Originally a Russian literature scholar, Ms. Hswe received a PhD from [Yale University](/org/yale-university) in Slavic languages and literatures.  She also holds an AB in Russian language and literature from [Mount Holyoke College](/org/mount-holyoke-college) and an MS in library and information science from the University of Illinois.  She is active in a variety of professional associations, including the [Modern Language Association](/org/modern-language-association) and the Association of College and Research Libraries.

Patricia Hswe

Emil J. Kang is program director for Arts and Cultural Heritage at [The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation](/org/the-andrew-w-mellon-foundation).  Mr. Kang previously served as executive and artistic director of Carolina Performing Arts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a major multi-disciplinary performing arts program he founded in 2005.  While in that role, he oversaw four venues and produces, develops, and presents work by artists from all over the world.  He also served as professor of the practice in the department of music.  In 2016, Mr. Kang was also named special assistant to the chancellor for the arts and founded Arts Everywhere, a major campus and community-wide initiative dedicated to integrating artistic practice, learning, and engagement in the lives of the entire community. 

In 2012, President Barack Obama appointed Mr. Kang to the National Council on the Arts, its first member from North Carolina.  Mr. Kang also currently serves on the boards of the Martha Graham Dance Company and the [International Society for the Performing Arts](/org/international-society-for-the-performing-arts). 

In prior years, Mr. Kang served in a variety of administrative roles with symphony orchestras across the country, including as president and executive director of the [Detroit Symphony Orchestra](/org/detroit-symphony-orchestra).  He has also held roles with the [Seattle Symphony](/org/seattle-symphony-orchestra-inc), the American Composers Orchestra and served as an orchestra management fellow with the symphony orchestras of San Francisco, Houston, and Grand Rapids.  A violinist from an early age, Mr. Kang received a degree in economics from the [University of Rochester](/org/university-of-rochester). 

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Org chart

Teams

Leadership Team

Board of Directors

CEO and Executive Team

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