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NEW YORK – The Ford Foundation has settled connected its adjacent leader.
Yale Law School Dean Heather Gerken volition succeed Darren Walker arsenic the president of 1 of the largest U.S. charitable organizations, the Ford Foundation announced Monday. A starring adept connected law instrumentality and democracy, Gerken takes the helm of its $16 cardinal endowment arsenic the philanthropic assemblage navigates challenges to the tax-exempt status of nonprofits opposed by President Donald Trump's medication and its sweeping orders targeting trillions of dollars successful national backing for civilian nine groups.
“I americium profoundly grateful for this accidental and look guardant to moving with Ford unit and the committee of trustees to support ideology and the regularisation of instrumentality and further our ngo to make a much conscionable and just satellite for everyone," Gerken said successful a statement.
Gerken brings an extended ineligible inheritance that includes voting rights acquisition astatine Washington, DC instrumentality steadfast Jenner & Block and clerkships with Supreme Court justices. The Ford Foundation noted that she prioritized expanding entree for underrepresented students arsenic the dean of Yale Law School. She is besides a trustee of Princeton University, wherever she completed her bachelor’s degree, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Her tenure begins successful November, making bully connected Walker’s committedness past twelvemonth to exit the signifier by the extremity of 2025. She called it a “profound honor” to physique upon the bequest of those who preceded her, “particularly the astonishing Darren Walker.” Since 2013, Walker has focused the foundation’s ngo astir societal justice and overseen large investments successful sex equity and disablement rights.
“Her acquisition and dedication to philanthropy and the tract of instrumentality volition undoubtedly propel the foundation’s ngo forward," Walker said successful a statement.
The Ford Foundation was created successful 1936 by the brothers Henry and Edsel Ford, pioneers of the automobile, and funded with banal successful the Ford company. It supported civilian rights litigation starting successful the precocious 1960s and helped effect the tract of nationalist involvement instrumentality successful the United States.
Before becoming vice president, then-Sen. J.D. Vance called retired the Ford Foundation specifically for supporting progressive causes and accused them of utilizing charitable funds for partisan ends.
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