Lumina’s Susan D. Johnson selected for premier leadership development program in the philanthropic sector

Indianapolis – Susan D. Johnson, Ph.D., Lumina Foundation’s director of organizational development and philanthropic practice, has been selected to participate in the Council on Foundations 2019 Career Pathways program. This intensive, year-long leadership development program is designed to foster diverse talent and excellence among the philanthropic sector’s senior executives.

Participants will graduate from the program with the knowledge, experience, and professional networks needed to be more effective in their current roles and more deliberative in their contributions to the field of philanthropy, positioning them to compete successfully for senior-level foundation positions.

Career Pathways equips mid-career professionals at grantmaking organizations and other non-profit institutions to lead high-performing organizations and programs in the U.S. and around the world. Since launching in 2010, 87 percent of Career Pathways alumni are working at the senior executive level in philanthropic organizations across the world.

Over the course of a year, Johnson will delve deep into major issues facing philanthropic leaders; gain access to a vast network of CEOs, trustees, search firm executives, and national thought leaders; attend virtual and in-person career trainings across the country; and be paired with an executive coach to advise and support them along their career path.

“We continue to be inspired by the number of amazing and highly qualified applicants we received for Career Pathways, and the 2019 cohort is truly exceptional,” said Karon Harden, Vice President of Professional Development. “As we work to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in philanthropy through the Career Pathways program, we are excited to engage with this year’s cohort and see the work they will do in applying their new knowledge to improve their communities.”

About Career Pathways—A Talent Pipeline Expansion Program

The 2019 Career Pathways cohort members are:

  • Liz Alsina | Senior Program Officer| Walton Family Foundation| Bentonville, AR
  • Carlotta Arthur | Director, Clare Boothe Luce Program| Henry Luce Foundation | New York, NY
  • Shelby Brown | Managing Director | Paul J. Aicher Foundation/Everyday Democracy | Hartford, CT
  • Lee Bynum | Associate Director, Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship; Senior Program Associate, Diversity | The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation | New York, NY
  • Meaghan Calcari Campbell | Program Officer | Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation | Palo Alto, CA
  • Alexandra Caraballo | National Manager, Philanthropy | Kaiser Permanente | Rockville, MD
  • Amy Carlin | Director of Foundation Programs | The Krupp Family Foundation | Boston, MA
  • Jorge Cino | Communications Officer | Heising-Simons Foundation | Los Altos, CA
  • Brian Dixon | Program Officer and Grants Manager | W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation | Chicago, IL
  • Lilly Fu | Senior Director, Finance & Administration | George Lucas Educational Foundation | San Rafael, CA
  • Adam Ganuza | Program Officer | John S. & James L. Knight Foundation | Miami, FL
  • Alejandra Garduno Martinez | Program Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean | W.K. Kellogg Foundation | Battle Creek, MI
  • Tiauna George | Education Grants Manager | Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
  • Shannan Gonzalez | Senior Human Resources Officer | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | Princeton, NJ
  • Danielle Goonan | Senior Manager II, Career Opportunity | Walmart Giving | Bentonville, AR
  • Lyn Hunter | Director of Regional Strategies and Networks | Philanthropy Northwest | Seattle, WA
  • Jennifer Jaramillo | Chief Talent Officer | The Kresge Foundation | Troy, MI
  • Susan Johnson | Director, Organizational Development and Philanthropic Practice | Lumina Foundation | Indianapolis, IN
  • Sharnita Johnson | Arts Program Director | Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation | Morristown, NJ
  • Tamu Jones | Senior Program Manager | The California Endowment | Los Angeles, CA
  • Heather Kukla | Vice President and General Counsel | Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies | Eden Prairie, MN
  • Atlanta McIlwraith | Senior Manager Community Engagement and Communication | Timberland | Greensboro, NC
  • Leila Otis | Senior Director, Program Operations | Bainum Family Foundation | Bethesda, MD
  • Kurian Thomas | Program Director | Fetzer Institute | Kalamazoo, MI

Career Pathways will convene four times across the country in 2019 and be hosted by several leading philanthropic institutions. The first convening will take place in January in Houston, Texas. The program will conclude in November 2019 in Los Angeles, California.

Career Pathways is supported by The Duke Endowment, The Kresge Foundation, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.


About Lumina Foundation

Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. The foundation envisions a system that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation’s need for talent through a broad range of credentials. Lumina’s goal is to prepare people for informed citizenship and for success in a global economy.

About the Council on Foundations

An active philanthropic network, the Council on Foundations (www.cof.org), founded in 1949, is a nonprofit leadership association of grantmaking foundations and corporations. It provides the opportunity, leadership, and tools needed by philanthropic organizations to expand, enhance and sustain their ability to advance the common good. With members from all foundation types and sizes, the Council empowers professionals in philanthropy to meet today’s toughest challenges and advances a culture of charitable giving in the U.S. and globally.

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