About
The Presidents’ Council of the Disability & Philanthropy Forum is a peer community of foundation presidents who recognize that disability inclusion is essential to solving society’s most critical human rights, social justice, and health equity challenges. Together, we seek to address the inequity and injustice experienced by more than 61 million disabled Americans (25% of US adults) and one billion disabled people worldwide by disrupting ableism in philanthropy and supporting disabled-led movements.
The council is co-chaired by Rich Besser, President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Ryan Easterly, Executive Director of WITH Foundation.
Join the Presidents’ Council
Members of the Presidents’ Council of the Disability & Philanthropy Forum are committed to engaging in a shared learning journey on advancing disability inclusion within their foundations and the philanthropic sector, and deepening relationships among peer CEOs and disabled leaders.
All Council foundations must sign and take action to implement the Disability Inclusion Pledge. In addition, they must make significant funding commitments to both the Disability Inclusion Fund at Borealis Philanthropy (DIF), a participatory grantmaking fund, and the Disability & Philanthropy Forum, the philanthropy-serving organization that operates the Presidents’ Council, fiscally sponsored by Proteus Fund.
Click here to learn more about joining the Presidents’ Council.
Members of the Council
- Dr. Robert K. Ross, President and CEO, The California Endowment
- Richard Tate, President and CEO, The California Wellness Foundation
- Adeline Azrack, Managing Director, Americas, Fondation Chanel
- Andrea Sáenz, President and CEO, The Chicago Community Trust
- Joseph R. Betancourt, President, The Commonwealth Fund
- Sam Gill, President and CEO, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
- Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation
- Chris DeCardy, President, The Heinz Endowments
- Rich Besser, President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Rip Rapson, President and CEO, The Kresge Foundation
- John Palfrey, President, MacArthur Foundation
- Elizabeth Alexander, President, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
- Dwayne Proctor, President & Chief Executive Officer, Missouri Foundation for Health
- Kym Eisner, Executive Director, Craig H. Neilsen Foundation
- Ana L. Oliveira, President and CEO, The New York Women’s Foundation
- Laleh Ispahani, US Executive Director, Open Society Foundations
- Joanna Jackson, President and CEO, Weingart Foundation
- John Taylor, President, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund
- Ryan Easterly, Executive Director, WITH Foundation
For further information about the Council, please contact us.