WASHINGTON, DC, December 19, 2024—Grantmakers In Health (GIH) is pleased to announce the elections of Kenneth Jones, Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Equity Officer at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Susan Mims, President and CEO of the Dogwood Health Trust; and Hilda Polanco, Market Managing Principal at BDO to its Board of Directors.
“We are honored to welcome Kenneth, Susan, and Hilda to the GIH board,” said Cara V. James, GIH President and CEO. “They bring extensive experience from health philanthropy and other sectors, and I look forward to hearing their unique perspectives and working with them to advance GIH’s mission.”
“Kenneth, Susan, and Hilda bring a wealth of health and foundation expertise to Grantmakers in Health, and we are so excited to have them join the board,” said Dr. Laura Gerald, GIH Board Chair and president of the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust. “We thank them for their time and commitment to the GIH board and to the philanthropic and nonprofit field working to improve the health and quality of life of residents.”
As Chief Operating Officer and Chief Equity Officer of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Kenneth Jones is responsible for all aspects of the Foundation’s finance, accounting, tax, audit, information technology, grants management, administrative services, core services, and facilities functions as well as the equity strategies for the Foundation. Previously, he was the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the Annie E. Casey Foundation. He traveled extensively in Africa and Southeast Asia as CFO for Danya International, a public health and education organization, and Jhpiego, a nonprofit international health affiliate of Johns Hopkins University.
Dr. Susan Mims is the President and CEO of the Dogwood Health Trust, a foundation that exists to dramatically improve the health and well-being of all people and communities in the 18 counties and Qualla Boundary of Western North Carolina. As a public health physician, she is an experienced advocate in integrating health care delivery with the social determinants of health—in local health departments, hospital systems, in rural communities, and now philanthropy.
Hilda Polanco serves as Market Managing Principal at BDO, where she leads BDO’s Nonprofit & Grantmaker Advisory team which exclusively serves nonprofit organizations and the funders that support them. Passionate about helping nonprofits develop a resilient long-term financial strategy, she has also worked closely with some of the nation’s largest foundations to illuminate the full cost of delivering nonprofit programs.
The board terms for all three board members begin on March 24, 2025. GIH board members serve three-year terms, with the possibility of renewal for a second consecutive term. They represent the field’s diversity across a variety of dimensions, including gender, geographic location, life experience, organization size and type, professional skills, and race and ethnicity.
About Grantmakers In Health
Grantmakers In Health (GIH) is a nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to helping foundations and corporate giving programs improve the health of all people. Its mission is to foster communication and collaboration among grantmakers and others, and to help strengthen the grantmaking community’s knowledge, skills, and effectiveness.
Contact
Jeff Barrus
202.534.3008
jbarrus@gih.org