PEAK Grantmaking Welcomes Kevin Bolduc as President and CEO

We’re thrilled to announce that the PEAK Grantmaking Board of Directors has selected Kevin Bolduc as PEAK’s next President and CEO. Kevin begins his new role on January 1, 2027.

A longtime leader at the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) and former PEAK Board member, Kevin brings 25 years of experience working with foundations to learn, improve, and strengthen their practice. He currently serves as CEP’s Vice President of Assessment and Advisory Services, with work spanning organizational effectiveness, strategy, assessment, funder-grantee relationships, and the use of feedback to strengthen philanthropy. The January start date will allow Kevin to responsibly conclude his 25 years at CEP while beginning to engage with PEAK ahead of his official start.

The Board selected Kevin following a national, Board-led search that started in February and drew more than 900 applicants.

“PEAK’s strength has always come from its community of grants management professionals who are pushing philanthropy toward more effective and equitable practice,” said Josh Abel, co-chair of the PEAK Board of Directors. “Kevin understands both the potential of that community and the role PEAK can play in helping members lead change within their organizations and across the field.”

Kevin joined CEP as one of its first employees in 2001 and helped build the organization over the following 25 years. He helped lead the initial design of CEP’s groundbreaking Grantee Perception Report and evolved it into an assessment tool that has helped hundreds of funders better understand and improve their work. He also helped develop other CEP assessment and advisory offerings and contributed to CEP research on foundation strategy, funder-grantee relationships, and philanthropic effectiveness. His writing on philanthropy has appeared in outlets including Stanford Social Innovation Review, and he is a frequent speaker on strategy, assessment, and high-quality grantmaking.

“Equitable, effective philanthropy comes from turning our values into practice, and grants management professionals are leading the way,” Bolduc said. “I am honored to join PEAK’s team and members – an energized community of changemakers – who have the commitment and capability to do that well.”

Kevin served on the PEAK Board of Directors from 2017-2023 and on advisory groups for Independent Sector and the Communications Network. He was also a member of the inaugural class of Independent Sector American Express NGen Fellows and the Aspen Institute’s Academy 2.0 Fellowship for emerging nonprofit leaders.

“Thirty years in, PEAK has an incredible foundation and an opportunity to think boldly about what comes next,” said Blanch Vance, co-chair of the PEAK Board of Directors. “Kevin stood out because he understands the whole picture and the role PEAK can continue to play in shaping philanthropy. We’re excited to have him build on that legacy and lead PEAK into its next chapter.”

Kevin follows Satonya Fair, who became PEAK’s first President and CEO in 2020 and led the organization through a period of significant growth in membership, learning, and field presence. Following Satonya’s departure in 2025, Eusebio Díaz served as Interim CEO, helping guide PEAK through a period of transition and organizational stabilization.

Sara Richman Sanders will serve as Acting CEO through December 31, then return to her role as Managing Director when Kevin joins. The Board is grateful to Sara for her continued leadership during this transition.

We’re deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to the process and excited to carry that learning forward.

Please join us in welcoming Kevin to PEAK.

In solidarity,

PEAK Grantmaking Board of Directors, Search Committee
Justine Palacios, Search Committee Chair
Josh Abel
Dan Gaff
Sarita Michaca
Genise Singleton
Kyrstin Thorson Rogers
Blanch Vance