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PEAK Grantmaking

Announcing Our First President and CEO

We are thrilled to announce that the PEAK Grantmaking Board of Directors has hired Satonya Fair to be the first President and CEO of PEAK Grantmaking.

Known to many of us, and a leader in the grantmaking field, Satonya brings with her a decade of engagement with PEAK, from her longtime conference participation as speaker, sponsor, and co-chair, to her dynamic service on the Board and executive committee. Her contributions and her leadership have been integral to many of our successes, and to some of our boldest stands.

Satonya’s experience with the social sector, and its people, stands in tandem with her deep understanding of PEAK’s membership and mission. She has served as Vice President/Chief Philanthropy Officer at The Executive Leadership Council, as Director of Grants Management at The Annie E. Casey Foundation, and in management roles in community relations at Citi. Satonya earned her JD from the University of Cincinnati and her bachelor’s degree in psychology and political science from Miami University (Ohio). She is a graduate of the Career Pathways executive leadership program at the Council on Foundations and is a certified Prosci(R) Change Management practitioner. In addition, she is an active volunteer with many initiatives, including the Technology Association of Grantmakers and the Maryland Philanthropy Network.

PEAK works tirelessly to drive change in the practice of philanthropy and provide a framework for equitable grantmaking. Satonya is the ideal leader for this work, and we look forward to working with her and PEAK’s exceptional staff to guide grantmaking practice toward inclusivity, equity, and understanding.

“It is truly an honor and a highlight of my career to be named President and CEO of PEAK Grantmaking,” said Satonya. “My sincere appreciation goes to the members and staff for your patience as the Board weighed this most important decision. Now, it is time to activate and build on the great foundation that the PEAK community has established, and to shoot for the stars. As we strive to best serve our members, fellow nonprofits, and the philanthropic sector, I look forward to harnessing the collective energy of this community: Each of us is a leader, and together we will move the sector towards more equitable, effective, and transformative practices.”

As we prepare for Satonya’s arrival on August 10, we want to thank everyone who has helped us get to this moment – starting with our members, whose insights guided the Board from the outset of our search to the very end of it. We are also grateful beyond measure to PEAK staff. Their outstanding work under extraordinarily difficult circumstances has brought us all to new models, new conversations, and new inspiration for our work.

Please join us in welcoming Satonya to PEAK.

In solidarity,

Steven Casey and Gary Romero
Co-chairs, Board of Directors

Ify Mora and Suki O’Kane
Co-chairs, Board Transition Committee

Janet Camarena, Allison Gister, Kerri Hurley, and Adriana Jimenez
Members, Board Transition Committee