The hazy smoke above Philadelphia may not emanate from the Pew Charitable Trusts offices, but the organization has chosen its new leader.
William Foster, a nonprofit consultant who grew up in the Philadelphia area, will be Pew’s next president and CEO, the organization announced Thursday.
Foster’s tenure will begin in March, and Pew’s current president and CEO, Susan K. Urahn, will remain in position through the end of February. Urahn announced her coming retirement from the research, policy, and grant giving nonprofit in October.
Foster is currently a Boston-based managing partner with the Bridgespan Group, a powerful nonprofit consulting firm affiliated with Bain & Co. He has been with the firm since 2002, and is “an active thought leader on issues of philanthropy and social change,” according to his Bridgespan bio. He is from Lower Merion, and attended Friends Central High School.
“William brings a deep understanding of the nonprofit sector and a strong commitment to nonpartisan, evidence-based work, and he is a thoughtful leader who builds strong teams and invests in people,” Christopher Jones, chair of Pew’s board of directors, said in a statement.
Though Pew has a strong Philadelphia presence, Foster will work from the organization’s office in Washington, D.C., like Urahn. Bridgespan has worked with Pew in recent years on Philly matters, including a four-year strategic learning initiative funded by $4 million from Pew and Harris Philanthropies, which included 80 Philadelphia-area organizations.
“I am inspired by what Pew has accomplished and by what makes it distinctive, and I am energized by the possibilities ahead,” Foster said in a statement.
“I believe that Pew’s commitment to rigorous nonpartisan work, and its inherent optimism, is more important than ever, and I am honored by the opportunity to build on that foundation and to work alongside Pew’s talented staff and partners,” he said.
» READ MORE: Philly makes progress on gun violence and poverty, while economic growth stagnates, Pew report finds
Urahn has been atop Pew, which is made up of several trusts valued at a combined $6.1 billion as of 2024, since 2020. She took over from Pew’s longtime and transformational CEO Rebecca W. Rimel in 2020. Urahn began working at the nonprofit in 1994, the same year Rimel began as chief executive, making Foster the organization’s first outside leader since at least Bill Clinton’s presidential administration.
Urahn and other colleagues had worked with Foster over the past decade. The departing leader said in Pew’s statement she believed he’d demonstrated the right experience, perspective and understanding of Pew to lead the organization.
“As I continue in my role through the transition, my focus remains on ensuring continuity, stability, and a smooth handoff to William Foster, whose leadership and vision will help guide the organization into its next chapter,” she said.