SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The board of trustees of the Gifford Foundation has named Sheena Solomon to be its next executive director, effective Jan. 1, 2019.
She succeeds Dirk Sonneborn who is retiring from the post after leading the foundation for the past eight years. Solomon is currently the director of neighborhood initiatives at the Gifford Foundation.
“The board is enthusiastic about the future of the Foundation and feels confident that Ms. Solomon is the right person to continue our mission,” Jaime Alicea, board chair said in a news release, “and we are fortunate to have someone with so much community experience to be our next Executive Director.”
Solomon has been with the Gifford Foundation since 2007 and has served as the director of neighborhood initiatives since 2011. She has also been a leader in the creation of Gifford’s citywide: “What If …” mini grant program; Nourishing Tomorrow’s Leaders; and the POWER capacity building program.
Solomon is active locally and nationally on a variety of boards and advisory groups, including the PLACES Fellowship (a program of The Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities), You Can’t Fail Inc., Syracuse Economic Development Corporation, and the Near Westside Initiative.
The Gifford Foundation had $18.4 million in net assets in 2016, according to state and federal tax filings from the foundation.
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Photo credit: Gifford Foundation