SYRACUSE — Melanie Littlejohn will conclude a lengthy tenure with National Grid-New York next month, and soon after, will begin her new duties as the next president & CEO of the Central New York Community Foundation.
The foundation’s board of directors approved the hiring of Littlejohn as the organization’s next leader, effective March 1, per a Dec. 21 CNY Community Foundation news release.
Littlejohn succeeds Peter Dunn, who served as the Community Foundation’s president and CEO since 2008.
Under Dunn’s leadership, the foundation’s assets nearly quadrupled from $110 million in 2008 to nearly $400 million in 2022, the CNY Community Foundation said. Annual grantmaking increased from $5.2 million in 2008 to $18.1 million in 2022 and the staff grew from 16 employees to 25.
Until Littlejohn assumes her new role on March 1, Thomas Griffith will continue to serve as the CNY Community Foundation’s interim president and CEO, the organization said.
Littlejohn earlier in December had announced her plans to retire from National Grid in February. She leads a team responsible for engaging with customers, key community leaders, and policymakers across New York state to ensure processes, planning, and best practices were delivered consistently.
Littlejohn plans to apply her career and life experiences to the CNY Community Foundation’s work by “supporting community transformation and fully engaging residents, including those impacted by specific issues and donors of varying backgrounds,” the organization noted.
“For me, there is no better place to be than with this foundation and in this tremendous community,” Littlejohn said in the foundation’s release. “After almost 30 years at National Grid, I understand the power of service and the importance of collaboration to leave our communities and neighborhoods a little better than we found them. This is truly a transformative time for Central New York, so leading the Community Foundation at this moment of great promise is an honor.”
The CNY Community Foundation said it selected Littlejohn “following a nationwide search.”
Littlejohn has worked for National Grid-New York for 29 years, most recently serving as VP of customer & community engagement.
“Melanie is the right leader to take the Community Foundation to the next level of community leadership and impact,” Daniel Fisher, chair of the Community Foundation board of directors, said in the news release. “She is a humble, empathetic, servant leader who has intimate knowledge and passion for the community and its needs. We believe Melanie will build on the foundation laid by previous leadership and the strengths of our outstanding staff to provide bold and courageous leadership and build trust by being present with those we serve.”
Littlejohn was selected after an eight-month search that included input and feedback from many constituencies of the Community Foundation and the greater Central New York community, the organization said.
“The Community Foundation’s staff, board, and stakeholders articulated a vision for a bold, impassioned and grounded leader,” J. Andrew Breuer, search committee co-chair, said in the release. “By leading countless community initiatives, work groups and committees over the past three decades, Melanie has proven to be one of Central New York’s most trusted corporate citizens and most valued community advocates. She is a perennial bridge builder, with a tried-and-true devotion to the Community Foundation.”
Prior to starting at National Grid, Littlejohn served as executive director of the Urban League of Onondaga County and manager of international client services for Banker’s Trust Company in the Wall Street District. She holds an MBA degree from Syracuse University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from SUNY Stony Brook.
Littlejohn is active in numerous civic and philanthropic initiatives. She currently serves as co-chair of the Micron Community Engagement Committee, which helps drive the company’s community investment strategy. She is also a trustee and vice chair of the Onondaga Community College board of trustees and serves on the boards of CenterState CEO and Pathfinder Bank.
She has served on numerous boards over the course of her career, including that of the CNY Community Foundation, where she served as chair from 2011-2013.
Littlejohn has received numerous honors in recognition of her civic leadership. Most recently, she was named a 2022 Woman of Prestige from the Yva Jourdan Foundation and she received the 2019 Wisdom Keeper Award from FOCUS Greater Syracuse. She is also recognized for her commitment to mentoring up-and-coming leaders and has served as a student mentor and guest speaker for classes at Syracuse University.