Board chair Linda Mason shares the selection of M. Lee Pelton as TBF President and CEO

After a months-long, national search, TBF Board Chair Linda Mason was pleased to send word to the Boston Foundation community that Dr. M. Lee Pelton had been selected as the Foundation's next President and CEO.

Dear Boston Foundation community,

I am writing to share some exciting news.

Over the past ten months, the Boston Foundation has undertaken a national search to find our next President and CEO.

Before we talked to any candidates, we talked to you, the community of the Boston Foundation – from grassroots and nonprofit leaders and activists, to donors and philanthropists, elected and appointed officials, the dedicated Foundation staff, civic leaders and citizens. The conversations were honest, inclusive, and informed a process that drew great interest from passionate and talented candidates from all over the country.

Today, we are pleased to announce the Foundation’s next leader.

What makes Dr. Lee Pelton the perfect leader for this time in the Foundation’s history? 

It is a time when we are hopeful about the future, but we are impatient.  If we are truly going to address the great challenges in front of us here in Boston and in our region, we need to not only deeply engage our non-profit and public sector partners but also engage our business leaders, private sector, and donor partners more fully. 

Lee has a long track record of strategic innovation, deep partnerships, an understanding of Boston’s greatest challenges and a vision for what we as a city and region, and we as a Foundation, can be.

He will officially join the Foundation after the Emerson College commencement, with a start date of June 1, 2021. Until then, Paul Grogan will continue to lead the Foundation and we will continue our critical work for and with the people of Greater Boston. 

Over the coming months as he transitions from Emerson to the Foundation, we will be planning more opportunities for you to connect with Lee, to give him a chance to share his ideas and to learn from you. to read and learn more about Lee, his remarkable personal story, thoughtful writings, and long record working on behalf of social justice.

Thank you for your feedback and honest engagement throughout this process. On behalf of the search committee and the TBF Board of Directors, we look forward to working with you as we continue to advance the mission of the Foundation through this exciting transition.

Best wishes,

Chair, Board of Directors
The Boston Foundation