Interim President
Kara Mikulich assumed the role of President in September 2024, having served the foundation as Chief Philanthropy Officer since 2018. With more than 30 years of leadership in the nonprofit sector, Kara previously served as vice president, strategy and development, at Public Allies, a national service organization that prepares young people in 25 cities for careers in public service. She has led grant-seeking and development efforts for a wide range of nonprofits, from local direct-service agencies to national and international nongovernmental organizations, and she previously served as a program officer at the Joyce Foundation. A lawyer by training, Kara began her career as a staff attorney with the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago. She is a graduate of Stanford Law School and the College of the Holy Cross.