Philanthropy Northwest announced the start of its new CEO, Kiran Ahuja, on Aug. 2.
She is the first person of color to hold the position.
“In Kiran, we found a leader who not only shares our values, but can build strong bridges across the region and within the field—she is a true collaborator,” said Kevin Walker, Philanthropy Northwest’s board chair and Northwest Area Foundation president and CEO.
Ahuja, a civil rights lawyer, spent six years as the executive director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; she served as the director of the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum from 2003-2008; and was the chief of staff at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.