New York, New York, June 3, 2021 — Carnegie Corporation of New York’s board of trustees welcomed three additional members today during its quarterly meeting, which was convened virtually due to the pandemic. Martin Baron, who retired as executive editor of the Washington Post earlier this year, is joined by two returning board members: the Honorable Kurt L. Schmoke, president of the University of Baltimore, and the Honorable Ann Claire Williams, who retired as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in 2018 and is now in private practice. Each will serve a four-year term.
“On behalf of the entire board of trustees and the Corporation’s staff, we are delighted to welcome three highly distinguished individuals as members of the foundation’s board — the depth and breadth of their wisdom and expertise will be critically important to the stewardship of the institution,” said Thomas H. Kean, chairman of the board of trustees and former governor of New Jersey. “Marty Baron is one of the great media executives of our times, known for building top-notch newsrooms through fearless investigative reporting; Kurt Schmoke leads a major urban university, was the first Black mayor of Baltimore, and has an extraordinary understanding of how to best prepare young adults for productive lives; and Judge Ann Claire Williams is one of the true pioneers on the federal bench, who has also worked to advance numerous causes, including the rule of law in Africa and the careers of underrepresented minority attorneys. We are grateful for their expert guidance.”
Governor Kean noted that the trustees are joining the Corporation at an important juncture. Vartan Gregorian, the foundation’s president since 1997, died unexpectedly on April 15, 2021, and the board is responsible for overseeing the succession process.
“One hundred ten years ago this month, Andrew Carnegie established the Corporation as the first grantmaking foundation of its type, with the understanding that its trustees would provide steady but responsive leadership for an institution meant to evolve in perpetuity,” said Janet L. Robinson, vice chairman of the board of trustees, chair of the committee on trustees, and former president and CEO of The New York Times Company. “With the addition of Marty Baron, Kurt Schmoke, and Judge Ann Claire Williams, the board will benefit from the contributions of three powerhouse thinkers and doers. We look forward to working together closely as the trustees seek to ensure a smooth transition following the painful loss of Vartan Gregorian.”
Kurt Schmoke is returning to the board of trustees after serving from 2007 through 2017. Ann Claire Williams is also a previous trustee, having served from 2012 through 2020.
Martin “Marty” Baron retired as executive editor of the Washington Post in February 2021, after spending eight years overseeing the Post’s print and digital news operations and a staff that now numbers 1,000 journalists. In the course of his career, Baron has led newsrooms to 17 Pulitzer Prizes, including 10 awarded to the Post: four for national reporting; two for explanatory reporting; and one each for investigative reporting, criticism, feature photography, and public service. Read more here.
Hon. Kurt L. Schmoke became the eighth president of the University of Baltimore in July 2014, following a career in politics and law. Schmoke served as the mayor of the City of Baltimore, Maryland, for 12 years, from 1987 to 1999, and as the state’s attorney for Baltimore from 1982 to 1987. During his tenure as mayor, Schmoke initiated a number of programs in the areas of housing, education, public health, and economic development. Read more here.
Hon. Ann Claire Williams (Ret.) served on the federal bench as a trailblazing judge for more than 32 years before joining Jones Day law firm in 2018 to lead its efforts in advancing the rule of law in Africa. Nominated by President Ronald Reagan in 1985, Williams was the first woman of color to sit on the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. In 1999, President William J. Clinton nominated Williams to become the first judge of color appointed to the three-state Seventh Circuit and the third woman of color to serve on any United States Court of Appeals. Read more here.
The three trustees were elected to the board by unanimous vote and started their terms with the Corporation on June 3, 2021. View the full list of Corporation trustees here.
TOP (l–r): Martin "Marty" Baron; Kurt L. Schmoke; Ann Claire Williams
(Credit: Ann Claire Williams photo by John Reilly Photography)
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