Longtime leader guides executive team with more than 50 years of combined experience driving impact at Michelson Philanthropies
Left to right: Phillip J. Kim, Miguel León, Mayra Lombera, Jennifer Naitaki, Darice Bailey.
LOS ANGELES–Michelson Philanthropies is pleased to announce the appointment of Phillip J. Kim as its Executive Director. Kim has been a key leader within the Michelson ecosystem since 2009, most recently serving as CEO of the Michelson 20MM Foundation and Managing Director of Michelson Impact Ventures.
In his new role, Kim will oversee the strategic direction and operations of Michelson Philanthropies, which advances the vision of founders and co-chairs Dr. Gary K. Michelson and Alya Michelson across its Los Angeles-based divisions and impact initiatives: Michelson 20MM Foundation, Michelson Found Animals Foundation, Michelson Medical Research Foundation, Michelson Center for Public Policy, Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property, and Michelson Impact Ventures.
Kim leads an updated executive leadership team consisting of:
- Jennifer Naitaki, Managing Director, Michelson Found Animals Foundation
- Miguel León, Managing Director, Michelson 20MM Foundation
- Mayra Lombera, Chief Policy Officer, Michelson Philanthropies and Michelson Center for Public Policy
- Darice Bailey, Chief Financial and Operations Officer, Michelson Philanthropies
Together, these leaders bring more than 50 years of combined service within Michelson Philanthropies and are poised to lead the organization in an era of impact across Los Angeles, California, and beyond.
“From the earliest days of our philanthropy, Phillip has been at my side transforming ideas into impact with unwavering dedication to our mission and the communities we serve,” said Dr. Gary K. Michelson, co-founder and board chair of Michelson Philanthropies. “He combines entrepreneurial vision with the sense of duty of a true public servant, and that rare blend makes him uniquely suited to lead the organization as we renew and deepen our commitment to systemic change. I have complete confidence in Phillip, alongside our outstanding leadership team, to drive our work forward with the boldness, stability, and impact it demands.”
“Our renewed leadership team has the privilege of shepherding Michelson Philanthropies into a new era, now emerging from a year of deep reflection, realignment, and profound organizational change,” said Kim. “We do so with a sharpened focus on durable policy solutions that can impact systems and not just symptoms, and collaborative funding models with the potential to catalyze compassionate innovation at scale. At this moment, when so many of the causes and communities we care about—and even science, truth, and our shared humanity—are under threat, we are more resolute than ever in our charge to help realize Alya and Dr. Michelson’s vision of a more fair and compassionate world.”
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Michelson Philanthropies is devoted to driving systemic change to advance medical research, animal welfare, education and equity, and intellectual property. It was created and is co-chaired by Alya and Dr. Gary K. Michelson to support vulnerable and underserved communities through catalytic grantmaking, social enterprises, impact investments, and energetic public advocacy. The philanthropies are comprised of 501(c)(3) operating divisions that include Michelson Medical Research Foundation, Michelson Found Animals Foundation, Michelson 20MM Foundation, Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property, and the Michelson Center for Public Policy, a nonprofit 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. Learn more at MichelsonPhilanthropies.org.