BY PEPPER FISHER
New York ― The Rockefeller Foundation announced this week that Congressman Derek Kilmer, who currently represents our 6th District, has been named Senior Vice President for the newly created U.S. Program & Policy team. The organization has invested in American health, education, economic opportunity, and other initiatives since its founding in 1913.
As head of U.S. Program & Policy, Kilmer will lead a new range of work to engage domestic and global leaders, civil society actors, businesses, and institutions to advance issues core to The Rockefeller Foundation’s mission. In addition, he will oversee several existing, high-impact projects that the Foundation is driving alongside strategic partners, including: Invest in Our Future (IOF), a coalition of philanthropies focused on ensuring communities around the country can access the benefits of US climate policy equitably; Pro-Working Family Tax Policy Initiative, a portfolio of grantees committed to effectively using fiscal policy to reduce economic inequality in the U.S. and support working families; Global Economic Recovery (GER), a policy coalition focused on improving the quantum and quality of development finance to support progress on global climate and development goals; and Economic Opportunity Collective (EOC), a multi-stakeholder partnership aimed at mobilizing capital for small businesses in the United States.
Kilmer said in a written statement: “As I move on from Congress, I’m absolutely thrilled to join The Rockefeller Foundation, which has demonstrated – time and again – extraordinary capacity for impact here in the United States and around the world for the past 111 years. Today, as much as any time in our nation’s history, America needs big bets that can reimagine and expand economic opportunity, improve the health of our environment and our people, strengthen our democracy, and much more.”
Kilmer announced that he wouldn’t seek reelection in November 2023. His seat in Congress will be filled by either Democratic candidate Emily Randall or Republican candidate Drew MacEwen, the two candidates in November’s general election.
Kilmer’s new role will begin in January.