30 Charity CEOs to Know at Large North American Charities

Last updated: 9 August 2026

Charity CEOs lead organisations that work on food security, health, housing, conservation, humanitarian response and opportunity. Their work is often complex because the mission is urgent, the money is entrusted by others, and the organisation must serve people well while building a sustainable operation.

This is a practical directory of 30 CEOs at large North American charities and major nonprofit networks. It is not a ranking. The list focuses on current roles that were checked against official leadership or organisation pages on 9 August 2026.

How this list was built

Each person below was included because an official organisation page identified them in the stated CEO or president and CEO role. This is a directory, not a ranking.

1. Rosie Allen-Herring

Interim President and CEO, United Way Worldwide

The interim role puts her at the centre of a global network of local United Ways during a period of change.

Official source: https://www.unitedway.org/leadership-team

2. Denis McDonough

CEO, Feeding America

His move into the CEO role brings senior public-service and national food-security experience to the network.

Official source: https://www.feedingamerica.org/about-us/leadership

3. Cliff Holtz

President and Chief Executive Officer, American Red Cross

He leads a national humanitarian organisation with a wide emergency-response and community-service remit.

Official source: https://www.redcross.org/about-us/who-we-are/leadership.html

4. Steven Preston

President and CEO, Goodwill Industries International

His remit spans a federation of local Goodwill organisations focused on work, skills and community participation.

Official source: https://www.goodwill.org/about/our-leadership/

5. Jonathan Reckford

CEO, Habitat for Humanity International

He leads a global housing movement whose work connects local building programmes with an international mission.

Official source: https://www.habitat.org/about/habitat-for-humanity-leadership/ceo

6. Jim Clark

President and CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of America

His role connects a national youth-development network with the everyday work of local Clubs.

Official source: https://www.bgca.org/about-us/leadership-team/jim-clark/

7. Bonnie Barczykowski

CEO, Girl Scouts of the USA

She leads a longstanding youth organisation through a modern national leadership structure.

Official source: https://www.girlscouts.org/en/footer/leadership/executive-team.html

8. Artis Stevens

President and CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

His leadership sits at the intersection of a national mentoring movement and local relationships between young people and volunteers.

Official source: https://www.bbbs.org/leadership/

9. Janti Soeripto

President and CEO, Save the Children US

She leads the US arm of a global child-focused organisation working across humanitarian and development settings.

Official source: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/leadership-and-trustees/janti-soeripto

10. David Miliband

President and CEO, International Rescue Committee

His role combines humanitarian response, policy influence and a large international operating footprint.

Official source: https://www.rescue.org/leadership

11. Michelle Nunn

President and CEO, CARE

She leads a global organisation whose work centres on poverty, women and girls, and humanitarian response.

Official source: https://www.care.org/about-us/leadership/michelle-nunn/

12. Edgar Sandoval

President and CEO, World Vision US

His leadership connects a major US fundraising organisation with World Vision programmes around the world.

Official source: https://www.worldvision.org/about-us/leadership-team/edgar-sandoval-ceo

13. Michael Nyenhuis

President and CEO, UNICEF USA

He leads the US organisation supporting UNICEF’s work for children globally.

Official source: https://www.unicefusa.org/about-unicef-usa/leadership/leadership-team/michael-j-nyenhuis

14. James Downing

President and CEO, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

He remains the current president and CEO while St. Jude prepares for a later 2026 leadership transition.

Official source: https://www.stjude.org/about-st-jude/leadership/st-jude-leadership.html

15. Carter Roberts

President and CEO, World Wildlife Fund US

His remit covers conservation leadership in the US and the organisation’s work within a global WWF network.

Official source: https://www.worldwildlife.org/about/leadership-team/

16. Jennifer Morris

CEO, The Nature Conservancy

She leads a conservation organisation working across science, policy, communities and practical nature protection.

Official source: https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/who-we-are/our-people/jennifer-morris/

17. Nancy Brown

CEO, American Heart Association

Her role combines national health education, research support, advocacy and fundraising.

Official source: https://www.heart.org/en/about-us

18. Joanne Pike

President and CEO, Alzheimer’s Association

She leads an organisation combining care and support with research, education and public advocacy.

Official source: https://www.alz.org/about/leadership/senior_management/joanne_pike_dr_p_h

19. Harold Wimmer

President and CEO, American Lung Association

His leadership spans public health, research, education and advocacy around lung health.

Official source: https://www.lung.org/about-us/our-leadership/executive-leadership-team

20. Cindy Rahman

President and CEO, March of Dimes

She leads a national organisation focused on maternal and infant health and the conditions surrounding birth.

Official source: https://www.marchofdimes.org/about-us/leadership/march-dimes-leadership

21. Alexis McGill Johnson

President and CEO, Planned Parenthood

Her role brings together health services, public education, advocacy and a national movement.

Official source: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/our-leadership

22. Marc Morial

President and CEO, National Urban League

He leads a historic civil-rights and economic-empowerment organisation with a broad national network.

Official source: https://nul.org/our-team

23. Amy Weaver

CEO, Direct Relief

She leads a humanitarian medical organisation focused on getting health supplies and support to communities in need.

Official source: https://www.directrelief.org/about/people/leadership/amy-weaver/

24. Richard Buery

CEO, Robin Hood

His work sits at the intersection of philanthropy, poverty reduction and partnerships across New York.

Official source: https://robinhood.org/about/staff/richard-r-buery-jr/

25. Vishal Ghotge

CEO, Kiva

He leads a global lending platform built around community-backed finance and access to opportunity.

Official source: https://www.kiva.org/about/leadership

26. Alix Guerrier

CEO, DonorsChoose

Her role connects education philanthropy with the classroom-level needs surfaced by teachers.

Official source: https://blog.donorschoose.org/authors/alix-guerrier

27. Scott Harrison

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, charity: water

He leads an organisation built around bringing clean water projects and transparent storytelling to a global audience.

Official source: https://www.charitywater.org/about/executive-team

28. Conrad Sauvé

President and CEO, Canadian Red Cross

He leads Canada’s national Red Cross organisation across emergency response, recovery and community support.

Official source: https://www.redcross.ca/about-us/about-the-canadian-red-cross/executive-leadership-team/conrad-sauve

29. Kirstin Beardsley

CEO, Food Banks Canada

Her role connects a national food-security organisation with local food banks and policy work.

Official source: https://foodbankscanada.ca/fr/qui-sommes-nous/direction/

30. Andrea Seale

CEO, Canadian Cancer Society

She leads a national cancer organisation working across support, information, advocacy and research.

Official source: https://cancer.ca/en/about-us/our-people/executive-leadership-team

A note on the wider companion list

The companion LinkedIn post includes 20 further people as TAG-ONLY suggestions. They are not presented as being in this article.

For practical help with leadership culture, email jonno@consultclarity.org.