Leadership
Nancy Feller
Vice PresidentNancy Feller serves as vice president, secretary and general counsel of the foundation, overseeing day-to-day global legal affairs. Over the last 30 years, she has played a major role in maintaining the sound governance and operations of the foundation through transitions in leadership and programs, adaptations to the new technological landscape and in response to the global economic downturn.
Nancy joined the Ford Foundation in August 1979 as resident counsel in the Office of the Secretary and General Counsel. Five years later, the Ford Foundation Board of Trustees appointed her associate general counsel and director of Legal Services. In 1996, she became the associate general counsel and assistant secretary. Nancy was named to her current post in 2010.
As the foundation's chief legal officer, in addition to all legal matters, Nancy is responsible for the foundation's governance, board matters, grants processing and documentation, and custody and maintenance of corporate records. Her work includes managing Ford Foundation Board of Trustees meeting materials and logistics, serving as staff liaison to the board's Management and Governance Committee and providing staff support for the board's Audit, Finance and Proxy committees. Nancy also supervises the foundation's Human Resources, Internal Audit and Travel Services departments.
Prior to joining the foundation, Nancy was an associate at Debevoise and Plimpton. She earned a law degree from the New York University School of Law and received her bachelor's degree in history at Swarthmore College.
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