Published in The Associated Press

By James Pollard

Yale Law School Dean Heather Gerken will succeed Darren Walker as the president of one of the largest U.S. charitable organizations, the Ford Foundation announced Monday. A leading expert on constitutional law and democracy, Gerken takes the helm of its $16 billion endowment as the philanthropic sector navigates challenges to the tax-exempt status of nonprofits opposed by President Donald Trump’s administration and its sweeping orders targeting trillions of dollars in federal funding for civil society groups.

“I am deeply grateful for this opportunity and look forward to working with Ford staff and the board of trustees to protect democracy and the rule of law and further our mission to create a more just and fair world for everyone,” Gerken said in a statement.

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