It is with tremendous gratitude to everyone who contributed to the Managing Director search announced in January, including the 53 candidates who applied, that I’d like to welcome Grantbook’s newest team member, Nikki Barrett.
Nikki is joining Grantbook as Managing Director following a career built on spreading new ideas and inspiring others to action. At Random House Canada, Nikki vetted manuscripts and contributed to the editing and launch of books like Naomi Klein’s No Logo. At the Lavin Agency speakers bureau, Nikki managed the North American sales team responsible for bringing speakers like Salman Rushdie to captive and diverse audiences. And just prior to Grantbook, Nikki worked at the tech startup Actionable, a knowledge platform that helps consultants deliver new ideas and inspiration to their clients.
In her deep and long-standing commitment to making complex ideas accessible, Grantbook has found a Managing Director who can help our own whip-smart team of 13 philanthropy professionals bring their own ideas and voices to the fore. We have spent 6+ years at the intersection of digital transformation and emerging practices in philanthropy. We have things to say. Our 75+ foundation clients and partners have stories of transformation to tell. And with Nikki, GrantBook has gained both an experienced leader and an inspiring storyteller to help us bring our insights forward.
I have no doubt Nikki will also emerge as her own bright and powerful voice on where the philanthropic sector is currently and can be going to create the world we all want to live in.
Welcome Nikki!
I’d also like to extend a profound thank you to the 12 Grantbook team members who have not just shown resilience and commitment to their work through this period of transition but who have elevated Grantbook’s work to a new level of maturity and scale over the past 4 months. In the history of B Corps, I don’t know if there is a better example of uncertainty spawning growth, resourcefulness, and creativity in the way that I have just witnessed. It inspires me. I am grateful in ways that words cannot convey. Thank you Annie Xiong, Connor Sullivan, Haifa Staiti, James Law, Jennifer Toh, Kenny Li, Maggie Cheung, Melanie Wood, Rahi Delvi, Rob Fishbook, and Tierney Smith!
I’d also like to thank my friend and colleague Meaghan Kappel, who responded to my call for exceptionally talented Managing Director candidates. Meaghan, who by no coincidence is a Manager in the Deals Strategy practice at PwC, responded to this call with a prompt & warm introduction to Nikki. Thank you Meaghan!
