Lafayette Square Foundation Appoints Susannah Vickers as Executive Director
Former New York City Assistant Comptroller for Pensions to lead and scale the non-profit organization affiliated with impact investment platform Lafayette Square
NEW YORK, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lafayette Square Foundation, an affiliate of Lafayette Square and a non-profit public charity focused on advancing a US economy that creates equal opportunity for all people, announced today the appointment of Susannah Vickers as Executive Director. Vickers will lead the Foundation's efforts to provide access to resources, develop training programs, and offer capital solutions that reduce barriers for historically underrepresented individuals building profitable businesses. The Foundation's activities will also focus on supporting initiatives that improve job quality for frontline workers and advance the practice of place-based capitalism.
Vickers has twenty-five years of public sector and capital markets experience. Most recently, she served as the New York City Assistant Comptroller for Pensions and designated trustee to the NYC pension systems, the nation's fourth largest public pension plan. Under her leadership, the systems developed a multi-pronged strategy to address climate risk, which resulted in the largest U.S. public pension fund divestment from fossil fuel securities and doubled investments in climate change solutions. Vickers also led the systems' Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs, including the creation of new standards for disclosure of diversity statistics, development of asset class emerging manager programs and production of one of the nation's largest conferences for diverse and emerging investment managers.
"We are delighted to have Susannah lead and scale the development of Lafayette Square Foundation," said Damien Dwin, Board Member of the Lafayette Square Foundation and Founder & CEO of Lafayette Square. "We believe that the power to make change starts with access to capital, and we're confident that Susannah's leadership experiences directing operations across one of the nation's largest pensions plans, non-profit grant programs, and other government entities make her perfectly equipped to create impactful partnerships and help us realize our mission."
"Having spent my career appreciating the impact of appropriately allocated capital while also seeing the need for more equity and inclusion in finance, I feel strongly about Lafayette Square Foundation's mission to create equal opportunities for participation in the US economy," said Vickers. "I look forward to working with the Lafayette Square Foundation board, my colleagues, and our partners to drive a sustained positive impact in communities."
Vickers earned a bachelor's degree in political studies from Pitzer College, a master's in policy formation from NYU Wagner School of Public Administration, and a certificate in board effectiveness from University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management.
About Lafayette Square Foundation
Lafayette Square Foundation partners with mission-aligned organizations to develop capital products and other resources that reduce barriers for historically underrepresented individuals building profitable businesses. The Foundation's activities will also focus on supporting initiatives that improve job quality for frontline workers and advance the practice of place-based capitalism. For more information about Lafayette Square Foundation, please visit www.lafayettesquarefoundation.org.
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SOURCE Lafayette Square Foundation
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