People For the American Way President and CEO Ben Jealous is excited to announce Jack Cohen as new Director of Institutional Giving and Rob Santiago as new Director of Major Gifts. Cohen and Santiago will lead the fundraising efforts to expand and diversify the organization’s major gift donors, family, and institutional foundations.
Cohen is transitioning from Analyst Institute, a premier research utility that collaborates with progressive, social justice organizations and campaigns and helps improve the civic engagement ecosystem through best practices in voter contact tactics. At the Analyst Institute, Cohen resourced the organization’s $5 million annual budget through relationship-building with a variety of institutional and individual donor and donor advisor allies.
Santiago most recently served as senior major gifts officer at the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), a non-profit legal and educational organization committed to the creative use of law as a positive force for social change. He worked closely with the director of development regarding major gifts and development strategies.
“We are honored and excited to have Jack and Rob joining the team,” said Jealous. “Their strong relationships within the philanthropic and political donor communities, as well as their combined experience building fundraising operations, will be central our efforts to advance People For’s most ambitious endeavors yet. With Jack and Rob on our team, People For can build on the work we’ve done for 40 years to uphold the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity, and justice for all and to protect America from far-right domination and to safeguard our democracy.”
“I am delighted to be joining People For the American Way. Now more than ever, foundations, unions, and other institutional donors are focusing their attention towards structural democracy reforms and voter education and enfranchisement efforts—and rightfully so,” said Cohen. “It is a true honor to join an organization implementing the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity, and justice for all, and with such tremendously capable leadership.”
“It’s an honor and privilege to be a part of the People For family. It’s a prestigious organization that has led the fight to take on oppressive systems of power, including structural racism, gender oppression, and economic inequity,” said Santiago. Given the current challenges that our democracy is facing, I’m excited to be working with our bold leadership, with the dedication to making the promise of America real for every American.”
Before working at CCR, Santiago was responsible for major gifts and stewardship programs at Marymount Manhattan College, as well as directing the annual fund at New York University College of Dentistry. An educator who previously worked for the New York City Department of Education teaching English Language Arts to middle school students, Santiago has also been involved with the I-Mentor program, helping and guiding New York City high school students academically and personally. Rob earned his undergraduate degree from Boston College and his master’s at NYU Steinhardt and currently resides in New York.
Before the Analyst Institute, Cohen was assistant director of development at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), overseeing the foreign policy think tank’s foundation and U.S. government relations portfolios. Prior to CSIS, he served as development manager with the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), a fiscal policy think tank and watchdog group. He earned his B.A. and M.A. in history from the College of William & Mary, and currently resides in Washington, DC, with his wife Lauren and cat Alamo.
About People For the American Way
People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all. We encourage civic participation, defend fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle systemic barriers to equitable opportunity. Learn more: http://www.pfaw.org
