Carmen James Lane to Leave Meyer

Carmen James Lane, a key member of the Meyer Foundation’s program staff since 1998, will leave the Foundation in February to join the Greater New Orleans Foundation as vice president for programs.

Carmen currently serves as a senior program officer and leads Meyer’s education grantmaking. During her 15 years at the Foundation, she has helped define our grantmaking strategies and priorities in youth development and education, and has built lasting relationships with scores of organizations working to improve the lives of young people from low-income families throughout our region.

She has also held numerous local and national leadership roles, including serving as a founding board member of the Black Philanthropic Alliance, as co-chair of two working groups of the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers, as a founding steering committee member of the Education Policy Working Group of Grantmakers for Education, and as national chair of the Youth Transition Funders Group. Her work with the New Schools Venture Fund, Education Funders Strategy Group, and the DC Steering Committee on Competency-based Education has deepened Meyer’s work in education reform.

“Carmen has been an anchor of our program staff and the local grantmaking community, and we’re very sorry to be losing her,” says Meyer Foundation President and CEO Julie Rogers. “At the same time, we take pride in her success and are delighted that another community and its youth will benefit from Carmen’s expertise, her passion for helping young people advance, and her nurturing spirit.”

The Foundation will not fill Carmen’s position until a new CEO is in place later this year. After February 1, current grantees with questions should contact Caroline Eckert, program assistant for education, who will direct calls to the appropriate contact at Meyer.