The Hewlett Foundation has named a temporary successor for the departing president Larry Kramer.  

Elizabeth Peters, the foundation’s general counsel and corporate secretary, will be the interim president while the $13 billion charitable institution continues to search for a permanent president.  

She is the first woman to hold the position and serves on the foundation’s Racial Justice Advisory Council. Peters is credited with building the foundation’s legal department and is a frequent speaker on nonprofit legal topics impacting private foundations.  

The foundation confirmed that Peters is not a candidate for the permanent job. 

“In Liz Peters, we have a seasoned, principled, and thoughtful leader to steer the foundation as interim president. Hewlett’s board is immensely grateful that Liz is willing to take on this role during this critical transition,” said Hewlett Foundation board chair Mariano-Florentino (Tino) Cuéllar.  

Elizabeth Peters, new interim president of Hewlett Foundation. Credit: Nancy Rothstein Photography

“As we know from her years of service as an officer of the board, she brings deep commitment to the foundation’s mission and knowledge of its grantmaking operations across our program areas.” 

Kramer announced his decision to step down from leading the $13 billion institution in July last year after more than a decade in the role. He will move on to his new role as president and vice chancellor of the London School of Economics and Political Science. 

Under Kramer’s leadership, the foundation launched initiatives aimed at healing US democratic institutions and social justice, with a particular emphasis on racial justice in its existing work by asking each of its programmes to investigate how systemic racism impacts on choices made.   

The Hewlett Foundation announced $168 million in funding for racial justice initiatives in 2020 off the back of the Black Lives Matter movement.   

Shafi Musaddique is news editor at Alliance magazine.