Leadership Transition at Grantmakers for Education

After more than four successful years at the helm, Dr. Celine Coggins is working with the board of directors to identify the organization’s next executive director.

Letter from the EdFunders Board of Directors

Dear members,

Today, the board of directors of Grantmakers for Education announces with sincere regret the resignation of our beloved executive director, Celine Coggins, from her post. Celine joined EdFunders in 2018 and has since led our network through operational growth, programmatic expansion and financial stability during the most challenging period including the last two years of the COVID pandemic.

Celine has been an educator for more than two decades, with a track record as an innovator, leader, and connector. She began her career as a middle school teacher in Massachusetts and went on to serve in a number of education policy leadership roles. In 2007, she founded Teach Plus, a nationwide network of top-performing teachers, where she spent the next decade as its CEO. 

Since being hired as the executive director of EdFunders in 2018, Celine has led our most recent strategic planning process, with a focus on racial equity, justice, inclusion and diversity, and honing the role of philanthropy in an ever-changing education environment.

Celine will remain with EdFunders through the 2022 annual conference in October and will be on hand to support a leadership transition. The EdFunders board will be announcing the search for its new executive director soon and will reach out to the EdFunders members for assistance and support in finding the next visionary to lead our network through a new phase of our collective work to deepen education philanthropy's impact on the schools, districts, education systems and learners in the communities we serve. 

The Grantmakers for Education board is grateful to Celine for her vision and relentless pursuit of quality education and equity and social justice for all learners, especially those who continuously remain underserved and marginalized. We wish her well in the next leg of her journey.

Sincerely,

Grantmakers for Education Board of Directors

Letter from Celine Coggins

Dear members,

I have decided to resign from my position as executive director of Grantmakers for Education. I have loved this role and always been grateful for your support in it. After much deliberation, I have decided I need to return to the front lines of advocacy, where I have spent much of my career. The school shootings in Uvalde were a tipping point for me. I feel called to put my policy and organizing skills to use again.

My plan is to stay on at least through our annual conference this October, and longer if the search for my replacement is not complete by then. This will be my fifth conference as executive director, and I am excited that I will get to be with many of you in person one last time in this role.

I believe Grantmakers for Education is in an ideal position to attract an excellent candidate to lead the organization through its next stage. During my tenure, we have built a strong financial infrastructure and cushion that will serve us well through the transition. Over the past half year, we have surveyed the membership on their vision for the organization’s future. Those survey results formed the basis of our new strategic plan, and offer clear information on what the membership seeks in a leader. The new plan and website will allow the incoming leader to hit the ground running in service to members.

During my time in this role, I have learned so much from so many of you. The common denominator of this network is its focus on equity and justice for all students, especially those who have historically been marginalized. I am certain that our next leader will build on the equity foundation that has been laid in the organization and bring it to the next level. 

Thank you again for your support of me and of Grantmakers for Education.

Celine