McKnight est thrilled to announce several staffing updates! As we continue to go all in on mission, étaient fine-tuning our organizational structure to ensure étaient making the most of all our resources—from grantmaking to program-related investments to leveraging our public voice—to drive the most impact. Please join us in congratulating the powerful leaders who are transitioning into new roles within the McKnight team!
Valerie Stull, Senior Program Officer, Global Collaboration for Resilient Food Systems
We’re pleased to welcome Valerie Stull as the new Senior Program Officer for the Global Foods Program. In this role, Valerie will help shape and guide the Foundation’s efforts to transform global food systems by overseeing and developing grant portfolios that support transformative partnerships and build power—strengthening alignment between McKnight’s food systems work and our climate and equity goals. Valerie brings deep experience at the intersection of agriculture, climate, and human health, with a strong grounding in agroecology, global food security, and planetary health. Most recently, she served as a faculty associate and research scientist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, leading interdisciplinary research and collaborative projects linking agricultural practices to soil health, food security, and well‑being across diverse global contexts.
“Valerie brings a rare ability to connect food systems, climate, and human health in ways that are both rigorous and deeply grounded in real‑world practice. Her interdisciplinary perspective and global experience strengthen our ability to support transformative partnerships and advance more resilient, equitable food systems as we continue to evolve our global food systems strategy.”
– JANE MALAND CADY
Marcq Sung, Senior Program Officer & PRI Portfolio Manager
We’re excited to share that Marcq Sung has expanded responsibilities in his position as Senior Program Officer & PRI Portfolio Manager, a new role that marks an important evolution of McKnight’s mission‑aligned investing strategy. In this role, Marcq will provide strategic leadership for the Foundation’s Program‑Related Investments (PRI) portfolio while continuing his work as a Senior Program Officer on the Vibrant & Equitable Communities team, where he oversees our Access to Capital strategy. Marcq will steward and strengthen the PRI portfolio across the Foundation by bringing greater clarity, discipline, and shared infrastructure to this work.
Marcq joined McKnight in 2022 and has been leading the PRI portfolio over the past year. This role reflects both the Foundation’s enduring commitment to using every tool in our toolbox to advance our mission and Marcq’s leadership in helping integrate program strategy and investments.
“This role represents an important step forward in how we connect community‑centered program strategy with mission‑aligned capital. Marcq has helped lay the groundwork for stronger integration between programs and investments, and this new role gives us the focus and structure to deepen that work across the Foundation. It’s an exciting evolution for our PRI strategy and for McKnight as a whole.”
– MUNEER KARCHER-RAMOS
Caroline Taiwo, Senior Program Officer, Arts & Culture
We’re also pleased to share an update from the Arts & Culture program. Caroline Taiwo has been promoted to Senior Program Officer, continuing her work on the team while providing strategic leadership across the program. In this role, Caroline helps connect strategy across portfolios, partners with colleagues across the Foundation, and strengthens how Arts & Culture shows up internally and in the field. She also serves as a key point person for high‑level partnerships and initiatives. This role reflects the program’s evolution and the kind of leadership needed to sustain the work over time, leadership Caroline has demonstrated since joining McKnight in 2022 as an Arts & Culture Program Officer.
“Caroline has shaped how the Arts & Culture program plans, learns, and makes decisions together. Over the past year, she played a central role in guiding the team through a significant period of strategic rebalance—designing and facilitating program‑level conversations that moved us from sensemaking to clear decisions. Her ability to hold structure, pacing, and shared accountability has been especially important as the program navigates increasing complexity in partnership with artists, organizations, and communities.”
– DEANNA CUMMINGS
Laura Salveson, Project Manager, 75th Anniversary
As McKnight looks ahead to its 75th anniversary as a Foundation, we’re thrilled to share that Laura Salveson has been appointed to serve as an inaugural Project Manager to help lead this landmark moment. Laura will drive planning and coordination for a bold, multi-year campaign honoring McKnight’s history, legacy, and impact. This role is a fitting capstone in Laura’s accomplished career, uniting her deep experience and passions in service of a once-in-a-generation Foundation milestone. She will also help shape one of the project’s most exciting signature elements: a new history exhibit in the currently unused portion of the west side of our building that will double as an event space. Laura brings deep knowledge of local history and extensive experience with archives, museums, and immersive learning environments, and her background at the Mill City Museum makes her exceptionally well positioned to bring this vision to life.
“Laura brings a rare combination of historical expertise, creative vision, and operational skill to this work,” said Jacques Hebert. “As we look toward our 75th anniversary, this role helps ensure we honor McKnight’s legacy in ways that are meaningful, accessible, and forward‑looking. Laura’s leadership will be key to creating an experience that reflects who we’ve been, what we’ve learned, and where we’re headed.”
– JACQUES HEBERT
Jordan Smith, Facilities & Maintenance Coordinator
Jordan Smith has been promoted from Facilities Associate to Facilities & Maintenance Coordinator, reflecting his growth since joining McKnight in 2022 and the expanded responsibilities he has taken on following our move to 921 Washington. As demand has increased with the office relocation and staffing changes on the Guest Services and Facilities team, Jordan has stepped up consistently to support the day‑to‑day operations that keep our workplace running smoothly. In his new role, Jordan will coordinate and oversee facility maintenance, safety, and operational needs across the building—working closely with vendors and partners, supporting staff and guest experience, and ensuring our spaces, systems, and shared environments are well maintained, safe, and responsive to evolving organizational needs.
“Jordan has consistently shown a strong sense of ownership and care for the spaces and systems that support our daily work. As responsibilities have grown and shifted, he’s met the moment with steadiness, problem‑solving, and a willingness to step in wherever needed. This new role reflects the trust he’s earned and the important part he plays in helping McKnight function well day to day.”
– LAURA SALVESON
Jacques Hebert, Vice President of Communications & Public Affairs
We’re pleased to share that Jacques Hebert has been promoted into an expanded leadership role, recognizing his enterprise‑wide leadership of communications and public affairs for the Foundation. Jacques joined McKnight as Communications Director in 2022. Since 2024, Jacques has led communications across McKnight with a strategic, organization‑wide lens while serving as a member of the Executive Leadership Team, helping shape how we align narrative, strategy, and impact across programs and functions. Under Jacques’ leadership, McKnight has deployed its voice in new and powerful ways—demonstrating how communications and narrative can drive action, strengthen partnerships, and serve as a true mission accelerator for the Foundation. Jacques has also played a leadership role in the field through Unite in Advance, bringing together communications leaders from across the country to develop aligned strategies that strengthen collective positioning and connection with the communities we serve.
In this expanded role, Jacques will take on greater responsibility for public affairs and government relations, working in close coordination with the Office of the President, the Public Policy team, and colleagues across the Foundation to deepen external relationships and expand McKnight’s visibility in strategic ways. He will also lead communications efforts for the Foundation’s 75th anniversary, and supervise Laura Salveson in her new role as Project Manager supporting that work. This role reflects McKnight’s growing recognition of communications as a core strategic function—and the leadership needed to steward our voice with clarity, creativity, and purpose.
“This promotion reflects the trust we place in Jacques to steward McKnight’s voice at an enterprise level. As our work and visibility continue to grow, this role ensures we’re leading with intention, integrity, and alignment—internally and externally—at a moment that calls for both clarity and courage.”
– TONYA ALLEN
