Dear Fels Community,
On behalf of the Samuel S. Fels Fund Board, I am pleased to share that the Board has appointed Uma Viswanathan as President. She joined our community today, July 28, 2025.
Uma is a philanthropic and social change leader with two decades of experience advancing racial equity, civic engagement, and community-rooted leadership across the country. A Philadelphia resident, she brings both a national perspective and deep commitment to strengthening the city’s grassroots movement leadership. Uma has led and built grassroots and community-rooted initiatives across the globe-from founding a youth leadership network in Haiti focused on healing and food sovereignty, to developing pipelines of racial justice organizers into public leadership roles in the Bay Area. She has helped both community and institutional leaders navigate organizational and strategic challenges, while also guiding them in finding balance and well-being on their leadership journeys.
Her leadership has been shaped by her roles as Program Officer for Racial Equity and Community Engagement at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Senior Program Officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Executive Director of New Pluralists -a national funder collaborative fostering a culture of pluralism in American life. Across these roles, Uma has stewarded major investments and shaped funding initiatives that honor local, culturally rooted leadership; expand civic and community engagement; and deepen the sector’s commitment to racial equity and healing, health and well-being, and systems change.
Uma’s appointment follows an extensive search led by the Board and Bridge Partners, launched shortly after Sarah Martinez-Helfman announced her departure from Fels in December 2024.
We’re thrilled that Uma is joining Fels at such a critical moment. The communities we are all a part of are facing devastating challenges, and the need for unwavering, strategic leadership has never been greater. Uma brings deep expertise that will strengthen Fels’ work at this vital time.
We are looking forward to the impact we’ll make together!
Warmly,
Michael O’Bryan, Board Chair
Samuel S. Fels Fund