NEW YORK—The Open Society Foundations today announced that Samantha Stokes-Baydur will take on a newly created position of chief human resources officer, with effect from March 30th.
Stokes-Baydur will lead the Foundations’ people and culture strategy and operations in support of the overall mission. This elevated role reflects the critical importance of Open Society’s commitment to strengthening its people and talent development efforts, and building a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive global network.
“Samantha is a passionate, experienced, and accomplished leader, with a demonstrated track record in steering global organizations to transform their cultures in support of social justice,” said Mark Malloch-Brown, president of Open Society. “With her deep commitment to justice and equality, she offers exactly what we need to drive critical change at this time. I look forward to working with Samantha to align our organizational culture with our future direction.”
Selected for the role after a global search, Stokes-Baydur joins the Open Society Foundations from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, where she has been Deputy Head of Human Resources. She brings nearly three decades of human resources experience with large and culturally diverse international organizations, working across different sectors and geographical locations.
“I am deeply honored to be joining Open Society to help shape its people and culture efforts. The Foundations’ mission is one that I admire greatly,” said Stokes-Baydur. “There has never been a more important time to ensure that we are creating workplaces that foster a culture of inclusion and belonging and lift up diverse voices. And with the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, providing supportive, flexible, and compassionate working structures will continue to be critical.”