OSI Announces Staff Changes to U.S. Programs

NEW YORK – The Open Society Institute’s U.S. Programs today announced a series of staff appointments and promotions intended to bolster support for progressive policy, communications, leadership, and advocacy.

Nancy Youman, who has been associate director of U.S. Programs since 2002, will become the Deputy Director.

Erlin Ibreck, who joined the foundation in 1996 and most recently served as Director of Youth Initiatives, will become Director of Grantmaking Strategies.

Maria Teresa Rojas, who has been Associate Director for Grantmaking and Program Development, will be the Deputy Director of Grantmaking Strategies.

OSI also appointed Antonio Maciel as the new Director of the U.S. Justice Fund which supports work on civil and criminal justice issues.

John Kowal will take on additional responsibilities as Director of Constitutional Democracy Initiatives.

The Open Society Institute, a private operating and grantmaking foundation, is part of the network of foundations, created and funded by George Soros that operates in more than 60 countries around the world.

OSI's U.S. Programs seek to strengthen democracy in the United States by addressing barriers to opportunity and justice, broadening public discussion about such barriers, and assisting marginalized groups to participate equally in civil society and to make their voices heard. OSI U.S. Programs challenges over-reliance on the market by advocating appropriate government responsibility for human needs and promoting public interest and service values. OSI U.S. Programs supports initiatives in a range of areas including access to justice for low and moderate income people; judicial independence; ending the death penalty; reducing gun violence and over-reliance on incarceration; drug policy reform; inner-city education and youth programs; fair treatment of immigrants; reproductive health and choice; campaign finance reform; and improved care of the dying.