Mardell Moffett Named Executive Director of The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation

Washington, D.C. – Calvin Cafritz, Chairman of The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, announced that Mardell Moffett has been named the Executive Director of the Foundation.

Ms. Moffett joined the Foundation in 1993. Over the years, she rose through the ranks, most recently serving as Associate Executive Director. According to Mr. Cafritz, “Mardell brings to her new role decades of proven leadership and extensive knowledge of the Washington region and the nonprofit community. Going forward, she will represent the Foundation well.”

During her tenure, Ms. Moffett has worked with organizations in each of the Foundation’s programmatic areas: the arts and humanities, health, education, community services and the environment. In addition to active participation with groups such as the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network and the former Community Development Support Collaborative, she has held numerous leadership positions with the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers and the Washington AIDS Partnership. Currently, she is also serving on the Steering Committee of the Resilience Fund.

“I am truly honored to be appointed Executive Director. The Foundation has always been such an important part of the community. I welcome the opportunity to work with Mr. Cafritz, the Foundation Board and staff — and, following in the footsteps of Rose Ann Cleveland and Anne Allen, to continue supporting the region’s nonprofit organizations,” she commented.

Ms. Moffett has also worked for area nonprofits, including the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland (The Clarice) and the Washington National Opera in Washington, DC.

She holds a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. In addition, Ms. Moffett has a Certificate in Integrative Nutrition and Health Counseling from Columbia University’s Union Teachers College.

Ms. Moffett succeeds Dr. Rose Ann Cleveland in this role. Dr. Cleveland joined the Foundation in 2005 and has served as Executive Director since 2006. She is retiring at the end of October 2017.

Founded in 1948, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation is the largest private foundation serving the Washington area. For more information regarding this announcement, call Tobi Printz-Platnick, Senior Program Officer, at 202-223-3100.