Announcing Zoë  Stemm-Calderon as the Next Executive Director of the Raikes Foundation

We’re excited to share an important leadership update for the Raikes Foundation.

After a comprehensive and competitive national search, we’re delighted to announce that Dr. Zoë Stemm-Calderon will serve as our next Executive Director. Zoë currently serves as our Senior Director of Youth Serving Systems and will assume her new role on January 1, 2026.

We are grateful to the many advisors and committee members who contributed their time, insight, and judgment throughout this process. Their perspectives helped ensure a thoughtful and rigorous review, grounded in what this moment and our organization requires.

We also extend our sincere appreciation to Fatima Gulamali, who has served as Interim Executive Director with steadiness and clarity. Her leadership during this transition upheld the integrity of our work, and we are grateful that she will continue to serve as Chief of Staff.

A Proven Leader Committed to Building the Future Young People Deserve

Zoë brings a rare combination of field experience, systems-level leadership, and deep alignment with the values that guide our work. She began her career as an elementary teacher in Houston, where she saw firsthand that the path to the American dream is not paved the same for every child. She went on to serve in district leadership as Assistant Superintendent at Houston ISD, as a Fellow at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and in senior leadership roles at Teach for America. Zoë holds a doctorate in education leadership from Harvard University and a B.A. from the University of Washington.

Over the past decade at the Raikes Foundation, Zoë has led our Youth Serving Systems portfolio, overseeing $20 million in annual investments to strengthen K-12, postsecondary, and youth homelessness systems. She and the Youth Serving Systems team have helped mobilize more than $500 million in philanthropic co-investment through projects and funder collaboratives that they’ve co-founded and stewarded, including the Education Future Fund and Resource Equity Funders Collaborative. This work reflects a focus not only on grantmaking, but on building durable fields and partnerships that outlast any single institution.

Beyond the numbers, Zoë brings a clear point of view about what young people need to thrive. She has consistently emphasized that when schools are adequately resourced and students feel safe, respected, and supported, learning follows. She understands that this is foundational not only to individual opportunity, but to a healthy and resilient democracy.

While her portfolio has centered on education and youth homelessness, Zoë has approached these issues as deeply interconnected with civic life, public trust, and who has voice and power in our systems. She brings a clear-eyed understanding of the choices facing our country and how emerging technologies, including AI, will shape learning, work, and opportunity in the years ahead.

As trustees, we have experienced Zoë as a thoughtful strategic partner who translates vision into action and leads with clarity, rigor, and authenticity.

The Path Ahead

Zoë’s deep institutional knowledge positions her to lead from day one, particularly as we continue the work of a spend-down foundation and focus on ensuring that the progress we support endures well beyond our final grant. She knows our people, strategy, and commitments. We're excited about the leadership she will bring, the relationships she will deepen, and the impact we will continue to advance together.

Thank you for your partnership and trust.

With gratitude,

Jeff and Tricia Raikes