After a national search, the Princeton Area Community Foundation Board of Trustees on Wednesday announced it named Mathieu Nelessen as the new leader of the organization.
“Our Board was unanimous in their selection of Mathieu to become the next President & CEO of the Community Foundation,” Board Chair Sonia Delgado said. “The Community Foundation is an extraordinary organization with an incredible team, and we’re looking forward to Mathieu’s visionary leadership as we continue to grow and make an impact in our region.”
Nelessen currently serves as CEO of the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA). He was CARRA’s first CEO, leading a successful reorganization from a Board-managed operation to a professional, CEO-managed operation.
“I am elated to join the Princeton Area Community Foundation as the next President and Chief Executive Officer,” Nelessen said. “After 25 years of nonprofit service, it is a distinct honor to return to my home community to drive the incredible mission of the Community Foundation forward, with a focus on growth, innovation and impact. I look forward to working with the remarkable Community Foundation Board of Trustees and professional staff, and I am incredibly thankful to the Board for their trust in me to fulfill this important community role. I look forward to furthering the critical junction between philanthropy and the needs of community and creating sustainable change. Together in Service.”
“Mathieu is engaging, intelligent and thoughtful,” Anthony “Skip” Cimino, the former board chair and chair of the Search Committee said. “He has a depth of experience, including a number of high-profile positions, and his roots are in this community. He’s an excellent choice for the organization.”
Nelessen has strong ties to our region. He previously served in leadership roles at the American Red Cross, both in New Jersey and at the national level.
He also led and managed that organization’s Superstorm Sandy disaster response and recovery efforts in New Jersey. He was also deployed to Houston, Texas to serve as the executive director of the Hurricane Harvey recovery program.
Before joining the Red Cross, Nelessen was the executive director of the New Jersey office of the American Diabetes Association, director of Annual Giving at Rider University, and served in director roles at Special Olympics New Jersey. He is a graduate of Rutgers University, with a degree in psychology.
He is the third leader of the Community Foundation since its founding in 1991. Nancy Kieling led the organization for 20 years until her retirement. Jeff Vega succeeded her as president & CEO, a role he held until his death in January.
Nelessen will begin his role in early February.
