Dina Powell McCormick Passes Baton to Kenneth Tropin as Chair of the Board of Directors of Robin Hood

NEW YORK, NY — Robin Hood, New York City’s largest local poverty-fighting philanthropy, today announced that its second-ever woman Chair of the Board Dina Powell McCormick is passing the baton to Kenneth G. Tropin, chairman of Graham Capital Management, after overseeing one of the charity’s most successful two years of fundraising.

Powell McCormick, who will remain on the board and its executive committee, helped Robin Hood raise more than $300 million during her tenure. While on the board Powell McCormick championed the work of the Robin Hood COVID Relief Fund and helped launch The Power Fund. She led the search committee that appointed Richard R. Buery, Jr. as chief executive officer to replace Wes Moore when he stepped down to run for Governor of Maryland. She also recruited nine new board members and spearheaded a project with Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to inspire the next generation of philanthropic donors.

“Dina’s vision and passion have been transformational for Robin Hood and have laid the foundations for success and stability for decades to come,” said Paul Tudor Jones II, founder of Robin Hood and co-chairman of Tudor Investment Corporation. “I’m grateful she is being succeeded by Ken, someone of equal caliber who will build on Dina’s achievements to propel our mission to create opportunity and upward mobility for the most disadvantaged New Yorkers.”

Tropin, who currently oversees Robin Hood’s development committee, has worked closely on fundraising efforts with Powell McCormick during her tenure as chair. In 2023, they helped secure $61 million to fight poverty in a single night at the benefit honoring Robin Hood’s 35th anniversary. Tropin will become Robin Hood’s 14th board chair. The position is typically held for two years.

“My years as chair of Robin Hood have been deeply fulfilling. It has been thrilling and inspiring to work alongside such a talented and dedicated staff committed to alleviating poverty and creating opportunities for the neediest New Yorkers. I can’t imagine a better successor than my good friend and colleague, Ken,” said Dina Powell McCormick, partner at the boutique merchant bank BDT-MSD. “It’s been my greatest honor to have helped put Robin Hood on even stronger financial footing, laying the essential groundwork for its long-term sustainability, and recruiting and installing so many new board members with unsurpassed talent and diversity.”

During Powell McCormick’s tenure, Robin Hood added board members including Mark Bezos, Founder and General Partner, Highpost Capital; Angela Glover Blackwell, Founder-in-Residence, PolicyLink; Neil Blumenthal, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Warby Parker; Michael Chae, Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, Blackstone; Nir Bar Dea, Chief Executive Officer, Bridgewater Associates; Scott Ferguson, Managing Partner and Portfolio Manager, Sachem Head Capital Management; Kristin Lemkau, Chief Executive Officer, J.P. Morgan Wealth Management; Dave Levin, Co-Founder, KIPP & Co-Founder & Partner, Array Education; Eli Manning, New York Giants; Alexandra Mondre, Managing Partner, AGM Ventures; Alexis Ohanian, Founder, Seven Seven Six; and Tony Pasquariello, Partner, Goldman Sachs & Co.

“When Dina took the reins two years ago, I said that I couldn’t imagine a better person for the job – and she certainly proved me right,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies and 108th mayor of New York City. “Under her determined leadership, Robin Hood has had two strong years of growth, and it is well-positioned to continue helping more New Yorkers build better futures for themselves and their families — and our whole city.”

Bloomberg, one of Robin Hood’s largest donors, hosted a dinner for Powell McCormick and the entire board when she began her tenure. Bloomberg Philanthropies has remained a supporter since the charity’s early days, and Bloomberg’s mayoral administration worked closely with Robin Hood for over a decade on initiatives including strengthening charter schools and providing summer learning programs for children in need.

“It is an incredible honor to follow Dina Powell McCormick as chair. She has been a terrific leader and instrumental in charting a course for the next generation of Robin Hood,” said Kenneth G. Tropin, Robin Hood’s new Board Chairman and Founder and Chairman of Graham Capital Management. “I have been a supporter of Robin Hood since its inception more than three decades ago. It has been an amazing journey, and Robin Hood has been a beacon of hope for so many New Yorkers in need. Those of us who have enjoyed success and good fortune in our lives have such an incredible opportunity to share it with those who need it most. It is incredibly gratifying to see how Robin Hood changes people’s lives and lifts them out of poverty. Robin Hood is and has been the guardian angel for New York City since 1988, it is an extraordinary privilege to lead the organization and strive to position Robin Hood to be even more impactful in the years ahead.”

Tropin, who joined Robin Hood’s board in 2016, oversaw the philanthropy’s largest milestone in more than a decade in 2020 when it raised $172 million to fight poverty and a subsequent $80 million for immediate COVID relief efforts in New York City. Recently, he championed an internal strategic planning effort focused on securing Robin Hood’s long-term sustainability.

“It is a rare blessing to have the opportunity to work with a leader as thoughtful, supportive, and effective as Dina. From day one of my tenure as Robin Hood’s CEO to today, Dina has been a valued counselor and a stalwart champion and has helped us successfully tackle daunting challenges and exciting opportunities. I am grateful for her leadership, her service, her generosity, and most of all, her friendship. I am thrilled that Dina has agreed to remain on the board’s executive committee following the completion of her term as chair. Robin Hood and the city we are honored to serve are stronger because of her leadership. I am so grateful that my good friend Ken Tropin has agreed to take up the mantle. I know we will equally benefit from Ken Tropin’s wisdom as he assumes leadership of our board,” said Richard R. Buery, Jr. CEO of Robin Hood.

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About Robin Hood

We are NYC’s largest local poverty-fighting philanthropy and have invested nearly $3 billion since 1988 to elevate and fuel New Yorkers’ permanent escape from poverty. Our grantmaking with more than 250 community partners tackles solutions for child care, child poverty, jobs, living wages, and more. At Robin Hood, we believe your starting point in life should not define where you end up. To learn more, follow us on X @RobinHoodNYC or go to robinhood.org.

MEDIA CONTACT

Kevin Thompson, Managing Director of Communications, Robin Hood, press@robinhood.org