Fay Twersky, president of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, is stepping away from one of Atlanta’s most closely watched philanthropic power seats. Twersky announced Tuesday that she will retire, prompting the Atlanta-based foundation to launch a national search for its next leader while keeping its grantmaking humming along.
As reported by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Twersky called her time at the foundation “the experience of a lifetime” and confirmed that the organization “will be in the market for a new leader.” The outlet, in a story by Crystal Edmonson, noted that the foundation has confirmed the transition and that staff will continue their day-to-day grant work during the search.
Twersky's background and what she brought to the role
Twersky took the helm of the Blank Family Foundation in February 2021 after senior roles at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, according to the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. Her official biography highlights her leadership of Hewlett’s Effective Philanthropy Group and her role as co-founder of Youth Truth, underscoring her focus on evaluation, learning and organizational effectiveness.
Steering bigger bets and local programs
Inside Philanthropy has described Twersky’s tenure as a turning point, when the Blank Foundation shifted into larger, more strategic grants. That included major investments in Atlanta’s Westside, along with environmental efforts and youth mental health programs. The outlet reported that the foundation accelerated its giving, leaned into higher-impact investments and brought next-generation family members more deeply into program decisions.
Transition plan and continuing commitments
The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports that the foundation will conduct a search for Twersky’s successor while maintaining active grantmaking through its existing staff and programs. Recent entries in the foundation’s news feed, including a May 13, 2026 annual report and press releases on significant youth mental health grants and HBCU scholarship commitments, show ongoing activity, according to the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.
Arthur Blank and his family have long framed their philanthropy as a multigenerational project, and Inside Philanthropy has noted that Blank praised the direction of the team under Twersky’s leadership. She departs after a period of strategic growth, while the foundation says its local and national initiatives will stay on track as a new president is selected.
