Introducing our new Executive Director
The McDougal Family Foundation board members are thrilled to introduce our new Executive Director, Iván Nieves. He has over 15 year of experience spanning philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, and government service, including 2 years as Chief of Staff in the Texas Education Agency. As Senior Manager at TNTP, Iván oversaw efforts to diversify the teacher workforce, which is a grant-making priority for us. Although our Healthy Waters portfolio will be new territory for him, Iván is passionate about environmental protection; he experienced the effects of climate change in Texas and chose to move to Chicago for the long-term climate protection afforded by the Great Lakes. In addition to all this, Iván has a track record and an exciting vision for bringing organizations together to amplify results. We are proud to have him representing our foundation and are confident that our grantees and foundation colleagues will find him to be a valuable partner.
- Tom McDougal, President
ABOUT US
The McDougal Family Foundation was established in 1994 by Alfred L. and Nancy Lauter McDougal following the sale of McDougal, Littell & Company, a publisher of educational materials for elementary and high schools. The McDougals had a clear set of values that drove the creation of the Foundation and continue to drive its purpose.
Founders Fred and Nancy McDougal
A moral obligation and a real desire to give others some measure of what has been given to us.
Respect for others—grantees and applicants—in the manner in which we interact with them.
Respect for each other in the decision-making process. Wherever possible, decision by consensus rather than by voting.
Openness to new ideas.
Willingness to make and admit mistakes.
Continual searching for maximum leverage.
Importance of backing qualified people.
Emphasis upon results vs. feel-good funding for prestige.
Avoidance of excessive dependence of any single grantee upon us.
Good stewardship of financial resources.
Willingness to accept non-quantitative and long-range progress.
Recognition that there is no one right way or magic bullet for effecting change.
Board of Trustees
Thomas McDougal, Executive Director, Lesson Study Alliance
Steve McDougal, CEO and Founder, 3Degrees
Jan McDougal, Educational Consultant and Entrepreneur
Sarah Duncan, Co-Executive Director, Network for College Success
