Kristen Mack will serve as Managing Director, Communications of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Mack puts storytelling at the center of all of her work and is committed to identifying compelling narratives that amplify individual and collective voices.
As Managing Director, Communications, and as a member of the Foundation’s executive leadership team, Mack will operate as the organization’s senior-most communications expert, managing a comprehensive strategy designed to strengthen the Foundation’s reputation, the impact of the organizations it supports, and the communities they serve.
“Kristen is recognized across the Foundation, as well as by peers and colleagues, as a true expert in her field,” said MacArthur President John Palfrey. “She is strategic and forward thinking. She is meticulous about details and a lot of fun.”
Mack joined the MacArthur Foundation in 2016 as a Communications Officer. She was promoted to Senior Communications Officer in 2018 and to Director, Communications, at the end of 2019. She is co-chair of MacArthur’s Just Imperative Working Group, which leads and facilitates Foundation-wide efforts to incorporate the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion into its regular operations.
Prior to joining MacArthur, Mack served as Director of Corporate Communications at the global public relations agency Golin where she developed strategic communications campaigns that enhanced the brand reputation and relevance of corporate and nonprofit clients, including Dow, Humana, Hyatt, and YMCA of the USA. She also provided strategic counsel, oversaw issues management, and crafted executive-level thought leadership for clients.
Previously, Mack worked as Director of Media Relations for the Cook County Health & Hospitals System, where, as a member of the strategy and external affairs team, she raised awareness and credibility for the system as a medical provider, healthcare plan operator, and safety net institution. As Deputy Director of Public Affairs and Communications, she developed and implemented a public affairs strategy that advanced the agenda of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. Earlier in her career, Mack was a City Hall reporter for the Chicago Tribune and a political writer for the Washington Post and the Houston Chronicle.
Mack received her BA from Emory University and her master’s in Journalism from the University of California, Berkeley.
Mack serves on the Board of Directors of Global Glimpse, a nonprofit that provides transformative international travel and leadership opportunities to high school students from diverse backgrounds. She also serves on the Advisory Council of WBEZ Next.