Carol Argento Appointed President and CEO of The Charles Hayden Foundation
September 8, 2021 — New York, NY — The Charles Hayden Foundation Board of Trustees announced that Ms. Carol Argento has been selected to serve as the next President and CEO of the Foundation, effective July 15, 2021. She succeeds Mr. Kenneth Merin who served in the position for the past 21 years.
“Carol brings extensive experience and a lifelong commitment to creating equitable pathways to success for underserved youth in New York City and Boston,” said Dean Steeger, Chairperson of the Board. “Her deep connections in the communities we serve will continue to allow the Foundation to respond to the emerging needs of those communities.”
Ms. Argento has built a strong reputation as an advocate of trust-based philanthropy. In response to community leaders, Ms. Argento sought new funding streams in support of youth mentoring and networking programs as well as other efforts during her previous 10 years as Vice President of the Hayden Foundation.
“I’m thrilled and humbled by the opportunity to lead the Charles Hayden Foundation,” Ms. Argento said. “I am excited to build upon Hayden’s philosophy of trust-based philanthropy to ensure that youth in New York City and Boston have access to high quality education and opportunities to reach their highest potential.”
Prior to serving as the Vice President of the Charles Hayden Foundation, Ms. Argento served in a variety of positions in the nonprofit, corporate and philanthropic world. Currently, she is also the Chairperson of the Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust; Treasurer of the Core Mark International Employee Appreciation Fund; and a member of the Steering Committee of the New York City Youth and Education Funders Network. Ms. Argento was a founding
board member of the New York Alternative Investment Roundtable and of the De La Salle Academy. Ms. Argento holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Vassar College and a Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School. She lives in Brooklyn and is a member of All Saints Church.
The Charles Hayden Foundation works to close the opportunity gap by supporting multiple pathways for underserved youth to equitably access quality education and realize rewarding careers in New York City and Boston. Its mission is founded on a philanthropy that works to shift power to communities through a deep understanding of the needs of their constituents.