The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) welcomes Suzanne E. Siskel as the newest member of its Board of Trustees.
In a statement, RMAF Chairman Aurelio R. Montinola III shares, ““The Foundation warmly welcomes Suzanne E. Siskel to the board of trustees. As the Ramon Magsaysay Award continues its mission of transforming the Asian region, Suzanne’s expertise and leadership in the global development community is invaluable. Her wealth of experience and collaborative spirit make her an undeniably great addition to the Ramon Magsaysay Award community.”
Ms. Siskel’s past experience include leadership roles at the Ford Foundation both in their New York headquarters and in its Southeast Asian operations. She served as acting director of Ford Foundation’s Gender Rights and Equality unit in support of women’s economic rights, LGBT rights, and HIV/AIDS. Her last role at Ford Foundation was as director of Social Justice Philanthropy.
RMAF President Susan B. Afan shares, “This is a homecoming for Suzanne as she is one of the Ramon Magsaysay Award’s staunchest champions. In 2000, she was integral in the establishment of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership through a grant from the Ford Foundation. As we enter our 65th year in 2023, we look forward to working with her in strengthening our search for transformative leaders in Asia and our mission of celebrating Greatness of Spirit.”
Ms. Siskel is currently the executive vice-president and chief operating officer of San Francisco-based The Asia Foundation, with accountability for supervision of the Foundation’s day-to-day operations and its 19 offices throughout Asia and the Pacific. Trained as a social anthropologist, Ms. Siskel has served variously as a consultant, university teacher, and researcher throughout Indonesia, Brazil, and Mexico. She studied social anthropology, receiving her bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and her master’s degree from The Johns Hopkins University.
Suzanne E. Siskel officially joined the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation last October 1, 2022.