Board of Directors Announcement of Executive Director Transition

With deep appreciation for his years of outstanding leadership, ACE is announcing that Executive Director Jon Bockman will soon be transitioning from his role on the staff to a new role on the Board of Directors. This will allow Jon to pursue other opportunities while continuing to provide guidance for ACE, albeit in a different capacity. We will conduct a thorough search for an exceptionally qualified new Director, and Jon will remain involved in ACE’s daily operations for the next few months in order to facilitate the transition to new leadership.

In 2013, Jon joined ACE (then “Effective Animal Activism”) as its Director and first paid staff member. In the past five years, he has overseen the organization’s growth from a staff of one to a staff of 19. He played a central role in rebranding the organization as Animal Charity Evaluators and in shaping its strategic vision. Under Jon’s direction, the money that ACE influences annually towards effective animal charities has grown from $141,000 in 2014 (the first year it was measured) to more than $6 million in 2017.

Jon always intended to have a limited tenure at ACE. He tells us:

When I joined ACE, my initial plan was to stay in my position for three to five years. I think it’s healthy for organizations to undergo regular leadership changes to shake things up and bring in fresh new ideas. After five years, I think ACE is ready for a new leader who can bring the organization to the next level: “ACE 2.0.”

We appreciate the thought that Jon has put into the timing of his departure and his commitment to ensuring that our transition is as smooth as possible. ACE has a solid foundation: an experienced Board of Directors, dedicated and skilled department Directors, a talented staff, and financial stability. Many leadership responsibilities are already distributed among the department Directors and their respective teams, and we are confident that they will continue to produce excellent work as we search for a new Executive Director.

In particular, ACE’s Managing Director, Sofia Davis-Fogel, already shares many of Jon’s Directorial responsibilities and is well-positioned to lead the organization during this transition. Sofia joined ACE in 2015 while working towards an advanced degree in nonprofit management, and quickly made herself indispensable as a member of the team. She has a deep familiarity with ACE’s research as well as with the internal operations of each department, having spent the past two years facilitating intra- and inter-departmental projects. As Managing Director, Sofia will assume all essential Directorial responsibilities as Jon gradually steps back from his role, and will ensure that ACE continues to operate smoothly throughout the transition.

We are now accepting applications from exceptional candidates for the role of Executive Director. Qualified candidates will share a dedication to ACE’s mission and vision, which are based on the principles of effective altruism. We are looking for candidates with strong social and managerial skills to lead our staff of nearly 20 highly talented individuals. More details about the position can be found on our website, along with the official application.

While ACE’s entire board is involved in the search for a new Executive Director, the transition committee consists of Jeff Sebo, Peter Hurford, S. Greenberg, and myself (Jonas Emanuel Müller). Please feel free to reach out to any member of the transition committee with comments or questions.

We will be sharing reflections on the past five years of work at ACE in the coming months. For now, we will simply say that we are deeply grateful to Jon for his years of service, and that we are incredibly excited about the future of the organization that he played a central role in building.