Kevin Arnold, Ph.D.

Kevin Arnold is responsible for the Genetics portfolio as well as managing current and future projects in the Life Sciences. New funding initiatives in Genetics investigate fundamental mechanisms which underpin human identity and genetic determinism, the neuroscience of behavior and cognition, and epigenetic research. Prior to joining the Foundation, he held an adjunct faculty position in Biology at Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois.

Dr. Arnold received his B.S. in biochemistry from Messiah College and his doctorate in biomolecular chemistry from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His research on determinants of enzyme specificity for histone acetyltransferase complexes has resulted in several peer-reviewed publications.

Paul Barnett

Richard Bollinger, Ph.D.

Richard Bollinger is responsible for the management of the full life cycle of the grant process and the development of new funding initiatives within the Character Virtue Development and Voluntary Family Planning funding areas. He is a licensed clinical psychologist and previously worked as the Director of Psychotherapy Services at the Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania’s Outpatient Psychiatry Center.

Dr. Bollinger received his Ph.D. from the Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola University and his B.A. in History from Cornell University. He continues as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.

Sarah Clement, Ph.D.

Sarah Clement is the Senior Director, Character Virtue Development at the John Templeton Foundation. In this role, Dr. Clement is responsible for the development and implementation of grants in the Character Virtue Development portfolio, as well as the Voluntary Family Planning portfolio.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Dr. Clement was a postdoctoral fellow at the Rutgers University Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research. She received her B.A. and M.A. in child development from Tufts University and her doctorate in developmental psychology from Cornell University. She has published articles and book chapters on the topics of positive youth development and character development.

John Cunningham

John Cunningham is the Director for the Public Engagement department. In that role, he works to support programs that advance the Foundation’s mission within the broader public, with a particular emphasis on outreach to opinion leaders in the media, religious communities, elite undergraduate institutions, and seminaries. Before joining the Foundation, Mr. Cunningham worked in University Ministry at the University of Pennsylvania in partnership with the Office of the Chaplain for the CCO and Christian Union. A graduate of John Brown University, he received a MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Jessica Despres

Stephen Fitzmier

Steve Fitzmier manages the Planning and Evaluation department of the John Templeton Foundation. Over the past four years, he has restructured the Foundation’s grantmaking and performance management systems, instituted cyclical programmatic strategic planning, and directed grant evaluation initiatives that improve programmatic decision-making.

Prior to the John Templeton Foundation, Mr. Fitzmier was an entrepreneur, starting and developing a technology consulting firm, followed by a philanthropic advisory organization. In 2000 he was named in PhillyTech’s top thirty under 30, recognizing his entrepreneurial achievements in founding one of the mid-Atlantic region’s fastest-growing IT advisory firms. His firm consulted with established and start-up businesses to develop and implement their online strategy. Serving in an advisory role and then in an executive leadership position, he helped launch and develop Geneva Global, a recognized leader in philanthropic advisory services for international development. While at Geneva Global, he developed innovative methods for assessing philanthropic return on investment, quintupled grant research and evaluation operations, and implemented a global IT infrastructure in a developing world context.

Megan C. Graziano

David Nassar

David Nassar oversees the Communications and Public Engagement departments at the Foundation. He also serves as a member of the Foundation Leadership Team and Program Leadership Team. He has spent nearly thirty years working in Washington D.C. on issue campaigns, political campaigns, and public affairs. He specializes in change management in mission-driven organizations and advancing their agendas through public-facing campaigns.

In his former role as Vice President, Communications at the Brookings Institution, Nassar was part of the Institution’s management team and led efforts to reimagine communications and public outreach at the one of the world’s oldest and most important knowledge brands. He introduced new content platforms like podcasts, documentary video, and immersive essays, which provided in-depth and thoughtful analysis of relevant topics. He also made great advantage of tools like email, social media, and digital advertising to distribute that content and exponentially grow Brookings’ audience.

Nassar grew up on Philadelphia’s Main Line and attended Villanova University for his undergraduate education before receiving his master’s degree in international affairs at George Washington University.

Caitlin Pollock

Amy Proulx

Amy Proulx currently serves as Director, Individual Freedom and Free Markets, at the John Templeton Foundation. In this capacity, she identifies and supports grantees whose work promotes our understanding of freedom, entrepreneurship, competition, and personal responsibility.

Previously, Ms. Proulx was the Director of Academic Talent Development at the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University. There, she developed a suite of intensive educational and career development programs for undergraduate and graduate students, specifically designed for those interested in pursuing academic careers. She earned her B.A. from Ashland University, where she studied history, philosophy, and politics.

Christina Van Riper

Matthew Walhout, Ph.D.

Dr. Matthew Walhout is Chief Programs Officer at the John Templeton Foundation. In this role, Dr. Walhout oversees five grantmaking departments. He also serves as department head for Mathematical and Physical Sciences and, pro tempore, for Religion, Science, and Society. He works closely with the President and other Foundation leaders to develop priorities and strategies in multiple funding areas.

Previously, Dr. Walhout was Dean for Research and Scholarship and professor of physics and astronomy at Calvin College (now Calvin University). During his time in academia, he taught courses in physics, astronomy, and science-in-society; pursued computational and laboratory research in atomic and plasma physics; led interdisciplinary discussions across multiple disciplines; and oversaw numerous grant programs, research projects, and engagement activities.

Dr. Walhout received a B.S. in physics from Calvin College, and a M.S. and Ph.D. in physics from the University of Maryland.