Honouring Women's History Month 2025

Every year to celebrate Women’s History Month, we highlight influential women who are driving meaningful change and shaping the future. This year we are shining a light on women who have made outstanding contributions to the independent foundation sector and the deeply important work they do, and asked them all how they stay positive in these challenging times.

We are highlighting a different woman every day this week.

Tonya Allen

McKnight Foundation

Today, we’re shining a spotlight on Tonya Allen, a true changemaker who is reshaping philanthropy and working across sectors and divides to create a more just and equitable world. Her leadership, passion, and bold ideas over decades have made a lasting impact across a wide range of communities and issues.

Tonya serves as President of the McKnight Foundation, a Minnesota-based family Foundation, where she directs the Foundation's resources toward big issues like racial equity, climate action and supporting artists and scientists. In her time leading the Foundation, Tonya has helped to transform the nearly 75-year family institution into an innovative changemaking organization—launching the GroundBreak Coalition, championing net zero investments, and elevating the Foundation’s voice, assets, and leadership to strengthen communities and economies from the Twin Cities and beyond. She is passionate about bringing unlikely allies together to build durable solutions where all people and our planet thrive.

Prior to McKnight, Tonya served as the CEO of The Skillman Foundation, where she dedicated years to lifting up Detroit’s youth, fighting for better schools, stronger neighborhoods and policies that give every child a fair shot at success. She didn’t just talk about change—she made it happen, co-founding organizations like the Detroit Children’s Fund and Detroit Parent Network to empower families from the ground up.

Tonya Allen isn’t just a leader—she’s a visionary force for change. She believes in building up communities, breaking down systemic barriers and making the world a better place for future generations. Her work inspires and empowers others to take action, proving that real change starts with bold ideas and fearless leadership.

We asked her how she is staying positive in these challenging times:

"Today, more than ever, I remain inspired and hopeful as a result of the visionary leaders — the artists, scientists, innovators, community organizers, business owners, farmers, and neighbors — who help us see and move toward a better future in ways big and small. In reflecting on a moment of difficulty, Toni Morrison once said, 'This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.' Now more than ever, we need our artists, our culture bearers, and every person to ensure we do not give up our hopeful vision for the future nor stop working to make that vision a reality for all people."

Michelle T. Boone

Poetry Foundation

Michelle T. Boone is a distinguished American arts executive known for her extensive contributions to Chicago's cultural landscape and her transformative leadership. As the first woman and first African American president of the Poetry Foundation, she is breaking barriers in the literary world, ensuring that poetry is more inclusive and accessible to diverse communities. Her work is vital in amplifying underrepresented voices and making the arts a platform for social change.

We asked her how she is staying positive in these challenging times:

“I find inspiration through family and friends who share my anxieties and are determined to stay focused, through my work and through moving experiences with art, which is the source of creativity. I try to stay informed. Sometimes you feel like ignoring the constant onslaught of events, but I find it essential to analyze the facts carefully so I can develop strategies that can have a positive impact on our work.”

Boone began her career in television, working with Chicago network affiliates and contributing to the launch of "The Oprah Winfrey Show,” and later transitioned to the music industry, holding positions at Capitol Records and Virgin Records, where she promoted prominent R&B artists. Her commitment to service led her to volunteer with the Peace Corps in Chad, Africa.

In 1998, Boone joined Chicago's youth job training program, Gallery 37, eventually becoming its director. She then served as the senior program officer for Arts and Culture at The Joyce Foundation, managing a $2 million arts portfolio and supporting minority artists. In 2011, Boone was appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel as the Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). In this role, she oversaw over 2,000 public programs annually and led the development of the 2012 Chicago Cultural Plan. She also launched the inaugural Chicago Architecture Biennial in 2015.

In 2021, Boone was appointed president of the Poetry Foundation, becoming the first woman and African American to lead the organization. The Foundation publishes Poetry magazine and works to amplify poetry and celebrate poets by fostering spaces for all to create, experience, and share poetry.

Boone's career is a testament to the power of cultural leadership in driving social progress. She is a champion for the arts, a trailblazer for women of colour and a visionary who ensures that creative expression remains a force for representation and change.

Rachel Pulfer

Journalists for Human Rights

Rachel Pulfer has an unwavering commitment to using journalism as a tool for change, championing women's voices and standing up for human rights on a global scale.

Rachel is the President of Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), a media development organization based in Canada that has trained more than 21,000 journalists worldwide to report ethically and objectively on human rights issues.

We asked her how she is staying positive in these challenging times:

“For me, it’s about spending time with my kids and drawing energy from what they love, and I gain strength from the people I work with. This month, I had the privilege of joining Afghan women at the United Nations to celebrate the courage of those still in Afghanistan, who face ever-growing restrictions – for example, they cannot be seen looking out a window of their homes. The event was initiated by the Dashty Foundation which advocates for press freedom.”

"At Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), our focus extends through combating misinformation and disinformation, promoting human rights and gender equality, advocating for democracy, fostering peace and stability, supporting LGBTQ+ rights, developing media landscapes, and assisting refugees. Our commitment is to empower journalists to drive a more informed, fair, and just world, ensuring every story with the power to make a difference is told." - JHR.ca

Under Pulfer's leadership, JHR has significantly expanded its footprint, now operating in over 16 countries over four continents. This expansion includes adapting its innovative community-led model to address Indigenous and BIPOC rights in Canada, combating misinformation during global crises and supporting media development in regions like the Middle East and North Africa.

Pulfer's tenure has been marked by several notable achievements. In 2022, JHR was honoured with the Michener-Baxter Award for Exceptional Service to Canadian Journalism, the Bill Hutton Award for Excellence in Journalism from RTDNA Canada, Ontario Heritage and Innovation awards for the Indigenous Reporters Program and a Governor-General's Award for Services to the People of Ghana. Additionally, Pulfer was awarded the Spencer Moore Award for Lifetime Achievement by the Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom.

Kristina Newman-Scott

Award-winning Arts & Culture Leader

Today, we’re shining a spotlight on Kristina Newman-Scott, a true powerhouse in the arts and culture world. Her bold, visionary leadership has reshaped how communities engage with the arts, proving that creativity can be a force for equity, innovation, and social transformation.

We asked her how she is staying positive in these challenging times.

“I lean on my community, find joy in creativity, and remind myself that every challenge is a chance to grow. It’s not always easy, but I try to lead with gratitude, and a belief that even in tough times, there’s always something to learn and celebrate.”

Born and raised in Jamaica, Kristina made history as the first woman of colour to hold several major leadership roles in the U.S. cultural sector, breaking barriers to make the arts more inclusive, accessible and equitable for everyone.

As President of BRIC, a major Brooklyn-based arts institution, she championed diverse voices, ensuring public access to media and the arts. Before that, she led as Connecticut’s Director of Culture and State Historic Preservation Officer, where she strengthened cultural organizations and helped creative economies thrive.

Now, she’s making waves as the Vice President for Arts at the Knight Foundation, overseeing a massive $466 million arts investment. Her mix of creativity and strategic leadership is shaping the future of cities and the way they embrace arts and culture.

By recognizing Kristina Newman-Scott, we celebrate a trailblazer who’s dedicated her career to empowering artists, championing cultural equity and using the arts to drive social change. She’s an inspiration for generations of creatives and changemakers to come.

Thank you so much to all the women making the world a better place. We are inspired every day.

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