Respected philanthropic leader Chanda Smith Baker on Tuesday was named the next president and CEO of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation.

She will officially step into the role on Aug. 25, succeeding Eric J. Jolly, who is retiring after a decade of leadership (he recently shared some parting thoughts in a guest commentary for TCB). Smith Baker, as a nationally recognized leader, will steer Minnesota’s largest community foundation, which manages $1.9 billion in charitable assets and partners with thousands of nonprofits and organizations through the lens of “creating an equitable, just, and vibrant Minnesota.”

It’s a mission that Smith Baker said is easy to get behind and aligns with her personal beliefs.

“It is quite an honor to take the helm of a plan that (leadership before me) so thoughtfully put in place,” Smith Baker said after the announcement on Tuesday.

Smith Baker brings experience in aligning resources with community priorities. She served nearly 18 years as president and CEO of Pilsbury United Communities, where she built expansive partnerships with donors, nonprofit leaders and community stakeholders. She went on to become chief impact officer at the Minneapolis Foundation. Since 2023, she’s led her own executive coaching and strategic consultancy. She joined the Allina Health board in 2024 and chairs the Allina Foundation Board and philanthropy committee.

“Issues facing the state run deep,” Smith Baker said. “The foundation is a great partner and listener, and I am looking forward to continuing to deepen its impact across Minnesota.”