United Nations Foundation Names Kathy Bushkin New Executive Vice President

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Timothy E. Wirth, President of the United Nations Foundation, announced today that Kathy Bushkin will join the United Nations Foundation (UN Foundation) as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Ms. Bushkin is a Senior Vice President of AOL Time Warner and President of the AOL Time Warner Foundation.

"At this critical time for the UN, Kathy Bushkin is the ideal person to help to lead the UN Foundation and the Better World Fund. She has a unique combination of management experience in public-private partnerships, grantmaking, public affairs and non-profit operations, as well as a reputation as a leader in innovative philanthropy," Wirth said. "Ted Turner, our founder and Chairman, joins me in welcoming Kathy. We are delighted that she will take on this very important and far-reaching assignment, helping to strengthen and coordinate the Foundation's diverse efforts to support the UN.

"Through our unique relationship with the UN we are working every day to help build new and stronger partnerships between the world's most visible, far-reaching and inclusive international organization and private donors, particularly in the areas of children's health, women and population, energy and the environment, and peace, security and human rights," Wirth continued. "Kathy brings energy and enthusiasm with her extensive experience, and will be an important member of our team to support and strengthen the UN."

Bushkin, who begins her new post Oct. 15, brings diverse experience to the UN Foundation from an extensive career in non-profits, government, and media. She has served as the President of the AOL Time Warner Foundation since 2001, following her role as Chief Communications Officer of AOL and head of its foundation since 1997. She ran the Media Relations practice for Hill and Knowlton USA from 1996 to 1997, and she was the Director of Editorial Administration for U.S. News & World Report from 1985 to 1996. From 1976 to 1984, she served as Communications Director and Co-Legislative Director for Senator Gary Hart in both his Senate office and his 1984 presidential campaign.

Bushkin serves on a number of non-profit boards including the International Women's Media Foundation, Internews, Share Our Strength, City Year, and the National Women's Law Center. She and Arthur Bushkin also developed the Stargazer Foundation, which provides free technology support to non-profit organizations.

She succeeds Jane Holl Lute, who recently was named Assistant Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations at the United Nations.

The United Nations Foundation was created in 1998 with businessman and philanthropist R.E. Turner's historic $1 billion gift to support UN causes. The United Nations Foundation promotes a more peaceful, prosperous, and just world through the support of the United Nations and its Charter. Through its grantmaking and by building new and innovative public-private partnerships, the United Nations Foundation acts to meet the most pressing health, humanitarian, socioeconomic, and environmental challenges of the 21st century.