Justin McAuliffe is Elected as vice chair
Current Board Chair Hawley Hilton McAuliffe and board member Kofi Appenteng to step down
Westlake Village, Calif. (November 15, 2023) – Today the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation announced Linda Hilton as the next board chair and Justin McAuliffe as vice chair. Current Board Chair Hawley Hilton McAuliffe and board member Kofi Appenteng will be stepping down from the board on December 31, 2023.
Linda Hilton, who joined the board as a director in 2014 and has served as vice chair since 2021, will lead the Foundation as the sixth board chair in its 79-year history. Linda is a granddaughter of Conrad N. Hilton, and a daughter of Eric Hilton. She is currently chair of the Hilton Foundation Talent and Compensation Committee along with serving on the Executive, Nominating and Generations in Giving Committees. Linda has dedicated her career to the hospitality industry currently serving on the Hilton Effect Advisory Committee for Hilton Worldwide. Hilton will soon step into the newly created role of Hilton Legacy Ambassador for Hilton Worldwide. She holds a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from Harvard Kennedy School.
“I am honored by the opportunity to become board chair and together with the new vice chair, Justin McAuliffe, will continue to lead the board in advancing the mission of the Foundation,” said Linda Hilton. “I want to thank Hawley and Kofi for their leadership and contributions over the past years and welcome the new members whose expertise and background will further strengthen the board’s perspectives and skill sets,” said Hilton.
Stepping in as vice chair will be Justin McAuliffe, the great-grandson of Conrad Hilton and grandson of Chairman Emeritus Barron Hilton. With experience in both global philanthropy and international volunteerism, Justin brings to this role financial and program experience. He joined the Foundation as a staff member in 2014 and has served on the Hilton Foundation board since 2019. He currently chairs the Program Committee and is a member of the Investment, Nominating and Generations in Giving Committees. McAuliffe is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in Hotel Administration and holds an MBA from the University of Southern California. He currently works as an equity research analyst at Gabelli Funds.
Hawley Hilton McAuliffe joined the board as a director in 2006 and began her term as board chair in 2021. She served on the international jury that selects the annual Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize for nine years and was on the governing board of the Conrad N. Hilton Fund for Sisters. Hawley Hilton McAuliffe served as chair of the Foundation during a time of extraordinary growth. Hawley’s father, Barron Hilton, pledged nearly his entire estate to the Foundation, just as his father, Conrad, had done. Following his passing, the Foundation’s assets nearly doubled from approximately $2.9 billion to $6.6 billion. During her time as board chair, Hawley helped guide board decisions that led to the highest grantmaking year in the Foundation’s history – $435 million in 2022.
“I am truly humbled to have been given the opportunity to lead and help shape the philanthropic legacy of both my grandfather, Conrad Hilton, who established the Foundation in 1944, and my father, Barron Hilton, who left the vast majority of his estate to the Foundation when he passed away in 2019,” shared Hawley Hilton McAuliffe. “I am deeply grateful to our board of directors, the committed expertise of our Foundation staff, and the selfless work of our grantee partners whose day-to-day work helps improve the lives of millions around the world.”
“Hawley’s confident and compassionate presence has made her an outstanding board member, and an even more thoughtful board chair,” said Peter Laugharn, president, and CEO for the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. “Hawley has led the board through a period of steep growth in grantmaking, staff, and assets; navigating the COVID-19 pandemic; and strengthening the Foundation’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, all with great clarity and vision. Kofi’s deep experience and his understanding of the global context provided valuable insights to the board deliberations. We are immensely grateful for Hawley and Kofi’s leadership and are delighted to welcome Linda Hilton as the new board chair and Justin McAuliffe as the new vice chair,” said Laugharn.
The board of directors is made up of a majority of Hilton family members. The board elects it directors, sets broad policy related to the Foundation’s direction, including grantmaking and investing, provides oversight on strategic endeavors and helps ensure that Conrad Hilton’s original vision and intent remains current with the work. The Foundation is expected to announce additional board of director members by the end of 2023.
The full roster of Hilton Foundation Board of Directors is found here.