Cleveland Foundation Announces Joyce Pan Huang as Chief Impact Officer 

An experienced civic leader and change-maker, Huang will lead foundation’s grantmaking and community impact work

CLEVELAND, OH – Following a national search, the Cleveland Foundation is thrilled to announce that Joyce Pan Huang will join the Foundation as its Chief Impact Officer, effective January 2025. In this newly created role, Huang will lead efforts to create a unified vision and direction that will elevate the Foundation as a trusted partner and catalyst for transformative change in Cleveland.  

Huang comes to the Foundation with tremendous community leadership experience across the public and nonprofit sectors, most recently serving as the Director of City Planning for the City of Cleveland. Huang made history as the first female and first Asian American to serve in that role.  

“Joyce is an extraordinary, nationally recognized leader with an impressive track record advancing transformative, community-centered impact,” said Lillian Kuri, Cleveland Foundation President & CEO. “Joyce’s expertise paired with her deep respect and understanding for the experiences of community residents will drive progress toward our vision of a vibrant Northeast Ohio where no Clevelander is left behind.”  

As Chief Impact Officer, Huang will be responsible for building out the Foundation’s community impact model. This includes establishing an operating approach for grantmaking that grows resources and builds the capacity of the non-profit sector, and engaging donors in new and innovative ways. She will partner closely with Foundation staff and key stakeholders to address some of the most persistent and difficult challenges facing Greater Cleveland and respond effectively to the changing field of philanthropy. 

In her current role, Huang has elevated the influence of the City Planning department over the past nearly three years, empowering staff and driving key strategic community and resident-focused priorities. These include the Mayor’s 15-minute city initiative, Complete and Green Streets, as well as a pilot for a new zoning code that fosters sustainable development patterns across Cleveland neighborhoods. Huang was also instrumental in establishing the first Mayor’s Office role in Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy as well as the creation of the North Coast Lakefront Master Plan, a blueprint for a vibrant and equitable recreational hub along the lake. 

Huang previously served as the Vice President of Community Development for MidTown Cleveland Inc., where she coordinated five visionary and community-driven planning efforts for MidTown’s transportation corridors, neighborhood-based arts and culture, and the innovative Neighborhood Vision Plan. Her own contributions in the Asian American Pacific Islander community led to the formation of an AsiaTown team housed at MidTown Cleveland – the first to serve residents comprising staff of Asian descent with language fluency. Huang, whose Chinese name is Pan Ming 潘敏, is a second generation Taiwanese American. Her parents emigrated from Taiwan and settled in Rochester, New York, where Huang was raised. 

Huang received her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Michigan. After graduating, she worked for seven years in campus ministry at Oberlin College and Case Western Reserve University, which shaped her human-centered leadership style and her passion for community building work. She went on to earn her Master’s degree in Urban Planning, Design and Development from Cleveland State University, and as a graduate student, she served as a Cleveland Foundation Summer Intern at the Cuyahoga Land Bank.  

Huang currently serves in various community leadership roles, including as a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland Community Advisory Council, a board member for the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, and a board member for Vibrant NEO 2024. She has received numerous community recognitions, including a Crain’s Cleveland 40 Under 40 Award and the YMCA Distinguished Young Woman Award. 

“I strongly believe that people-centered investments and relationship-building are essential for dynamic and growing communities,” said Huang. “As the Cleveland Foundation expands its critical work in place-based philanthropy, I am eager to leverage my expertise in city planning and community development to make positive, lasting change for the residents of Greater Cleveland.”