BALTIMORE – Fagan Harris will serve as the next president and CEO of the Abell Foundation, the Foundation’s trustees announced today. Harris, who will succeed Robert C. Embry Jr., brings with him a wealth of experience in public service and social innovation, as well as a demonstrated dedication to investing in Baltimore’s communities.
“Fagan shares the Abell Foundation’s steadfast commitment to the people of Baltimore, and he will honor our organization’s legacy while leading the next chapter of our work,” said Christy Wyskiel, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “Abell has spent decades investing in Baltimore – its people, its neighborhoods and its future, and Fagan shares our unwavering belief in the potential of Baltimore.”
Harris will assume the role January 5, 2026, becoming only the second president in Abell’s history. He will carry forward Embry’s nearly 40-year legacy of unwavering focus on improving the lives of his fellow Baltimoreans. Under Embry’s leadership, Abell has become something much more than a funder. It has been a driving force for positive changes, both large and small.
“I have admired Fagan since the early days of Baltimore Corps,” Embry said. “He is a visionary leader who knows this city and has dedicated his career to pursuing innovative ideas for improving the lives of all Baltimoreans. The foundation will be in great hands.”
Harris, a native Marylander, was announced as chief of staff to Governor Wes Moore shortly after his election in 2022. He led the gubernatorial transition and has served as chief of staff since the Governor’s inauguration in 2023. As Chief of Staff, Harris manages the Governor’s Offices and the day-to-day operations of State government. He led the State through historic negotiations to retain the beloved Baltimore Orioles and managed the State’s response to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.
Prior to joining the governor’s team, he co-founded and led Baltimore Corps, a nationally recognized social enterprise that helps Baltimore residents access career pathways and opportunities and cultivates local entrepreneurship. Under Harris’ leadership, as part of the city’s pandemic response in 2020, Baltimore Corps spearheaded a $12 million initiative that enlisted more than 300 city residents as full-time public health professionals.
“Abell is a powerful catalyst for social impact in our city, and I am humbled to join this historic Baltimore institution,” Harris said. “As this new chapter begins, I am committed to ensuring that the foundation’s work will remain deeply rooted in its core mission of improving the lives of the people of Baltimore.”
“Fagan Harris has been one of the most consequential Chiefs of Staff in Maryland history. He is one of America’s best social entrepreneurs and has brought energy and vision to the role that has made our state immeasurably better,” Governor Moore said. “The successes Maryland has seen for the past two and a half years, from record drops in unemployment, to historic drops in violent crime, to nation leading initiatives like the service year option and the ENOUGH Initiative, have been guided by Fagan’s steady hand. While he will be deeply missed personally and professionally, I look forward to working closely with him as he leads the Abell Foundation for years to come.”
Prior to founding Baltimore Corps, Harris was National Director at the Emerson Collective, where he served as a top aide to founder Laurene Powell Jobs. There, he helped lead a national campaign for common-sense immigration reform.
“Fagan is a natural builder of leaders, teams, and trust. His ability to spot and support socially entrepreneurial models makes him an outstanding choice for this new role at the Abell Foundation,” said Laurene Powell Jobs, founder and president, Emerson Collective.
Harris’ commitment to community and service is demonstrated in the long list of non-profit and community focused boards on which he has served, including the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the Johns Hopkins Medicine Bayview Medical Center, Lead for America, AmeriCorps, Rhodes Trust, T. Rowe Price Charitable, and others.
“Abell has been a great supporter of grassroots organizations in Baltimore for many years, empowering communities by investing in organizations like ours that value lived experience,” said Antoin Quarles, founder of H.O.P.E. Baltimore. “With Abell’s support, we have been able to help more than 100 citizens returning to Baltimore from incarceration. Fagan has been a mentor to me from his time with Baltimore Corps, and under his leadership I know Abell will continue to grow and change alongside the Baltimore communities it serves.”
Harris earned a Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University and a master’s degree in social sciences from the University of Oxford, and is a graduate of Maryland public schools. He and his family live in Baltimore.