Paige Alexander, Chief Executive Officer of The Carter Center, and Gleaves Whitney, Executive Director of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, discuss the friendship that developed between former rivals and what their example means for restoring trust and rebuilding institutions today. The conversation was moderated by Jeff Polet, Director of the Ford Foundation’s Leadership Forum.
Paige Alexander
Chief Executive Officer, The Carter Center
Paige Alexander joined The Carter Center as chief executive officer in June 2020. Between 1993 and 2001, Alexander held several roles in USAID’s Bureau for Europe and the Newly Independent States Task Force. After leaving for 10 years to work in a leadership role in the nonprofit sector, Alexander returned to USAID in 2011 in the Senate-confirmed position of assistant administrator for Europe and Eurasia. In 2015, she was again confirmed to lead the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Bureau. Between her assignments with USAID, Alexander was senior vice president and European founder/president of IREX (2001-2010), an international civil society, democracy, and education nonprofit organization. From 2017 until her appointment to The Carter Center, she served as executive director of the European Cooperative for Rural Development (EUCORD).
Gleaves Whitney
Executive Director, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation
Gleaves began his role as executive director of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation on September 1, 2020, and is dedicated to increasing awareness of the life, career, values, and legacy of America’s 38th President. He is the author or editor of 18 books.
