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Social entrepreneur brings future-focused lens to board of trustees; Detroit-based business executive and civic leader retires after nearly 20 years as WKKF trustee.
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) today announced the appointment of Karen Edwards to its board of trustees and the upcoming retirement of longtime trustee Roderick D. (Rod) Gillum, who has served on the foundation’s board since 2006.
Edwards, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based social entrepreneur and futures strategist, has built a career at the intersection of technology, media and child well-being. She is a co-founder of Common Sense Media, the U.S.’s leading nonprofit dedicated to helping children and families thrive in a world of media and technology, and co-founded Soap AI, a platform designed from the start as an antidote to misinformation. She serves on the investment advisory committee of the Astia Fund and on the board of AIM Youth Mental Health, which helps to bridge the gap between research and access to care for youth struggling with their mental health. She has previously served on the boards of Institute for the Future, Unifrutti Group, KQED Inc. and IMVU LLC.
As the 17th employee and head of worldwide marketing at Yahoo! Inc., Edwards went on to launch multiple technology ventures that leveraged digital tools for the public good. Today, she continues to advise and invest in innovative organizations that put children at the center of their work. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
La June Montgomery Tabron, president and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, welcomed Edwards’ appointment. “Karen brings deep expertise in child-centered innovation and futures thinking that will help us imagine and act toward a better tomorrow for children, families and communities,” Tabron said. “Across her work — from technology to mental health — she has championed bold ideas that expand opportunity and work toward a more equitable world. That passion and creativity will strengthen our efforts to create lasting change for all children.”
Dr. Khan Nedd, chair of the WKKF board of trustees, also praised the appointment. “Karen’s creative vision and entrepreneurial experience will enrich the board’s ability to steward the foundation’s resources with foresight and purpose,” Nedd said. “We look forward to her insights as we continue to work with our partners and communities to ensure that every child can thrive.”
The foundation also announced the upcoming retirement of trustee Gillum, whose nearly two decades of service have strengthened WKKF’s legacy of leadership in Detroit and beyond.
Gillum was a senior leader at General Motors, where he rose to become secretary to the GM board of directors. He later served as vice president for corporate responsibility, chair of the GM Foundation and co-leader of the Global Public Policy Center. He recently retired as a principal at Jackson Lewis P.C.
Gillum’s philanthropic and civic leadership in Detroit includes service on the boards of Invest Detroit, the Detroit Economic Club, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, New Detroit and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Gillum also served as chair of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. and the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, both in Washington, D.C.
Gillum joined the WKKF board of trustees in 2006. He previously served as board chair and more recently as co-trustee of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Trust. As chair of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation board of trustees from 2012 through 2013, Gillum guided the foundation through pivotal transitions, including the retirement of President Sterling Speirn and the appointment of La June Montgomery Tabron as his successor. During his leadership, the board approved a landmark investment in the Baobá Fund — the first fund dedicated to advancing racial equity for Brazil’s Black community — and launched the WKKF Community Leadership Network to cultivate emerging community leaders.
“Rod’s counsel has been invaluable in guiding the foundation through periods of great change,” Tabron said. “His steadfast leadership, his commitment to equity and community and his vision for Detroit and the state of Michigan in which every child and family can succeed have been critical to our success and will remain at the very heart of our work.”
Nedd added, “We are profoundly grateful to Rod for his service, wisdom and partnership. His legacy as a trustee will continue to inspire our board and our mission.”