The Wallace Foundation Welcomes Miata Fuller and Sophia Tsai to Executive Team

​​​​​PRESS CONTACTS

​Robin Harris
rharris@wallacefoundation.org
(212) 251-9782

Melissa Mellor
mmellor@thehatchergroup.com 
(301) 656-0348  

New York, New York, January 30, 2026—The Wallace Foundation, an independent, national philanthropy, named two veteran professionals to its executive leadership team.

Miata Fuller joined the foundation earlier this month in the newly created role of chief of staff. Fuller is a seasoned executive leader with more than two decades of experience driving organizational effectiveness, leadership alignment, and employee engagement across the nonprofit, education, and corporate sectors. Previously, she was chief of staff to the CEO and organizational development officer at New Leaders, a national nonprofit committed to developing transformational school leaders.

At Wallace, Fuller serves as a key member of the senior leadership team and a strategic partner to the foundation’s president, strengthening enterprise-wide alignment, cross-functional collaboration, and execution of the foundation’s most critical priorities. Fuller’s deep experience in leading organizations during transformation will be an asset as the foundation evolves under the leadership of President Jean S. Desravines, who stepped into the role last fall.

“I am thrilled that Miata has joined our team during this pivotal time,” said Desravines. “I have worked closely with her in the past, and she has proven to be a valuable organizational leader and asset. I have experienced her ability to manage complexity, build trust, and help teams stay aligned in reaching ambitious goals. She is deeply committed to Wallace’s mission and values and brings a collaborative, learning-oriented approach that aligns well with our culture.”

“I have dedicated my career to ensuring that children and adults from all communities have access to resources and opportunities that help them reach their full potential. I am deeply honored to continue this work in service of the foundation’s mission,” said Fuller.

Sophia Tsai, CFA, will become The Wallace Foundation’s chief investment officer, effective March 2, 2026. In this role, Tsai will oversee the foundation’s investment strategy and portfolio construction in managing its $1.8 billion endowment. She will lead the foundation’s investment team, working closely with the investment committee of the foundation’s board of directors.

Tsai is a seasoned investment executive with more than 30 years of experience managing institutional portfolios for endowments, foundations, and pensions. Currently, she serves as managing director, investments at the endowment Trinity Church NYC.

Since joining Trinity in 2017, Tsai has played a key role in portfolio construction and manager selection in all asset classes, as well as building, training, and mentoring a high-performing investment team. Earlier in her career, she held senior investment roles at GE Asset Management and GE Capital, where she led private equity, hedge fund, and direct investment strategies globally.

“Throughout my career, I have been committed to increasing opportunities for others. Therefore, I am grateful to join the Wallace team and support its mission to help all communities build a more vibrant and just future,” said Tsai. “I am excited to partner with the team to further the foundation’s impactful work.”

“Sophia is deeply mission-driven and brings a strong commitment to education, equity, and community impact—values that align closely with the foundation’s work,” said Desravines. “We look forward to her valuable contributions as the foundation moves into a new era of leadership and impact.”

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About The Wallace Foundation

Wallace is an independent, nonpartisan research foundation, with a mission to help all communities build a more vibrant and just future by fostering advances in the arts, education leadership, and youth development. We collaborate with grantees and research partners to design and test innovative approaches to address pressing problems in the fields we serve. The evidence-based insights we share—searchable online and free of charge—support policymakers and practitioners in their efforts to improve outcomes, enhance community vitality, and help all people reach their full potential.