Grounded in the belief that lasting change begins with community voice, Jehan Benton-Clark serves as Vice President of Grantmaking & Strategy at Dogwood Health Trust. She leads both the Behavioral Health Strategic Initiative and the Stronger Organizations portfolio, which provides general operating and capacity building support. Jehan also directs Dogwood’s organizational efforts to strengthen grant seekers’ and grantees’ day-to-day experience with grant applications, reporting, and processes, ensuring philanthropy works in service of, not as a burden to, communities.

Jehan brings more than two decades of experience in philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, and systems change. Her expertise spans place-based philanthropy, rural health equity, organizational capacity building, and strategy design. Prior to joining Dogwood, she held senior leadership roles at the Colorado Health Foundation, where she guided the shared deployment of $146 million annually to advance health equity, strengthen rural communities, and catalyze systems change. She has also served as Senior Program Officer at the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, Executive Director of Partners Ending Homelessness, and led investments in health and early childhood education at the United Way of Greater Greensboro.

Jehan earned her Master’s in Social Service Administration with a concentration in community planning, organizing, and development from the University of Chicago and her bachelor’s in economics and political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credentialed by the International Coaching Federation, integrating coaching and organizational change expertise into her philanthropic leadership.

Beyond her role at Dogwood, Jehan serves as a Think Tank Member for the Kansas Health Foundation and on the Societal Impact Advisory Board for the Center for Creative Leadership. A proud advocate for communities who have historically had less access to power and privilege, she is deeply committed to advancing philanthropy that is inclusive, community-driven, and transformative.

Outside of work, Jehan enjoys hiking and paddle boarding with her husband and two children, finding joy in exploring the outdoors together.