Jehan Benton-Clark, is a philanthropic leader, strategist, and executive coach with more than two decades of experience spanning philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, community development, and systems change. Her work has focused on advancing health, opportunity, and equity, with particular emphasis on rural communities, place-based philanthropy, and communities that have historically experienced barriers to power, resources, and opportunity. 

Over the course of her career, Jehan has worked across nonprofit, community, and philanthropic institutions—from community-based leadership and nonprofit management to grantmaking and executive leadership within foundations. This progression has shaped her belief that philanthropy is most effective when it listens deeply, invests in organizational strength, shares power with communities, and works toward long-term systems change. In addition to her foundation leadership roles, she has advised philanthropic, nonprofit, and community leaders on strategy, organizational effectiveness, leadership development, and philanthropic practice, bringing a broad perspective on how the field can evolve to better support community-led solutions and lasting impact. 

Today, Jehan serves as Vice President of Grantmaking & Strategy at Dogwood Health Trust, where she helps shape and advance the foundation’s strategy to improve the health and well-being of people and communities across Western North Carolina. She oversees Dogwood’s grantmaking and grants management functions, guiding investments, partnerships, and learning efforts that support long-term community change. She also leads the foundation’s Behavioral Health Strategic Initiative and Stronger Organizations portfolio, which supports nonprofit capacity and resilience across the region. 

Prior to joining Dogwood, Jehan held senior leadership roles at the Colorado Health Foundation, where she helped guide the deployment of more than $146 million annually to advance health equity, strengthen rural communities, and support systems change efforts across the state. She previously 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. 

A facilitator and trusted advisor, Jehan has extensive experience supporting leadership development, team effectiveness, and philanthropic practice transformation. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Latino Community Foundation, is a Think Tank Member for the Kansas Health Foundation, and serves on the Societal Impact Advisory Board of the Center for Creative Leadership. 

Jehan holds a Master of Science in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago, with a concentration in Community Planning, Organizing, and Development, and bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coaching Federation.