About Linda Johnson and Amir Pasic

Linda Johnson is the President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library (BPL), one of the largest library systems in the U.S., which serves 2.6 million residents with 62 branches. Ms. Johnson has overseen the transformation of BPL from an analog to digitally adept library, working with elected officials, private foundations, and library stakeholders to ensure underserved and underrepresented communities have access to knowledge on every platform. Under her leadership, BPL has also dramatically expanded its innovative array of programming, engaging diverse audiences at the intersection of arts and social justice, and emerging as one of the premier cultural institutions in New York City. Ms. Johnson previously served as Interim President and CEO of the National Constitution Center; the CEO of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation; and President of JCI Data, a privately held information services and database management provider. In addition to serving on the board of The Curtis Institute of Music, she holds leadership positions on the boards of Hamilton College, Sing for Hope, and the Metropolitan Opera.

Amir Pasic is the Eugene R. Tempel Dean of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the world’s first school devoted to research and teaching about philanthropy.

Prior to joining the school, Pasic was vice president of international operations at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), a global professional association serving educational institutions and their advancement professionals.

Previously, Pasic was associate dean for development and strategic planning at the Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) as well as executive director of its Foreign Policy Institute, where he continues to serve as a fellow.

Pasic served as deputy director of the world security project at the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and was deputy vice president for advancement at The George Washington University. A former librarian at the Library of Congress, he began his career with faculty appointments at Brown University’s Watson Institute.

Pasic earned his doctorate in political science at the University of Pennsylvania. He holds a master’s degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Yale University.

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