McDermott + Bull has successfully placed Charlie Kunzer as President + Chief Executive Officer at the American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF). In this role, Charlie will lead the organization’s strategic vision and global engagement efforts while overseeing operations, fundraising, governance, and programs that advance cultural and educational exchange between the United States and the Nordic region. She will serve as ASF’s senior ambassador, strengthening relationships with donors, institutional partners, and Nordic stakeholders while guiding the organization’s continued growth and long-term impact.
Charlie brings over two decades of experience leading international mission-driven organizations and building strategic philanthropic partnerships. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of ALIMA USA, where she led the organization through significant expansion, scaling annual revenue to more than $20 million and securing more than $100 million in institutional, foundation, and major donor funding. Prior to ALIMA, Charlie spent over a decade with Doctors Without Borders in New York, holding several development and marketing leadership roles focused on fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and external relations. Charlie is a Swedish-American dual citizen and has served as an ASF Trustee since 2021, bringing a strong understanding of the organization, its mission, and donor community. She earned a bachelor of arts with honors in international relations and modern history from the University of Westminster.
The American-Scandinavian Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting educational and cultural exchange between the United States and the Nordic countries. Headquartered in New York City, ASF supports fellowships, grants, internships, publishing, and cultural programming that foster transatlantic dialogue, collaboration, and mutual understanding.
This executive search was completed by McDermott + Bull Partner Sue Waterbury, Principal Milly Smith, and Consultant Corey Paquette.