Bob Boisture

Biography

Bob Boisture is President and a Trustee of the Fetzer Institute. Under Bob’s leadership, the Institute community has deepened its understanding of the spiritual common ground on which it stands, the type of community it aspires to be, and the work it is called to do. This work culminated in the Institute board’s adoption in February 2016 of a new mission statement: Helping build the spiritual foundation for a loving world. Bob has spent his career working with a broad range of nonprofit organizations on strategy development, advocacy, program development, governance, and legal compliance. While practicing law in Washington DC (1979-1986, 1993-2013) he represented a broad range of foundations and public charities, as well as the Council on Foundations and Independent Sector, the two principal national associations representing nonprofits before Congress and the executive branch. His work included helping to design and lead major national advocacy campaigns involving environmental and health issues and the right of nonprofit organizations to participate in the legislative process. Bob has also served on the staff of the YMCA of the USA (Associate General Counsel and Director of Public Policy) from 1986 through 1992 and has led major national YMCA program development efforts. As the YMCA’s first Dir. of Public policy, he led the development of the YMCA’s national advocacy program under the banner of “Building Strong Kids, Strong Families, and Strong Communities.” Bob received his JD from Yale Law School in 1979. He also attended Princeton University (AB, 1974, Woodrow Wilson Scholar), and Oxford University (BA, 1976, Marshall Scholar). Bob served as a legal and governance advisor to the Institute from 1993 to 2011, became a Trustee in November 2011, became Interim President in March 2013, and has served in his current post since September 2013. Bob is married to the artist Mary Margaret Pipkin. They have three grown sons, two daughters-in- law, and two grandchildren.