World of Children Welcomes Nonprofit Expert Stefaan Poortman as Executive Director
World of Children is proud to announce the appointment of Stefaan Poortman as executive director. With more than 20 years of international nonprofit experience, most recently as chief executive officer for Global Heritage Fund, Stefaan will lead World of Children’s Southern California-based team that supports the heroic work of some of the world’s leading humanitarians.
“After conducting a nationwide executive search, it is an honor and a privilege to welcome Stefaan to our World of Children family,” said Co-Founder Harry Leibowitz. “Our main focus has been and always will be to change the future for a vulnerable child, and Stefaan’s success over the last two decades brings an elevated approach to our organization that will allow us to explore new and innovative ways to deepen our commitment to our Honorees and the children they serve.”
A natural and well-respected leader in the international nonprofit community, Stefaan brings his expertise to World of Children’s unique venture philanthropy model of discovering and investing in real-life heroes who are currently working on the ground in their communities. Building on the foundation and infrastructure that has solidified World of Children as a formidable powerhouse in the small-to-mid-sized global nonprofit sector over the last 21 years, he will focus on amplifying the organization’s impact through new and ongoing strategic partnerships, corporate and institutional giving, and expanding on sustainable relationships with World of Children Honorees around the globe.
Prior to his work with Global Heritage Fund, Stefaan held positions with the World Resources Institute, Chemonics International, and the World Foundation for Environment and Development. He is currently an advisor to FieldWorks in the United Kingdom and previously served as an advisor to the CEO and founder of Artisan Connect.
Born in Washington D.C. to Dutch parents and raised in the United States, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom, Stefaan was born to make an international impact. He holds a master of arts degree with honors in economics from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland and has completed the Executive Program in Non-Profit Leadership at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He is bilingual in English and Dutch and speaks some French and Spanish. He and his wife have three children and currently reside in Orange County, California.