Henry Luce Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of Sarah E. Baker as Chief Legal Officer and Chief of Staff.
Sarah is an accomplished legal executive and strategic leader with broad experience across government, philanthropy, and the nonprofit and private sectors. From 2021 to 2025, she served in the Office of General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Transportation, where she advanced through roles of increasing responsibility, culminating in President Biden’s nomination to serve as General Counsel. While at DOT, Sarah advised on complex, high-profile legal matters while helping guide the day-to-day work of the agency’s legal operations.
Reflecting on her new role, Sarah stated, “Joining the Henry Luce Foundation is a privilege. The Foundation’s dedication to advancing knowledge and understanding reflects my belief in the power of ideas and dialogue to bridge divides and strengthen communities.”
Previously, she was the founding President and Executive Director of We The Action, a pioneering legal technology social impact organization that mobilized a nationwide network of attorneys in support of nonprofit organizations. Under her leadership, the initiative expanded to more than 50,000 volunteers, resulting in over $98 million in free legal services and launching the country’s most considerable nonpartisan voter protection effort. Sarah also held senior positions in the Obama White House, including Special Assistant and Associate Counsel to President Obama, as well as Senior Policy Advisor to Dr. Jill Biden.
Before her White House service, Sarah practiced at Hogan Lovells LLP in Washington, D.C., where she oversaw the firm’s U.S. Pro Bono practice. She earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she served as Student Bar Association President, and graduated with highest honors in history from Rutgers College.
Luce Foundation President Jonathan Holloway expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “I am thrilled to have Sarah join our team. She possesses a keen legal mind that will be of great value to the work ahead, but more importantly, she has led a professional life that is consonant with the values we hold most dear at Luce: a commitment to discover and inform; a determination to preserve the civic square that embodies our shared humanity.”
Sarah will begin her tenure on October 1, 2025, bringing vision, experience, and a deep commitment to public service to her work at the Foundation.
