New York, NY – The Guttmacher Institute’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the selection of Destiny Lopez and Jonathan Wittenberg as co-Presidents and CEOs, following a comprehensive and competitive global search. Since February 2024, Lopez and Wittenberg have served as acting co-CEOs, and they will now assume their roles on a permanent basis.
“We are thrilled to welcome Destiny and Jonathan as co-leaders of the Institute. Throughout the past year, they have demonstrated a profound commitment to the mission and people of the Institute, and a powerful shared vision for the future of Guttmacher,” said Wendy Bostwick, Chair of the Board of Directors. “Together, they are uniquely qualified to tackle the pressing challenges the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) field is facing. On behalf of the entire board, I enthusiastically welcome them to their permanent positions. We are eager to continue our partnership with them, ensuring that Guttmacher fulfills its vital role in bringing rigorous and timely evidence to critical policy debates in the United States and globally.”
With a combined 46 years of experience in the field, Lopez and Wittenberg are poised to lead the Institute through a pivotal era for reproductive rights.
“It is a tremendous honor to assume this role during such a critical time for the global movement for SRHR,” said Destiny Lopez. “I have learned over the past year that this organization is an extraordinary hub for research, policy development, and strategic deployment of data. I am eager to continue working alongside the Board, Jonathan, and our incredible staff to fulfill our mission and empower our colleagues to uncover essential facts that will inform SRHR programs and policies for people worldwide.”
“I am grateful to the Board for the opportunity to co-lead the Institute with Destiny during this critical time for our mission,” said Jonathan Wittenberg. “I have had the tremendous honor of being part of the Guttmacher community for the past 20 years, and the opportunity to partner with Destiny in leading the organization into its next chapter is a profound privilege—as well as a profound responsibility. The alarming rollback of reproductive freedom that we are currently witnessing will require steady, strategic, and bold leadership. We are prepared for the challenge and look forward to working with our talented and dedicated colleagues to fight for an evidence-based, rights-affirming vision.”
Destiny Lopez joined the Guttmacher Institute as a consultant in late 2023, quickly earning the respect and trust of her colleagues. Appointed interim co-CEO in February 2024, Lopez is a distinguished executive leader with over 20 years of experience working at the intersection of policy advocacy, communications, coalition building, and reproductive justice. She has been at the forefront of pivotal campaigns, including efforts to make emergency contraception more accessible and advocating for the repeal of the Hyde Amendment. Her career has been characterized by a steadfast commitment to abortion access and empowering BIPOC communities. Lopez has held leadership positions at All* Above All, the All* Above Action Fund, ConwayStrategic, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, ACCESS Reproductive Justice, Fenton Communications, and NARAL Pro-Choice NY.
Jonathan Wittenberg joined the Guttmacher Institute in 2005 and has served in a number of leadership roles, including as Acting Co-CEO since February 2024 and Acting CEO in 2018-19. For more than a decade, he led the Institute’s fundraising efforts, overseeing a period of major growth in Guttmacher’s funding from private foundations, government agencies, and individual donors. In recent years, Wittenberg has co-led the Institute’s strategic response to the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in 2022 and co-authored op-eds on the philanthropic response to the ensuing crisis in abortion funding and access. His volunteer experiences include a six-year term as a member of the Board of the Abortion Liberation Fund of Pennsylvania.