The Elizabeth Dole Foundation Board unanimously elected the Honorable Bob McDonald ’75, former Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to be the next Chairman of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. McDonald officially assumed the role on January 1, 2024. Senator Elizabeth Dole, who has chaired the board since she founded the organization in 2012, was named Founder and Chair Emeritus.
“When I was confirmed as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation was just beginning to present the nation with evidence of caregivers’ vital role in the well-being of America’s veterans,” McDonald wrote in his inaugural message. “I immediately saw the proof of what they had revealed. Caregivers were the ones calling VA centers on behalf of veterans. They were attending every one of their veterans’ medical appointments, tracking all the details of their treatments, and managing the 24/7 responsibilities of their care at home. When I asked for ideas for how to strengthen the VA experience for our veterans, it was often the caregivers who provided the best insights.
“Thanks to the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, I quickly understood that our nation could not provide our veterans with the care they deserved, without also supporting their caregivers and families. Each of them has made sacrifices on behalf of our nation, and we must support them as a unit, together.”
