Enhancing Our Programmatic and Financial Leadership to Support Communities of Belonging
July 22, 2025 — We are pleased to welcome two experienced philanthropic administrators to our leadership and operations team this month. Elle Hempen has joined as Vice President of Programs, and Carmen Warner serves as Senior Financial Analyst. These strategic hires support the duPont Fund’s evolving strategy in the communities it supports, including Jacksonville, with larger, deeper investments in the power of place and economic opportunity for all residents.
As Vice President of Programs, Elle will lead the duPont Fund’s program officers in effectively implementing our refined strategy, including grantmaking and partnership development, stakeholder engagement, monitoring and evaluation, and special initiatives. Elle’s experience in building and scaling effective teams–combined with her passion for finding innovative solutions to complex challenges–will turbocharge our program officers’ work for the benefit of our communities.
Prior to joining the duPont Fund, Elle founded, scaled, and sold The Atlas, growing the case study database and community platform for local governments from its inception into a multimillion-dollar business. Following The Atlas’ acquisition by Government Executive Media Group, she oversaw strategy for GovExec’s state and local portfolio, including leading the state and local data business. Elle began her career as an Obama Administration political appointee at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Upon leaving she structured and managed the RE.invest Initiative, a public-private partnership supported by The Rockefeller Foundation, which provided grants and technical assistance to cities across the country working to design and finance resilient infrastructure projects. She also currently serves as a Venture Partner for Tailwind, a venture capital fund investing in early stage climate adaptation and resilience technology.
Carmen Warner joins the duPont Fund with nearly two decades of experience in accounting, financial operations, and trust and investment accounting. Carmen’s financial acumen will enhance our ability to accurately measure impact and more efficiently manage funding for grantees and public-private partnerships.
Notably, Carmen served for 11 years in financial operations for the Alfred I. duPont Charitable Trust, which funds the Nemours Foundation in Jacksonville. She is deeply inspired by the A.I. duPont Trust’s mission–”It is the duty of everyone in the world to do what is within his power to alleviate human suffering.” Prior to joining us at the duPont Fund, Carmen also held roles at Trevato Development Group and Legacy Trust Family Wealth, where she led initiatives to streamline financial processes, enhance reporting accuracy, and support tax and audit processes.
You can learn more about Elle and Carmen on our team page. We look forward to their contributions!