Poetry Foundation President and CEO Michelle T. Boone Announces Retirement

CHICAGO, Nov. 10, 2026 — Michelle T. Boone, president and CEO of the Poetry Foundation, will retire after a decades-long career spanning entertainment, nonprofit arts leadership, and cultural philanthropy.

The Poetry Foundation board of trustees has formed a search committee and will select a firm to lead the search for Boone's successor. Boone will remain at the Foundation through the end of 2027 to ensure continuity and stability as the Foundation enters its next leadership chapter.

Arts leader transformed the Poetry Foundation into a national funder of poetry

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"Michelle's tenacity and deep relationships across the arts allowed the Poetry Foundation to respond to the poetry community's needs with real resources," said Gwendolyn Perry Davis, chair of the Poetry Foundation board of trustees. "She brought the board a bold vision for what the Foundation could be, and under her leadership, its impact and relevance have grown beyond what we could have imagined. We are grateful for her service and for the strong position she will hand to her successor."

Boone took the helm of the Chicago-based foundation in May 2021, amid historic volatility and uncertainty. As the Foundation's first woman and first Black leader, Boone quickly responded to the field's urgent calls for more resources for poetry and poets. Under her leadership, the Poetry Foundation became a private nonoperating grantmaking foundation. This positioned it as one of the largest funders of nonprofit poetry organizations, presses, publications, and select literary arts service and membership organizations in the United States. It has distributed $17 million in grants since 2021.

"I have had the privilege of working alongside a deeply committed board and talented staff to lead the Poetry Foundation into a new era of amplifying poetry and celebrating poets," said Boone. "The legacy of service to the literary arts has been expanded in meaningful ways, and now it's time for new leadership to take this work to the next level as the Foundation approaches its 25th anniversary."

Strengthening the Poetry Ecosystem

The Poetry Foundation, established in 2003 with a major gift to Poetry magazine from philanthropist Ruth Lilly, entered a period of strategic growth under Boone. She led the development of the Foundation's first strategic plan since 2006. The plan launched in 2022, introducing a new mission, values, and grantmaking strategy.

That same year, she hired poet and educator Adrian Matejka, the first Black editor-in-chief in Poetry's 110-year history. Matejka established an editorial approach that emphasizes first-time contributors and fills gaps in Poetry's archive by working with outside curators to highlight poets whose work had not received attention in the magazine.

Boone also revitalized the Foundation's awards program, which includes the prestigious $100,000 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize. For Poetry's 110th anniversary in 2022, the Foundation awarded an unprecedented $1.1 million across 11 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prizes to commemorate the lifetime achievements of poets, including Rita Dove, Nikki Giovanni, Patti Smith, and current United States Poet Laureate Arthur Sze.

In 2023, the Foundation added the $25,000 Pegasus Award for Service in Poetry; in 2025, it established the $10,000 Pegasus Poetry Book Prize in partnership with Graywolf Press. These expansions of the Pegasus Awards embody the Foundation's commitment to supporting poetry in all its diversity and range as an essential art form.

Recognizing the immense financial challenges literary arts organizations face, in 2025, Boone joined a coalition of private foundations to launch the Literary Arts Fund; the Fund will distribute $50 million over five years to support the field.

"Michelle T. Boone has made an indelible contribution to American poetry by transforming the Poetry Foundation into a philanthropic institution that provides millions of dollars each year," said Jen Benka, executive director of the Literary Arts Fund. "I'm also grateful for the vision and expertise she brought to the Literary Arts Fund's Advisory Committee. It's been a joy and a privilege to work with Michelle, and I congratulate her on an inspiring career of service in the arts."

A Chicago Arts Leader

In 2023, with the strategic guidance of the Poetry Foundation and Boone's advocacy for the role, Chicago appointed award-winning poet, educator, composer, performer, and producer avery r. young as the city's first poet laureate.

"Michelle's efforts made it possible for Chicago to establish a poet laureateship," said young. "I have great respect and admiration for her championing of such endeavors, and I am excited to witness and take part in whatever she will embark upon."

Boone holds degrees in telecommunications and nonprofit management, as well as a doctorate in philanthropic leadership. Before joining the Poetry Foundation, she worked in television, film, and the recording industry. She had an impactful career in Chicago's arts and culture scene, including serving as commissioner of the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, where she launched the Chicago Architecture Biennial. She also served as a United States Peace Corps volunteer in Chad. Boone has received multiple honors, most recently being recognized as a Crain's Chicago Business Notable Leader in Philanthropy alongside Perry Davis. She currently serves on several local and national arts organization boards and plans to continue her service after her retirement.

SOURCE Poetry Foundation