Charles DeSantis

Charles DeSantis (Foundation President and Board Chair, SFAI LF+A) is heavily committed to giving back to the humanitarian sector and serving children and refugees in the greatest need worldwide. He started two art education programs–Art in Kibera and Kibera Art Institute–serving AIDS-impacted youth in the Kibera Slum (Nairobi, Kenya) ages 4 to 22 giving a voice and identity through the visual arts. The Nairobi National Museum (Kenya's Smithsonian) hosted a two-month long exhibit of The Art of the Smart, Beautiful and Important Children of Kibera in October 2018. Charles has served on many boards worldwide such as Nyumbani USA, School of Hope Foundation, and he is Chair Emeritus of the US Association for UNHCR (UN refugee organization). Charles continues his commitment to the arts through organization boards such as The Washington Ballet, Sitar Art Center.

Charles is an artist and a senior leader and received his bachelor's degree from Saint Mary's College of California in Art Practice and his post-baccalaureate from the San Francisco Art Institute in Painting under the mentorship of Dewey Crumpler. Additionally, Charles has extensive graduate education from Georgetown University and serves as the Associate Vice President and Chief Benefits Officer of Georgetown University. Charles lives in Washington, D.C., with his husband David McDermott and their children, Lucas, Andre, Jasmine and Lilly.  He has published two books with New Academia Publishing: Smart, Beautiful and Important: teaching art to AIDS-affected orphans in Africa's Largest slum and Lucas and Lilly go to Kindergarten.