We are thrilled to announce that Jay L. Knott will be joining Metropolitan Group (MG) as our new president. Jay brings deep cross-sector and global experience as a leader for social impact. He will apply his organizational strategy and collaborative leadership experience to help MG and our sister company, Impacto Social Metropolitan Group (ISMG), significantly increase our impact, invest in our team and capabilities, spark innovation across our practice areas, and build the systems and culture to best advance the transformative changes that are critical to our clients and the communities they serve.
Jay brings incredible leadership experience from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. He led the growth of a global consulting and initiative implementation firm, worked internationally in diverse and challenging contexts, and focused on issues that intersect our three focus areas (public health, environment and sustainability, and social justice). Our entire team is excited and inspired by Jay’s track record of improving organizational effectiveness; developing individuals and teams; advancing performance, impact, and innovation; helping organizations grow; advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion commitments; and building strong cultures.
Jay recently served as chief operating officer for the Environmental Defense Fund, leading all of its operational systems and functions in a period of significant growth and change. For a period of 10 years, he served as chief business officer at Abt Associates, a global leader in research, evaluation, and technical assistance for health, social-environmental policy, and international development. At Abt, he led domestic and international work, as well as strategy for significant growth. Jay had a successful 20-plus-year career as a leader at USAID, including roles as mission director in Jordan and Mozambique and deputy director in Ghana. Prior to joining USAID, Jay was a practicing attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, focusing on the enforcement of environmental laws.
Jay noted the need for increased capacity and scale of MG/ISMG’s impact work as his inspiration to join: “In a world where discord and divisiveness continue rising, and at a time when data and evidence alone are often insufficient to shift the debate, I am so happy to join my talented colleagues at Metropolitan Group. With our social scientists, artists, advocates, storytellers, and strategists, MG/ISMG is a leader in crafting strategic and creative services to bring people together, amplify the voice of change agents, and advance social justice missions in building a just and sustainable world.”