Staff & Leadership
The people who lead, sustain, and guide the American Academy in Berlin—from our staff in Berlin and New York to our trustees and benefactors on both sides of the Atlantic.
The People Behind the Academy
The American Academy in Berlin is led by its president, chief operating officer, and a dedicated staff in Berlin and New York, and guided by a distinguished Board of Trustees drawn from business, government, scholarship, and the arts on both sides of the Atlantic. Built upon the foundations laid by the Academy’s honorary chairmen and founding benefactors, they safeguard the institution’s independence and steward its mission across generations. Their shared commitment to transatlantic understanding shapes everything the Academy does—from the fellowships it awards to the public conversations it convenes.
Staff
A small, dedicated team in Berlin and New York keeps the Academy running—overseeing fellowships, fundraising, public programs, press and publications, kitchen and hospitality, and the grounds of the historic Hans Arnhold Center. Meet some of the people at the heart of its daily work.
Daniel Benjamin
Christian U. Diehl
Trustees
The Academy’s Board of Trustees brings together leading figures from business, finance, culture, scholarship, and public life in the United States and Germany. Their guidance and generosity sustain the Academy’s independence and its mission of transatlantic exchange.
Sandra E. Peterson
Stefan von Holtzbrinck
Leah Joy Zell
