Sue Peters named new president of Ruth Mott Foundation as Raquel Thueme retires

FLINT, Michigan — The Ruth Mott Foundation Board of Trustees has announced that Sue Peters will serve as the organization’s next president, following a national search. Peters, who currently serves as vice president of community impact at the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, will officially assume the role on Nov. 3, succeeding Raquel Thueme, who is retiring after 14 years with the Foundation — seven as president.

With more than two decades of philanthropic and nonprofit experience in Flint, Peters is recognized for her work in grantmaking, community leadership, and resource development.

“Sue’s deep commitment to community, equity, and place-based philanthropy makes her the ideal leader to guide the Foundation in its next chapter,” said Maryanne Mott, Board of Trustees chair and daughter of Ruth Rawlings and Charles Stewart Mott.

Peters joins the Foundation at a pivotal time, as it prepares to launch the next phase of its strategic plan. The plan will guide its community grantmaking, impact investing, and stewardship of Applewood, the historic estate of C.S. Mott that serves as both a public learning space and community gathering place.

“I’m honored to join an organization that not only listens to and lifts up community voices but also offers Applewood as a place of learning and gathering,” Peters said.

A longtime Flint resident, Peters first came to the city in 2000 to work at the C.S. Mott Foundation as a program officer. She later led the Flint office of LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) before joining the Community Foundation of Greater Flint in 2016. Her career has focused on collaborative, community-centered solutions—skills that guided her leadership during both the Flint water crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier in her career, Peters served in the Peace Corps in Bolivia, an experience she credits with shaping her lifelong commitment to community engagement and sustainable development.

As president, Peters will oversee the Ruth Mott Foundation’s grantmaking, administration, and programs at Applewood. She holds a master’s degree in policy studies from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Carroll University in Wisconsin. Peters lives in Fenton with her twin sons.

To learn more about the Ruth Mott Foundation, visit ruthmottfoundation.org.