Phenisher Harris

As Senior Grantmaking Operations Officer, Phenisher Harris oversees the foundation’s grants management function. In this role, she leads efforts to streamline processes to reduce administrative burden and enhance efficiency, while ensuring compliance, data integrity, and equity in practice. She partners across the foundation to enable high-impact, user-centered, and data-informed grantmaking that reflects DDF’s commitment to excellence, equity, and imagination. Phenisher collaborates closely with program teams to support the full grant lifecycle, leveraging data and operational insight to inform decisions and deliver an excellent experience for applicants, grantees, and internal stakeholders. 

Prior to joining the foundation, she worked in the legal and compliance division at Morgan Stanley and in the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Community Right to Know Program. In addition to her role at the Doris Duke Foundation, Harris is a professional singer and has appeared in concert and opera performances throughout the U.S. and abroad, and continues to perform with local professional vocal ensembles. She earned a Bachelor of Music from Western Michigan University and a Master of Music from the Eastman School of Music.