Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) U.S. Executive Director Ann Graber Hershberger has announced to the MCC U.S. board her planned retirement in July 2026. After serving abroad with MCC and then years in board leadership roles in the U.S., Hershberger began her work as executive director in October 2020, in the midst of a global pandemic and MCC’s centennial year.
“Ann has been an effective, humble, thoughtful and engaging leader, offering executive and collaborative guidance during a time of significant crises and disasters across the globe and here in the U.S.,” says Emerson Lesher, chair of the MCC U.S. board. “Most of all, Ann has been an advocate for the way of Jesus and Anabaptist-centered relief, development and peace activities.”
Jeanne Zimmerly Jantzi, recent interim MCC U.S. board chair and current vice-chair, agrees. “Ann's leadership has reflected her own deep understanding of the work of MCC from the perspectives of her varied roles in MCC from service worker, board member, board chair and executive director. I have appreciated her intentional engagement with church leaders and her attention to spiritual leadership for MCC staff."
Lesher says that the MCC U.S. board “appreciates that Ann has given time to conduct an orderly and focused transition to select the next executive director.” Kevin Malamma, MCC U.S. board member and co-chair of the board of West Coast MCC, has been appointed to serve as board chair of the search committee.
This position provides leadership for MCC throughout the U.S. and, with MCC Canada, shares leadership for MCC’s international programs in more than 40 countries across the globe. “Please join us in praying that God will be with all of us in this process and lead the way forward so that the ministry of relief, development and peace in the name of Christ will become even more strong and vibrant for a world where needs continue to grow,” Lesher says.
Hershberger gives thanks for the chance to serve God through leading MCC U.S. and stresses she is eager to remaining fully engaged over her next 11 months in the position. “I have to say that being part of MCC in this way at the end of my working life has been a privilege I would never have imagined,” she says. At the same time, she notes, by next year it will be time to pass those responsibilities to others as she looks forward to spending more time with her husband Jim and their three children and six grandchildren.