Heritage Foundation appoints Kay James as new president

WASHINGTON—The Heritage Foundation announced Tuesday it has found a new president. Kay Coles James will become the first woman and the first African-American to lead the conservative think tank. Heritage ousted former Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., as its president in May, and Ed Feulner, who led Heritage from 1977 to 2013, came out of retirement to act as interim president while the board assembled a search committee for new leadership. James helped lead that effort earlier this year and in the end, the search committee selected one its own. James starts Jan. 1. Heritage remained secretive throughout the search process and waited until Tuesday morning to announce the news to staff members. James, 68, previously worked for the National Commission on Children under President Ronald Reagan and then directed the Office of Personnel Management under President George W. Bush. She helped the Trump administration transition team select staff for the Office of Management and Budget.