Peter Simmons

As chief operating officer, Peter Simmons oversees finance, grants administration, information services and human resources. He facilitates the work of the board of trustees’ finance, audit, and compensation and benefits committees, and serves as the foundation’s treasurer. In addition, he works closely with the operating foundations that manage Doris Duke’s former properties, Duke Farms (Hillsborough, NJ) and Shangri La (Honolulu, HI), in fulfilling their strategic and capital initiatives.

Simmons came to the Foundation in 2009, after eight years with The New York Times. His role there grew from managing a portfolio of businesses related to licensing, digest news publications and product development to serving as executive director for strategic planning. Before joining The New York Times in 2001, Simmons spent a decade in numerous capacities at the Museum of the City of New York, including overseeing exhibitions, publications, new media and licensing.

Simmons holds a Bachelor of Arts in architecture from the University of California at Berkeley and a Master of Science in historic preservation from Columbia University.