Kerry Pigman is ACF’s Next Executive Director

Shayne Lopez • April 14, 2020

We are thrilled to announce that Kerry Pigman has been hired to be the next Executive Director of the Athens County Foundation!

After an extensive and rigorous search, the ACF Board of Directors selected Kerry to be the new Executive Director of the Foundation. Kerry began her training and leadership transition on April 1, working closely with outgoing Executive Director Susan Urano and the Board of Directors.

Kerry brings direct experience working with the Athens County Foundation, and more than 20 years of leadership experience focused on strategy and entrepreneurship. Kerry most recently worked as a strategy consultant to the Athens County Foundation and as an Executive in Residence with the Ohio University Voinovich School’s Social Enterprise Ecosystem Project. Kerry is an active community member who is passionate about creating, cultivating, and sustaining opportunities for Appalachian Ohioans. She was a board member for six years at the Athens County Foundation, serving as Board President from 2016-2018. She also served as a board member to the Athens Professionals for Philanthropy, Live Healthy Appalachia, and is currently an Ohio University Department of Management Advisory Board Member. Kerry has called Athens home for nearly 30 years and is thrilled to join the Athens County Foundation as Executive Director, building on its 40 years of support for Athens County, and Susan Urano’s thoughtful and impactful 20-year stewardship as Executive Director.

The Athens County Foundation Board of Directors has worked with Kerry for several years, and they are confident that Kerry’s talents, gifts, leadership skills, and experience will continue the Foundation’s success for the generations to come. Cheryl Sylvester, ACF Board President wrote:

“I have worked with Kerry in various capacities. She is an innovative thinker whose mindset and passion rest with making our communities better places to live and work. Kerry’s insightful leadership will shape the future of the Athens County Foundation and, in turn, allow us to continue our impactful work. “

Join us in welcoming Kerry to the Athens County Foundation! The Foundation is fortunate to have the ongoing support of Susan Urano during this transition, and we look forward to celebrating Susan’s many successes as she transitions into retirement.

You may reach Kerry at kerry@athensfoundation.org

 

Stacy Strauss is ACF's new Director of Finance and Administration

By Emily Prince • September 1, 2026
Please join us in welcoming our new Director of Finance and Administration, Stacy Strauss. Stacy looks forward to using her skills to strengthen our community! She brings energy, creativity, and a thoughtful approach to her work, along with a genuine ability to bring people together around shared goals. Her experience spans financial management, fundraising and grant writing, program development, business strategy, and developing materials that tell a clear, compelling story.  Just as importantly, she enjoys helping others grow. She has experience leading and training teams, building collaborative cultures, developing recruitment strategies, and finding practical, creative solutions to complicated challenges. Whether working with colleagues, community partners, or other stakeholders, she builds relationships rooted in trust, communication, and a shared commitment to advancing good ideas.

Fall Grant Applications Open

By Shayne Lopez • August 28, 2026
Athens County's greatest asset is its people. Every day, neighbors, organizations, and local leaders bring skill, creativity, and deep knowledge of this place to the work of building a stronger community. Our grantmaking invests in those strengths, because the best solutions are already growing here, led by the people who call Athens County home. Our grantmaking builds on the strengths already here by investing in the initiatives, people and organizations, relationships, skills, and ideas working to address longstanding challenges and pursue extraordinary opportunities. 

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