The Lake County Community Foundation Names New Executive Director and Introduces Lake County Philanthropy Leadership Council
The Lake County Community Foundation (LCCF) is pleased to announce the promotion of Maggie Morales to Executive Director, effective March 16th. Morales, LCCF's longest-serving employee, succeeds former board member Miah Armour, who is retiring after serving as Executive Director in a part-time capacity since 2016. Armour will lead LCCF's newly formed Lake County Philanthropy Leadership Council.
Morales, 35, becomes only the third full-time Executive Director in LCCF's 15 year history. She brings with her more than a dozen years of experience with the Community Foundation, including direct oversight for the Foundation's grant making, collective impact and community investment work. During this time, she has played an instrumental role in building regional initiatives such as The Alliance for Human Services, Partnership for a Safer Lake County and supporting The Lake County Together Summit. She will continue as a member of the Live Well Lake County Steering Committee and in other community leadership roles, representing the Foundation.
"Maggie is the perfect choice to serve as LCCF's next executive leader," states Martha Hinchman, Chair of the Board of Directors. "Her passion for LCCF's mission sets her apart, as does her deep knowledge of the nonprofit sector, her dedicated career in local philanthropy and her experience with LCCF's family of donors. Maggie has worked across all facets of LCCF since its earliest years, including working side-by-side with retiring director Miah Armour for the past two years to build and grow awareness of the Community Foundation's work here in Lake County."
Armour affirms, "It has been a privilege to help LCCF grow into its second decade. I am thrilled to hand Maggie the reins and have always had great respect for her deep love of the community and the people in it. She is perfectly matched to carry forward the vision established by LCCF's founders and drive even more positive change here in the region."
Morales, a graduate of Waukegan High School who holds a BA from Butler University, is a long-time Waukegan resident. Her introduction to LCCF was in 2005 as a part-time administrative assistant during the Foundation's formative years. Morales returned to LCCF in 2011 after earning a Master of Arts in Social Justice and Intercultural Relations, bringing with her a new skillset that helped shape LCCF's grant making, current community investment strategy and its ongoing approach to collective impact. In 2018, Morales led the launch of "Right Now in Lake County" Poverty Awareness Day, as well as the campaign to grow the Robert F. Reusché Operating Endowment. The endowment is Lake County's "forever fund" fueling LCCF's long-term operating sustainability, and is still early in a multi-year effort, having raised nearly $200,000 to date.
Morales has a busy spring lined up. She is speaking on April 11 at the Midwest Community Foundation Gathering in Fort Wayne, IN; co-chairing the April 17 Leading for Good Lake County Board Recruiting Exchange in Lake Forest with partners Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and The Gorton Community Center; and presenting on May 14 at The Collective Impact Convening in Chicago. In addition, she, along with Armour, will introduce the Lake County Philanthropy Leadership Council, a next generation LCCF initiative later in the year.
"It is an honor to have the opportunity to serve my community in this new role. We have had an incredible year of growth - new donors, new charitable funds, greater visibility and generous endowment support. Plus our work with Lake County's food system is showing early signs of positive impact!" Morales concludes, "I am excited to work with our board to build on these accomplishments, and to connect even more people who care with causes and issues that matter to them across Lake County."
ABOUT THE LAKE COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The Lake County Community Foundation (LCCF) was established as one of three geographic affiliates of The Chicago Community Trust. Since 2003, LCCF has brought together philanthropists and donors, dollars and ideas to build permanent funds to benefit Lake County, Illinois - today and for generations to come.
Together with its donors, LCCF has awarded grants totaling over $5 million to nonprofit agencies serving the residents of Lake County and beyond. The organization provides leadership on key issues, insight on emerging trends, helps donors learn more about local needs and has helped form, fund and fledge county-wide coalitions such as The Alliance for Human Services, Partnership for a Safer Lake County and most recently a multi-year partnership to strengthen Lake County's local food system for our most vulnerable residents.
For additional information on LCCF leadership, charitable funds, upcoming programs, or to make a contribution, please visit www.lakecountycf.org