Maeghan Jones
The Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga (CFGC) has named Maeghan Jones as the foundation’s new president. Ms. Jones, who has been serving as president of the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, will succeed retiring President Pete Cooper on Jan. 1, 2016. The appointment comes following a nationwide search.
“Maeghan not only has the intelligence and organizational capability to serve as a great leader for Community Foundation; she also has the passion and dedication to making a positive difference in our community,” said CFGC Board Chairwoman Michelle Ruest. “We are confident that she will bring a vital blend of thought leadership, vision and innovation to the role of president, and that she will undoubtedly further the impact of Community Foundation in the years to come.”
“As an organization, Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga is in excellent shape. As such, this is the ideal time to make a leadership transition,” said President Pete Cooper. “I am delighted that the Board has found a successor with the talents to do far more than simply continue CFGC’s long legacy: Maeghan can – and will – take the Foundation to the next level, and I look forward to witnessing her success.”
The search process was spearheaded by a committee comprised of CFGC current and past board members, and was facilitated nationally by New York-based Bridge Partners, LLC, an executive search firm, according to Ms. Ruest. Bridge Partners also facilitated engagement with a diverse spectrum of Community Foundation constituents throughout the greater Chattanooga area to ensure their input in the process.
“Maeghan’s career has been dedicated to working in the public interest,” said board member Tim Kelly, who served on the search committee. “Maeghan’s successful track record of organizational leadership, strategic planning, program development and fundraising in the non-profit sector perfectly positions her to lead the Community Foundation as we work to ensure the Foundation meets the needs of existing donors and constituents – and anticipates the future needs of our growing community and a changing philanthropic landscape.”
“We also believe Maeghan will work exceptionally well with all our constituents, in part due to her significant experience as a non-profit director and a grant seeker, as well as a fund director,” Mr. Kelly said.
“While we are sorry to lose Maeghan as our president, we are also excited about the opportunity she has to share her many talents and her leadership skills with the Community Foundation and, in turn, with our entire community,” said Chattanooga Area Food Bank Board Chairman Dan Gilmore. “Building upon the Food Bank’s legacy in the Chattanooga community, Maeghan brought fresh focus to the organization’s culture, vision and operations, putting our organization on the map as one of the top food banks in the country. We look forward to seeing her build on these accomplishments in the coming years and wish her every success.”
Ms. Jones, who has held various leadership and management positions in the non-profit sector, said, “I am deeply honored to accept the role of President of the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga and to serve as a responsible steward of the Foundation’s mission. The foundation has an accomplished and dedicated staff, and I look forward to working together to further expand the Foundation’s impact and reach.”
Prior to her most recent role as president of the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Ms. Jones served in numerous nonprofit management positions, including director of a statewide program for homeless and runaway youth, and as executive director of a private family foundation. She has also served as a nonprofit management consultant. In addition to her non-profit management experience, she has worked as a public interest attorney assisting low-income and indigent clients with securing basic rights and services.
Ms. Jones holds a B.A. from Kenyon College and a law degree from Boston’s Northeastern University School of Law where she was a recipient of the University’s Public Interest Law Scholarship. She resides in St. Elmo with her husband, Kirk Zigler, a professor of Biology at the University of the South, and their son Oliver. She serves on the board of the Georgia Association of Food Banks.