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The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Announces New Staff Members
May 18, 2004
Nashville, TN
Contact: Rebecca Howerton Finley – 615-321-4939
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, a charitable organization that benefits non-profits serving those in need in 40 Middle Tennessee counties, has announced the addition of four staff people. The new staff will act in various roles from donor services to communications.
The professionals are:
- Rev. Mary Katherine (Kaki) Friskics-Warren
- Laurel Leigh Duncan
- Rebecca Howerton Finley
- Rachel Clark Robinson
“We welcome the wealth of talent, energy and expertise they bring to The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee,” said Ellen Lehman, president of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. “Individually and collectively, they will enable us to continue to provide accessible, flexible, charitable solutions. And, with their help, we will be able to expand our ability to connect generosity with need through our non-profit partners and throughout the counties we serve. We are delighted that each of them has joined our team.”
Friskics-Warren will work to increase charitable giving by connecting contributors to the needs in the community, while encouraging more strategic giving from the philanthropic community. She served as the founding director of Renewal House, a nationally recognized nonprofit serving addicted women and their children. During her time at Renewal House, the agency was awarded the 2003 United Way of Middle Tennessee Circle of Honor, the 2001 Excellence in Communications Award by the Nashville Business Journal, the 1999 Frist Foundation Award of Achievement in Nonprofit Management, the 1998 Association of Junior Leagues International – BMW Award and various other honors. Friskics-Warren also held positions with Vanderbilt Divinity School, Alive Hospice and was the founding executive director of reconciliation, a nonprofit serving the families of Tennessee prisoners. She received her bachelors degree from Texas Christian University and a masters degree from Vanderbilt Divinity School.
Duncan has been appointed to the Community Foundation’s Women’s Fund as fund coordinator. She will oversee the Women’s Fund and focus much of her time on the Women’s Fund luncheon. Banded by the slogan, “The Power of the Purse,” the luncheon attracts more than 500 women philanthropists in the Middle Tennessee area annually. Duncan comes to the Community Foundation from Vanderbilt University, where she was a research coordinator for the Child Health and Development Project/Parent-Child Project. In that role, she coordinated two federally funded research projects in the mental health field, while overseeing undergraduate students’ roles within the project. She was a 2003 recipient of the Tennessean’s “Top 40 under 40” honor for her volunteer service with the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), the Junior League of Nashville, Habitat for Humanity and various other organizations. Duncan, a Nashville native, graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, with a major in psychology.
Finley has been named Communications Director at The Community Foundation. She will oversee public relations and media relations efforts for the organization. Previously, Finley served as a state communications/marketing director for the American Cancer Society. In that position she managed all marketing and media relations efforts of the American Cancer Society for the state of Arkansas. Finley also worked as a TV reporter for WPSD-TV in Paducah, Kentucky as well as an assignment editor for WSIL-TV in Southern Illinois. Finley, an Illinois native, is a graduate of Loyola University, New Orleans, with a major in broadcast journalism.
Robinson, as donor services coordinator, will cater to the needs of philanthropists in the community in addition to serving as a resource to specific funds within The Community Foundation. Previously, Robinson served as the assistant director of alumni relations for The University of the South. In that role, she oversaw the nationwide alumni chapter program. She also served as a staff assistant in the office of Senator Fred Thompson in Washington D.C. Robinson, a Chattanooga native, is a graduate of The University of the South with a major in political science.
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee oversees more than 450 charitable funds. In the past twelve years, The Community Foundation has distributed $195 million to community programs and institutions. Currently, The Community Foundation manages endowment, unrestricted and memorial funds totaling $327 million. It is located at 3833 Cleghorn Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee 37215. For more information, call 615-321-4939 or visit www.cfmt.org.
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