Susan Matthews Appointed First Executive Director of SJI Community Foundation

The San Juan Island Community Foundation Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Susan Matthews as its new – and first – executive director. Susan has served the community as the Foundation’s Program Coordinator and Operations Manager for the last seven years. In her new role Susan will assume operational leadership for all aspects of the Foundation and, in conjunction with the all-volunteer board, will expand the array of services provided to both donors and local nonprofits. The Foundation’s continuing goal is to support our island as a healthy and sustainable community while simultaneously increasing each citizen’s individual quality of life.

“My heart and soul has been in the work of the Community Foundation since the day I arrived here on the island almost seven years ago,” said Susan. “It is an honor and a privilege to be able to continue that work on the community’s behalf.”

Board Chair Charles Anderson said, “This is a momentous time for the Community Foundation. We have seen unprecedented growth over the last ten years in both the level of community need and in the Community Foundation’s ability to match our generous local donors to those critical opportunities. We take great care to help many of our local nonprofits adopt a business planning approach to their projects, and to be able to reflect those methods in our reports to donors.”

A few results achieved over the last ten years help tell the Community Foundation’s story and point toward the future of the organization that will be led by our new executive director:

• $3 million to over 100 local nonprofit projects;
• $10.5 million to build our new medical center and hospital;
• Scholarships on behalf of 75 local students to more than 30 educational institutions!

Please learn more about your Community Foundation. Join us in ensuring that San Juan Island is THE best place to live – for all of us!
For more information about the Community Foundation and the partnerships, programs and projects that we support, please visit our web site at: www.sjicf.org — or contact Susan at the Foundation office, 378-1001.

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