News
Special Thanks to Heather Denny and Kate Simpson for Their Board Service!
Our board is a diverse team that helps us with everything from how we make investments to what partners we work with. They are some of the smartest people we know – and we are so, so grateful for their service.
As we wrap up 2023, we want to look back – and celebrate – two of these board members, Heather Denny and Kate Simpson. As the year ends, we’re saying goodbye to these two long-time board members (and welcoming new ones in the new year!).
We’re sharing some of their thoughts below so you can see what our board members value – and the strategies we’ve worked on together, too.
Heather Denny, Chief Operating Officer at Wells Global
Board Member, 2016 – 2023
Heather has served on JRE’s board for eight years! That’s nearly a decade of helping us grow, strategically. She most recently led as a board officer. When we asked her what she’s most proud of from her time at JRE – and what she wants people to know – she shared this:
“I want people to know that JRE is a learning organization. That means in the past eight years, we’ve really stepped back and looked at what we’re doing, how we are doing it and how we could do it better. From putting a racial equity lens on everything we are doing to strengthening our own staff, we’ve taken intentional steps that are all focused, ultimately, on helping other organizations do good work.”
Kate Simpson, Principal at TrueBridge Capital Partners
Board Member, 2017 – 2023
Kate just completed her sixth year on JRE’s board. Through her finance and leadership expertise, she’s helped JRE make smart business and operations decisions that lead to happier, healthier childhoods for Wake County kids. When we asked her what makes JRE’s approach special, she shared:
“I’m proud of the fact that JRE has taken a lead position in developing a trust based philanthropy model. That means that we’re really focused on a closer collaboration and co-creation with nonprofits that are serving the community – it’s trusting those who are closest to the work. It means we’ve been working with more grassroots nonprofits. It means we’re focused on making our RFP process easier, so nonprofits can spend time doing what they do best. That’s powerful.”
We’d like to thank both Heather and Kate for their years of service – you’ve truly made a difference for Wake County children and families.