The Massachusetts 4-H Foundation Names Carrie Myers as Its New Executive Director
The Massachusetts 4-H Foundation appointed Carrie Myers to serve as its Executive Director, effective January 3, 2022. Myers brings over 20 years of experience in fundraising and delivering programs to youth development organizations. Most recently, she served as Director of Advancement for the North Carolina Outward Bound School where she led and consolidated the development, communications, sales, and marketing teams. She designed and implemented a comprehensive, results-oriented advancement plan. Myers previously held leadership positions with the Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont Council and the YMCA of Greater Toledo. She has also consulted with various organizations with a focus on strategic planning and professionalizing their fundraising programs.
Steve Borgeson, President of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, commented, “We are thrilled to have Carrie join the Foundation. She has deep fundraising and program experience with mission-driven nonprofits. Carrie will, among other things, reorganize and rejuvenate the Foundation’s fundraising efforts and advance the Foundation’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion both at the Board level and in the 4-H youth development programs the Foundation helps to fund.”
Borgeson continued: “I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the excellent work of the Board’s Executive Director Search Committee led by Trustees Erika Prahl and Ashley Randle, as well as the team of Jodi Dowling and Mimi Brunelle from TSNE MissionWorks who guided us through the search, hiring, and onboarding process with great skill and patience.
Myers, who holds a B.S. from the University of Mount Union and an M.Ed. from the University of Toledo, is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). She will lead an accomplished staff of three with the goal of redesigning and refocusing the Foundation’s advancement program. She noted: “I am pleased to join the Foundation at this pivotal
point in its history and to work with the Foundation’s Trustees and Staff and the 4-H leadership and educators at UMass Extension. I look forward to strengthening the annual giving program, creating new relationships with funding sources, forging innovative partnerships, and growing the $8.9 million endowment.
Myers added, “I am excited to play an integral role in growing and enhancing the Foundation’s commitment to support young people through helping to fund a variety of inclusive, accessible programs. I am impressed that 4-H has developed a broad base of experiential learning curricula on topics ranging from the traditional animal and agricultural sciences to climate change, food safety, global food security, sustainable living, and STEM programs in robotics and coding.”
Established in 1955, the Massachusetts 4-H Foundation’s mission is to enrich and advance 4-H youth development programs throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 4-H is America’s largest youth development organization open to all young people ages 5 through 18. The organization empowers young people to be confident, resilient, and curious participants and leaders in the active work of life.