Kathy A. Agard has been selected executive director for the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership at Grand Valley State University. Agard is currently the executive director of Learning to Give, a supporting organization of the Council of Michigan Foundations.
"Grand Valley's board, faculty, and donors have created and continue to support an extraordinary resource at the Johnson Center," said Agard. "I am thrilled at the opportunity to work with the talented staff and to work in support of the development of the philanthropic and nonprofit sector."
Agard has 28 years of philanthropic and nonprofit leadership experience. In her most recent role, she founded the Learning to Give organization in 1997 to create and integrate the teaching of philanthropy into the K-12 school curriculum. Her prior experience includes senior leadership positions with the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, Council of Michigan Foundations and Hackley Hospital. She has served as an adjunct faculty member for several public universities.
"Kathy Agard embodies all of the skills needed to successfully lead a multifaceted academic center focusing on philanthropy and nonprofit leadership," said Joel Orosz, interim executive director of the Johnson Center. "She is both a scholar and a teacher, both an organization-builder and a community volunteer. Kathy will bring both local support and national renown to the Johnson Center."
Agard earned a master's degree in Public Administration and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University. She currently serves as a board member for Hackley Hospital, Muskegon Area Intermediate School District and Temple United Methodist Church in Muskegon Heights.
Established in 1992 with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership promotes effective philanthropy, community improvement, and excellence in nonprofit leadership through teaching, research, and service. The Johnson Center is recognized for its applied research that benefits practitioners and nonprofits through its Community Research Institute, Nonprofit Good Practice Guide and The Grantmaking School.
