Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Names Lauren Koontz New President and CEO

Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta names Lauren Koontz new president and CEO

The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has named Lauren Koontz its next president and CEO, effective Dec. 1. Koontz currently serves as president and CEO of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, where she has led one of the region’s largest and most established nonprofit organizations since 2019. Koontz will join the Community Foundation during its […] The post Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta names Lauren Koontz new president and CEO appeare…

Lauren Koontz Exits as President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta

After more than a decade of transformative leadership, Lauren Koontz has made the decision to depart as president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta to join the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta.  “On behalf of the board of directors, members and more than 4,000 employees, I want to express our deepest gratitude for […]

Lauren Koontz Named President and CEO of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta  | Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

An experienced Atlanta leader joins the Foundation as we celebrate 75 years and look toward our next chapter.  The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has named Lauren Koontz its next president and CEO, effective December 1, 2026.  Lauren currently serves as president and CEO of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, where she has led one of the region’s largest nonprofit organizations since 2019. She brings three decades of experience in enterprise leadership, philanthropy, and fundraising, along with deep relationships across Greater Atlanta.  Her experience reflects the unique role the Community Foundation plays in this region. We work across donors and families, nonprofits, businesses, civic institutions, and community partners to connect generosity with needs and opportunities across Greater Atlanta.  A leader with deep Atlanta roots  Lauren joined the YMCA of Metro Atlanta in 2012 and became its first woman president and CEO in 2019. Today, she leads a $150 million-plus organization with more than 4,000 employees serving more than 240,000 people annually across metro Atlanta.  Throughout her career, Lauren has built partnerships across sectors and helped mobilize philanthropic resources around important opportunities for our region. Her experience includes leading the YMCA’s largest comprehensive fundraising campaign, raising more than $60 million. At Coxe Curry & Associates, she played a key role on the team supporting the $400 million Greater Grady Campaign for Grady Health System.  Lauren has also worked closely with the Foundation. During the 2025 federal shutdown, the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, the state’s largest Head Start provider, worked with the Foundation and partners across the region to keep Head Start programs open for more than 6,500 Georgia children. Lauren’s team later brought the same model to Augusta.  “Atlanta has shaped my career and my sense of what is possible when people come together around a shared purpose,” Lauren said. “The Community Foundation has a remarkable opportunity to connect people who care about this region with the organizations, ideas, and opportunities that can make a difference. I’m excited to build on the Foundation’s 75-year legacy and help shape its next chapter.”  Building on 75 years  Lauren joins the Foundation at an important moment.  For 75 years, the Community Foundation has helped turn donor generosity into action. Since 1951, we have granted more than $3.6 billion and counting to nonprofits and causes across Greater Atlanta and beyond.  Lauren’s appointment follows a broad national search led by the Foundation’s Board of Directors and supported by BoardWalk Consulting. The search focused on leadership experience, community credibility, philanthropic and donor experience, organizational impact, and the ability to collaborate across sectors.  “Our region is working through complex challenges, and our nonprofits and community groups need support more than ever,” said Ryan Wilson, Foundation board member and chair of the CEO search committee. “This is an important time for philanthropy to be a galvanizing force for good. We want more families and companies to turn to the Foundation as both a trusted home for their giving and a partner in scaling their impact. Lauren knows how to bring donors, nonprofits, community groups, businesses, and government together around common goals. She is the right leader for this moment.”  Continuing the momentum  Lauren will succeed Virginia Hepner, who has served as interim president and CEO since August. Virginia will work with Lauren to support the transition and will continue serving the Foundation in a volunteer capacity.  “We’re deeply grateful for Virginia’s steady and thoughtful leadership during an important period for the Foundation,” said Julia Houston, chair of the Board of Directors. “We’re excited to welcome Lauren and to build on the momentum already underway as we look toward the Foundation’s next chapter.”  Lauren will officially begin her role on December 1, 2026.  Read the full announcement.

YMCA’s Lauren Koontz to be new CEO of Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

After a national search over several months, the Community Foundation has selected Lauren Koontz as its next president and CEO, beginning on Dec. 1. Koontz currently serves as the president and CEO of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, where she has worked since 2012. In 2019, she became the organization’s first woman CEO. The Metro […]