It is with both sadness and gratitude that the Board of Directors announces Katy Pugh Smith’s departure as Executive Director of Piedmont Health Foundation, effective June 15, 2022.

Katy has led the foundation since 2005, spearheading grantmaking and facilitating the organization taking on a more strategic, systems orientation.  We thank her for her 17 years of service, which have included championing partnerships to develop healthier, scratch made foods in Greenville County Schools (now one of the premiere school food programs in the nation), forming LiveWell Greenville, catalyzing a transformation of Greenlink (Greenville County’s public transit system), and using local partnerships and philanthropic investments to leverage millions of dollars in federal and national foundation grants and other investments.

While we will miss Katy’s staff leadership, she is stepping down from her role at the foundation as we begin the transition from our focus on transportation and hand the work over to the coalition, Greenville Connects.  As was already planned, the board of directors will conduct a strategic planning process to identify what is next for the foundation.  We are grateful that Addy Matney – former board member and chairman of Piedmont Health Foundation – will serve as interim executive director as the board goes through this process.

Katy leaves us to take on an expanded role with the Greenville Partnership for Philanthropy, which since 2014 she has also led on a part-time basis.  We look forward to continued work with her in that capacity, and we wish her all the best.

Sincerely,
Maurie Lawrence

From Katy Smith, Executive Director, Piedmont Health Foundation

For the last 17 years, it has been my joy and honor to lead the Piedmont Health Foundation and to work closely with so many committed community partners working to improve health in Greenville County.  It is with a mix of emotions that I have notified the board of directors that I will be stepping down in early summer to expand the work I have been doing with the Greenville Partnership for Philanthropy and its sister organization, the NonProfit Alliance, to lead the new Greater Good Greenville.

I thank all of the many partners with whom I’ve been privileged to work and from whom I’ve learned so much: current and former board members of the Piedmont Health Foundation, my fellow colleagues in philanthropy across the state, faculty and staff at Furman University, and the many staff and volunteers in nonprofit organizations and local government working every day to improve health and the conditions that make good health possible.  I especially thank the current board members of the foundation, who are thoughtful people, committed to the mission, who I know will make great decisions for what’s next for the organization. 

Fondly,
Katy Smith