We couldn’t be more excited to welcome our new Director of Development, Karen Minogue, to Waccamaw Community Foundation.
Moving all the way from upstate New York to take the position, we wanted to share some more details about Karen’s life and work in her own words.
Where are you from?
The beautiful Hudson Valley area located in upstate New York approximately 80 miles north of New York City
When you were a kid, what did you think you wanted to be when you grew up?
A high school History teacher
How did your career lead you to this position?
I have been in the community foundation field for over 16 years, working at two different community foundations in the Hudson Valley: the Community Foundation of Dutchess County – now known as Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley as Assistant Executive Director for five-plus years, and the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan Counties as President and CEO at for 10+ years. Prior to that I worked at Vassar College in the Office of the Vice President and at the then-largest trucking company in the United States.
Why do you enjoy working with community foundations so much?
Community foundation work is where I have found my true calling. “Connecting Donors with Causes they Care About” is fulfilling and gratifying because community foundations represent a “community” of people who share their stories and lives with one another, a diverse group with many perspectives, ideas, imaginations and charitable desires. In short, we are the vehicle that inspires greater giving among donors. They are our community change-makers and our very own superheroes!
What do you love about Horry and Georgetown Counties?
The people are first with their Southern hospitality! And of course the weather, the golf, the beaches, natural resources and state park system. The health care system is also superb. It’s like living in a small town with all the amenities of a big city.
What are you most looking forward to doing at WCF as Director of Development?
I look forward to empowering and inspiring hundreds more individuals and organizations to achieve their charitable dreams through WCF and building upon WCF’s solid framework to expand our presence as the center for philanthropy in this area.
And what are you most looking forward to doing in your free time?
Getting to know more of the wonderful people here in Horry and Georgetown Counties, experiencing the wide range of cultural and outdoor activities, spending more time at the beach and beautiful Brookgreen Gardens, and of course — more golf!