ELCA NEWS SERVICE
August 10, 2006
Lutheran World Relief President Wolford Resigns, Accepts New Role
06-121-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Kathryn Wolford, 48, resigned as president
of Lutheran World Relief (LWR), Baltimore, effective Oct. 31 to
become president of The McKnight Foundation, Minneapolis,
starting Dec. 1. LWR is a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod,
individuals and parish groups in international relief,
development, advocacy and social responsibility.
"I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude for the
opportunity to have served as LWR's president," said Wolford, in
an Aug. 9 LWR news release.
"It is very difficult to leave LWR, an organization that I
love deeply and feel so passionately about. I am humbled by what
God has accomplished through LWR over these years. What
attracted me to The McKnight Foundation are many of the same
qualities I will miss as I complete 13 years of service as LWR's
president: clear and compelling values, a strong mission, a
wonderful track record in innovation, and a commitment to
positive social change through grant-making, building networks on
issues and strategic policy reform," she said.
"In a time of decreasing public trust in institutions,"
Wolford said, "whether government, private industry or charities,
I am very proud of LWR's stellar reputation within the Lutheran
church community and beyond, including peer organizations, major
private foundations and government officials. We are known for
having a strong ethical stance while operating in the nitty-
gritty challenges of providing effective humanitarian action in
often complex, polarized global contexts."
As LWR's third president, Wolford headed the organization
since 1993. Under her leadership LWR became a founding member of
Action by Churches Together (ACT) in 1995, and she oversaw LWR's
move from New York to Baltimore in 1995. ACT is a global
alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives
and support communities in emergency situations worldwide. It is
based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF) in Geneva. The ELCA is a member ACT, WCC
and LWF.
Under Wolford's direction LWR focused its work on poverty
eradication, sustainable development and advocacy centered on
global trade justice, gender equity and peace building. Wolford
became a leader among faith-based groups in the fair trade
movement. The Daily Record, a newspaper in Baltimore, has named
Wolford one of "Maryland's Top 100 Women" three times.
Wolford previously served as board chair of InterAction, an
association of more than 150 U.S. organizations that work
internationally, and board chair of ACT. She also served on the
boards of the Lutheran Community Foundation, Minneapolis; the
Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations, Baltimore;
Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pa.; Foods Resource Bank,
Kalamazoo, Mich.; and on the advisory committee of the Johns
Hopkins University Institute for Policy Studies, Baltimore. She
has received Gettysburg's Young Alumni Achievement and Women of
Distinction awards.
Wolford is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Gettysburg College,
where she earned a bachelor's degree. She earned a master's
degree in public policy from the University of Chicago, and she
earned another master's degree in religious studies from the
Divinity School of the University of Chicago. She received
honorary doctorates in public service and humane letters from
Gettysburg and Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pa., respectively.
Gettysburg and Muhlenberg are two of 28 colleges and universities
of the ELCA.
"I have the utmost respect for Kathryn Wolford and have
tremendously enjoyed working with her," said Betty Duda, chair of
LWR's board of directors. "I wish her all the best as she moves
on to the next phase of her distinguished career. LWR is blessed
with an incredibly mission-minded, knowledgeable and experienced
staff team which is fully aligned with the goals of our
organizational strategic plan and will continue to move this
organization forward in many ways that increase LWR's innovation,
influence and impact. LWR is in great and capable hands during
the upcoming transition to an new president."
Duda has formed a transition committee to lead a national
search for a new LWR president. The next meeting of the 13-
member LWR board is in September.
Founded in 1953, The McKnight Foundation provides grants in
support of children and families, the arts, the environment,
region and communities, and select international scientific
research efforts. In 2004 the foundation awarded a $60,000 grant
to LWR for its work in sustainable agriculture, natural resource
management and livestock husbandry program for women in Uganda.
- - -
Information about Lutheran World Relief is available at
http://www.lwr.org on the Web.
Information about The McKnight Foundation is available at
http://www.mcknight.org on the Web.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
