Kathy Brechler Lake, a longtime Knox County resident and Food For The Hungry (FFTH) volunteer, was named the organization’s new executive director late last month by the FFTH board.
“The board takes great pleasure in making this announcement,” said Austin Swallow, president of FFTH board. “As an experienced FFTH volunteer, Kathy has shown a great affinity with our purpose and goals.”
As executive director, Brechler Lake will coordinate and oversee the annual FFTH Drive. She will also manage the solicitation and review of grant applications, and prepare and present operating budgets. In addition, she will represent FFTH within the community to other organizations and to the public at large.
“Food-insecurity issues are both heart-breaking and largely combatable,” said Brechler Lake. “I hope we’ll be able to build on the already great foundation of FFTH to bring our community ever closer to being able to meet food needs across the county.”
Brechler Lake plans to retire from her current position at Kenyon College in late June before taking on this new role. A member of the Kenyon staff for 41 years, she has served as a secretary in the president’s office, as an administrative assistant to the Department of Dance and Drama, and, for the bulk of her time at the college, as a key staff member in the president’s office. Her current titles are director of Board Relations and Presidential and Community Events, as well as assistant secretary to the Board of Trustees and the Kenyon College Corporation.
Beyond Kenyon, Brechler Lake has been active in numerous volunteer positions in the community. She has served on boards and committees for diverse groups, such as the Knox Community Hospital Foundation, Knox Partnership for Arts and Culture, Leadership Knox, United Way of Knox County, and Ariel-Foundation Park.
Most pertinent to her new role has been her leadership within FFTH. As the co-founder of the annual FFTH Snowflake Gala, and as a committee chair for the event, Brechler Lake has made the gala not only a top fundraiser for FFTH but also a much-anticipated part of the holiday season in Knox County.
Brechler Lake will be the fourth person to serve as executive director of FFTH. Her predecessors include Lisa Mazzari, Sandy Rhoton, and Micah Rubenstein.
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