The Collins Foundation Names Carol Cheney Chief Executive Officer

The Collins Foundation has announced the appointment of Carol Cheney as its new chief executive officer. “I am thrilled to welcome Carol as our new CEO,” says Truman Collins, president of The Collins Foundation.

“We are lucky to have found someone so experienced, capable, and passionate about this work.”

Cheney is currently the diversity, equity, and inclusion manager at Meyer Memorial Trust where she has worked with staff, executive leadership, and grantees to advance equity within Meyer and in the nonprofit sector in Oregon.

“We chose Carol because of her deep roots in Oregon and her extensive equity work throughout her career,” says Collins. “She’s an inclusive collaborator who knows how to bring people together to achieve common goals. We welcome the continued evolution of The Collins Foundation under her leadership.”

The Collins Foundation conducted an extensive and inclusive CEO search that involved trustees, staff and community partners.

“I am truly honored to have been chosen as The Collins Foundation’s next CEO,” says Carol Cheney. “I look forward to supporting the mission, vision and values of the Collins family, the Board of Trustees and staff. As the next CEO, I will focus on building upon the collective wisdom, courage and commitment of our organizational team and community partners across the state. Together, we will lead Collins' work to fund programs that will help nonprofits and communities in Oregon find ways to address systemic racism and build a more just and equitable society.”

Cheney was born in Seoul, South Korea and grew up in Maryland and rural Oregon, where her family owned an alfalfa and wheat ranch 17 miles outside of the town of Ione in Morrow County. She is a graduate of Ione High School in Morrow County and holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Oregon.

She brings a rich history of experience, service, and leadership to The Collins Foundation. Prior to her work at Meyer, she served as the equity and policy director with the Oregon Health Authority Office of Equity and Inclusion. There she partnered with the community to develop and implement community-based programs and policies promoting health equity and eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in programs. Effective April 26, Cheney will succeed Cynthia Addams who has served in the role since 2007. Addams will remain at the foundation for three months to assist in the transition.

“Over the last 14 years, Cynthia Addams has been a dedicated, thoughtful, and visionary leader of The Collins Foundation,” says Collins. “She has led our board and staff in our equity pursuit resulting in a significant change in our leadership, staff, grantmaking and processes, centering equity at each point. I am tremendously thankful for the work she has done in her role as CEO for both our foundation and for the state as a whole.”