Catherine Schott Murray

We recently sat down with Catherine Schott Murray of Odin, Feldman & Pittleman. Catherine is a Community Foundation Board member, member of the Raise the Region Gala committee, and member of the Business Women's Giving Circle.

What does it mean to you to be involved as a member of the Raise the Region Gala Committee?

Being a member of the Raise the Region Gala Committee allows me to promote a wonderful organization to current friends of the Community Foundation and new friends of the Community Foundation. The Gala is such a great event where the energy in the room is tremendous and contagious. I think everyone walks away feeling invigorated that people care about each other and are willing to support an organization that will grow philanthropy.

How and when did you get involved with the Community Foundation?

I first got involved with the Community Foundation after having an inspirational coffee with Community Foundation President & CEO Eileen Ellsworth, to whom I was introduced by a mutual friend. After our coffee, she invited me to participate on the Gala sponsorship committee. My first year serving on the Gala committee was 2013, and I have participated every year since. In 2014, I was asked to be involved with the Community Investments Funds grants process. A couple of years later, I was invited to join the Board of Directors for the Community Foundation, which also happens to be the year I joined the Business Women’s Giving Circle through the Community Foundation.

What are your thoughts on the Community Foundation 40th anniversary?

The Community Foundation has done a lot in the last 40 years to respond to critical need in the region and support members of our community. With that said, there is more work to be done to seed innovation, build the knowledge base through such platforms as the Opportunity Index and further develop the network of supporters so that the available dollars can have the most impact.

What does being a Business Women's Giving Circle member mean to you, and how are the efforts of this giving circle having an impact?

The Business Women’s Giving Circle has brought together a group of women leaders who are ready to invest, connect and inspire through the power of collective philanthropy. As a member of the Circle, I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with women I may never have met. Moreover, through our annual dues we have been able to have a measurable impact on the lives of girls and young women in the region by supporting programs that provide STEM based experiences.

What does it mean to you be involved with the Community Foundation?

I have really enjoyed working with the Community Foundation staff as well as getting to know other members of the Community Foundation’s large group of supporters. I have seen the good work the Community Foundation does and want it to continue to have an impact now and into the future. That is why the creation of the Permanent Fund was a turning point for the Community Foundation. It showed that the need in the region is growing and that support must be available well into the future. My family and I wanted to be part of building that legacy.