The Akron program director for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has resigned.
Jennifer Thomas said in an email that she was “leaving Knight to pursue an opportunity that I see to help companies create strategies to invest in communities.”
The announcement came as a surprise to many in Akron’s philanthropic community.
A Knight Foundation spokesperson said the foundation did not discuss personnel matters and did not have any comment regarding Thomas’ departure.
In an extensive blog post on the Knight Foundation’s website, Thomas wrote that “this month, I will be leaving Knight Foundation with the confidence that Akron’s future is bright with innovation and opportunity.”
Thomas said in her 3½ years with the foundation, she “worked to make our community even greater by focusing on attracting, retaining and harnessing talent as the centerpiece of our grant making. This has helped cultivate the emerging leaders whose enterprising ideas make me so optimistic about the city’s future as we focus on talent, opportunity and place.”
Prior to coming to the Knight Foundation in 2010 to replace the retiring Vivian Celeste Neal, Thomas launched and led the Cleveland-based Civic Innovation Lab, which provides mentorship and funding to civic, social and technology startups.
Thomas and her family lived in University Heights.
News of Thomas’ resignation, which is effective at the end of this week, took some Akron leaders by surprise.
Bob Kulinski, president of the United Way of Summit County, said he found out about Thomas’ departure from her blog post.
Kulinski said Thomas had a challenging position.
“It sounds like the Knight Foundation was re-ordering its priorities and it sounds like exciting things were possibilities in a place like Akron, where livability and sustainability and the quality of life were getting renewed focus. I think one of Jennifer’s disadvantages was that she didn’t live here and I don’t think she had enough time to figure out the psyche and collaborative manner we tend to work together,” said Kulinski.
The United Way did not receive direct funds from the Knight Foundation and was not a competitor, but the organizations often funded the same projects, he said.
Thomas was more than a grant maker to the members of the Torchbearers, an organization that supports young professionals, said its president, Kyle Kutuchief.
Thomas in December awarded the group two grants — a $45,000 grant to create a program to connect summer interns to each other and the community and $20,000 for a program to promote Akron to young professional job candidates.
“Jennifer did more than give us money. She was part of our team,” said Kutuchief, director of development for the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron (ABIA). The Knight Foundation was one of the founding partners of the ABIA. “She gave us advice, strategic ideas and challenged us the way a good mentor does.”
David James, chairman of the University Park Alliance, a nonprofit group working on the redevelopment of 50 city blocks around the University of Akron, said he did not know what Thomas would be doing next. He was notified in an email from Thomas with her blog post.
“I always found her easy to work with,” said James. “It’s unfortunate she’s leaving, but I’m assuming it’s for something better or more.”
James said he did not think Thomas’ departure had anything to do with last year’s troubles with UPA and the cancellation of the foundation’s grant to the group because the focus of the organization’s projects had changed. When Thomas resigned from the UPA board in August, James said it was on good terms and because there could be a potential conflict of interest of a funder being on the board.
James said UPA continues to work through its lawsuits and leaders are discussing whether another round of assessments will be needed from members to continue the organization until it seeks more funding.
In her blog post, Thomas ended by saying she has worked for more than 10 years on initiatives to support her commitment to the region, “first supporting entrepreneurial startups in Cleveland and through Knight’s work here in Akron. Now, I’m excited to see more and more private investment returning to cities, presenting new opportunities for me — and all of our residents. I have enjoyed building relationships with the many people who are committed to Akron’s future. I look forward to staying connected to Akron and to Knight’s network as we all work together to build a vibrant Northeast Ohio.”
The Knight Foundation has posted the opening for a new director, community programs for Akron, on its website.
In a prepared comment, Carol Coletta, Knight Foundation’s VP for community and national initiatives, said the foundation had launched a national search for a successor.
“Going forward, Knight will continue to build on the solid framework that Jennifer put in place in Akron. We’ll work to support emerging leaders, create economic opportunity in core areas of the city, and leverage Akron’s strong sense of place.”
Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/blinfisherABJ and see all her stories at www.ohio.com/betty.