St. Louis Community Foundation Board of Directors Announces Dr. Kelvin Adams as Next President and Chief Executive Officer
ST. LOUIS, July 19, 2023— Following a nationwide search, the St. Louis Community Foundation Board of Directors today announced Dr. Kelvin Adams as the organization’s next president and CEO. An accomplished leader, educator and community advocate, Dr. Adams will begin serving in the role on August 7 with transition support from Interim President Gary Dollar.
“This is a pivotal moment for the St. Louis Community Foundation as we enter a new era of support for the region,” Shelley Seifert, St. Louis Community Foundation board chair said. “Following an extensive listening tour, the Board sought a leader with a proven record of community commitment, collaboration and driving positive outcomes. We couldn’t ask for a better fit for this role than Dr. Kelvin Adams.”
“I am excited about the possibilities,” Dr. Adams said. “The possibility of increasing collaborative philanthropy. The possibility of addressing our region’s most complex and persistent issues. And the possibility of the Foundation’s expanded leadership role as we work to create the conditions for a more equitable, connected and stable St. Louis region.”
Dr. Adams served for 14 years as the Superintendent of Schools for the Saint Louis Public School District. As Superintendent, Dr. Adams supervised a district serving approximately 19,000 students and 3,500 employees in 62 schools. He is currently the Associate Dean and Regent’s Distinguished Professor for the College at Harris-Stowe State University and will continue to support the school as the Regent’s Distinguished Professor.
Dr. Adams’ many notable accomplishments during his tenure with the District include St. Louis Public Schools regaining provisional and full accreditation from the Missouri State Board of Education and increasing the high school graduation rate from 54 percent to 80 percent.
“Throughout my career as an educator, I saw the incredible impact that schools and other institutions had on supporting children and families,” Dr. Adams said. “My fervent support for improving educational outcomes for St. Louis youth remains.
“But some issues are too complex for education to solve alone,” Dr. Adams went on to say. “There’s a remarkable opportunity to address some of complexities of the issues in our community by bringing individuals, families and businesses together around their philanthropic goals at the St. Louis Community Foundation.”
A $500 million organization, the St. Louis Community Foundation connects more than 800 charitable fundholders to philanthropic opportunities annually. The Foundation recently celebrated 10 years of its online Give STL Day, which has raised more $30 million for 1,100 nonprofits since its inception.
“The Foundation is poised to increase its impact on the region through expanded programs and services,” Seifert said. “Dr. Adams’ more than 40 years of unwavering devotion to serving youth, families and communities will be a major asset to the future of the Foundation and the entire community.”
Dr. Adams will be the St. Louis Community Foundation’s fourth President and CEO. He lives in St. Louis with his wife Dr. Karen Collins Adams, who is currently a principal in the Hazelwood School District.
The search was led by BoardWalk Consulting, a national executive search firm based in Atlanta.
About Dr. Kelvin Adams
Dr. Kelvin Adams is an accomplished academic leader and administrator. He served as Superintendent of Schools for the Saint Louis Public School District for 14 years until recently retiring in December 2022. He was the third longest serving superintendent and the longest in the modern era for the district.
Prior to accepting the Superintendent position with the Saint Louis Public School District, Dr. Adams was Chief of Staff for the Recovery School District (RSD) in New Orleans, Louisiana. He also has served as Associate Dean/Interim Dean and Charter School Liaison for the College of Education for Southern University of New Orleans, as a senior high and middle school principal, as an Executive Director of Middle Schools in New Orleans and as a classroom teacher.
Dr. Adams earned his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership in Administration from the University of New Orleans in 2005. He earned an M.A. in Elementary Education from Xavier University in 1991 and a B.A. in Elementary Education and Special Education from Northeast Louisiana University in 1978.
About the St. Louis Community Foundation
The Foundation is a nonprofit with approximately 800 charitable funds and total assets of more than $470 million. Each fund represents a unique charitable giving partnership between nonprofit recipients and an individual, family or business. The St. Louis Community Foundation inspires purposeful philanthropy that connects the community and donors to build and preserve a more equitable and vibrant region, now and forever. To learn more about the Foundation, please visit stlgives.org.
For more information, contact:
Carla Gibson, Catalyst Communications
314-766-2020
carla@pr-catalyst.com
Announcement photos
