Dr. Luke Smith relocated from Arkansas to North Carolina following medical school to pursue a career in adult and childhood psychiatry. As he became more involved in his new community, Dr. Smith realized there was a pressing need for mental health services offered in Spanish. Driven by his newfound commitment to bridging this gap in psychiatric care, Dr. Smith worked…
As a community-based funder that has been serving Morris County for over 80 years, we have witnessed firsthand the unique spirit of collaboration that is embraced by local nonprofits. United in their dedication to serve a shared population, Morris County nonprofits have long been maximizing their impact with creative partnerships, shared resources, and collective expertise. In recognition of the power…
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. A place where your troubles are all the same. Yes, this is the theme song of the 1980s sitcom Cheers. But that song’s staying power goes beyond its catchy jingo. Indeed, Norm, Cliff, Kelsey, and the rest of the characters that made up the Boston bar seem to get at…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation is pleased to announce that Justin J. Kiczek has been promoted to the role of President and Executive Director, effective January 2nd, becoming the first non-family member to lead the Foundation as President. Justin joined the Foundation in 2019 as Executive Vice President, working in tandem with then President and Board Chair, S. Dillard Kirby,…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation Board of Directors announced 255 grants totaling $15,431,175 were approved in 2023 to nonprofit organizations working to increase the strength and vitality of our communities. Of this total, over 130 grants included general operating support and over 140 grants were made to organizations that have been partners of the Foundation for over 25 years, representing…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation is pleased to welcome a new team member and to announce two staff promotions. Helen Benson has joined the organization as Director of Finance, effective November 13th. Helen joins the Foundation with both small business and corporate experience and 17 years of managing financial operations, strategic planning, and analysis. After beginning her career as an…
Dr. Qi Cui spent many nights in the earliest years of her life sleeping in a medical school office. Born and raised in China until the age of ten, Dr. Cui was the daughter of a physician educator at Peking Union Medical College in Beijing and spent weeknights sleeping at the College with her mother because it was too far…
As the child of two scientists in Palermo, Sicily, Dr. Alessandro Migliara’s favorite childhood toys were his parents’ microscopes and pipettes. Though his interest in science started at a young age, Dr. Migliara was inspired to pursue a career as a biomedical researcher after the cancer diagnosis of a close family friend. This vocation has taken him all over the…
For Dr. James Hudspeth, a life devoted to science was a vocational calling. When he was as young as five years old, Dr. Hudspeth began amassing an impressive collection of items from the natural world that surrounded him in Texas. This collection, carefully curated in tandem with his brother, included over 200 pets of all sorts: cats, dogs, turtles, snakes,…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation is pleased to announce that two new staff members have joined the organization. Wanda Miroslava Peguero has joined the F. M. Kirby Foundation as a Grants Administrator, effective August 7th. Wanda has extensive grants administration experience, having worked in the philanthropic sector for over 20 years. She has worked formerly for the Ms. Foundation for…