About Us

The Mission of the Community Foundation for Ocala / Marion County is connecting the charitable interest of the donor to build a strong community.

The Foundation:

Serves as a conduit between donors, charitable organizations and community leaders
Provides financial and leadership frameworks to consistently grow Ocala/Marion County resources
Works proactively with public/private partners to identify issues that impact Ocala/Marion County
Convenes leadership from public/private/nonprofit partners to explore solutions to community issues
Manages assets ethically and effectively to allow maximum growth of funds
Responsibly honors donor’s intent in perpetuity
Operates under established standards of the Council on Foundations

Board of Directors

Frank Hennessey	Hennessey Arabians
Joan Stearns	Retired Executive
Michael Siboni	Siboni & Buchannan, PLLC
Bill Chambers	Merrill Lynch
Jon Kurtz	Silver River Community Bank
Chester Weber	Live Oak Farm
Rich Bianculli	Richmond Hill Capital Partners
Jamie Ulmer	Heart of Florida Health Center
Jane Fontaine, CFP	Ameriprise Financial – EIS Wealth Management
Thad Boyd	Boyd Development
Ken Ausley	Ausley Construction
Tom Ingram	Banking Executive & Community Advocate
Robert "Bob" Reilly	Director Emeritus, Retired
Jim Schneider	Director Emeritus, Saratoga Chips

Our History

In 2007, Frank and Carol Hennessey moved to Ocala and learned there was no local community foundation. Hennessey saw his local giving purpose – the formation of a community foundation. Hennessey reached out to his friend, Robert Reilly, and together they created a local foundation, the Community Foundation for Ocala/ Marion County, incorporated in 2011, to attract other philanthropists to help build a stronger community.

Founding Board Members:

William Chambers, Jr.
Frank M. Hennessey
Col. Edward Johnson, Jr.
Robert Reilly

2019 ANNUAL REPORT

Our Staff

Lauren Deiorio

President & Executive Director

In her current role as President & Executive Director of the Community Foundation, she helps to build and cultivate the relationships between potential donors and the community.

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Kelsie Ruff Smith

Director of Programs

As the Director of Programs at the Community Foundation, she oversees the various programs at the Nonprofit Resource Center. A native of Ocala, Florida, Kelsie received an associate degree from the College of Central Florida in Foreign Languages, a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Flagler College and a master’s degree in History from the University…

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Dixie Maloney

Administrative Specialist

As the Administrative Specialist for the Community Foundation, she maintains all administrative responsibilities for the Foundation and the Nonprofit Resource Center. While she’ll tell you she’s just a girl from Pittsburgh, Dixie has lived in Ocala for nearly 21 years where she raised her two daughters. With more than 35 years of experience as an…

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Richard Lovelace

Grant Research Associate

As the Grant Research Associate for the Community Foundation, he works with the Grant Services area researching and discovering new ways to bring grants to the community. Rich believes he is a ‘born public servant,’ freely lending his talents wherever he has been led, from his teens as a volunteer fire fighter and EMT to a 30 year career with the State of New York as…

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Ann McKinley, CFRE, GPC

Director of Grant Services

As the Director of Grant Services for the Community Foundation, she works to connect nonprofits in Ocala/Marion County with grant funding by helping them clearly communicate the value they provide to the community, measure their effectiveness, and report their successes. Originally from Palatka, FL, Ann holds a bachelor’s degree in British and American literature from…

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Allison B. Campbell, APR, CPRC

Director of Strategic Communications

As Director of Strategic Communications at the Community Foundation, she manages all internal and external communication strategies from research to implementation. Originally from Southeast Tennessee, Allison holds a bachelor’s degree in telecommunication from Lee University, a master’s degree in political communication from Regent University and is currently pursuing a doctorate in strategic communication from Regent.…

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