The Community Foundation of Howard County, which raises, manages and distributes funds to support Howard County nonprofits, named Dee Athey as director of grants and community engagement. In her position, Athey will facilitate and administer the foundation’s donor-recommended and discretionary grants.
Athey brings more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit work and program development, management and evaluation. She has led community service initiatives, developed funding proposals, managed grant programs, directed fundraising efforts, worked with donors and built strategic partnerships benefiting nonprofit organizations in Maryland.
Prior to joining the Community Foundation of Howard County, Athey was the resource development director at The Arc of Howard County, where she established philanthropy programs, increased community and corporate engagement and managed initiatives and special events. She also held positions with the United Way of Central Maryland, including associate vice president for grant development, associate vice president for impact strategies and director of family safety and basic needs.
Previously, Athey was a senior prevention specialist with the U.S. Army Hawaii Family Advocacy Program, where she developed and managed family life education programs and services for soldiers, veterans and their families. She also taught social services-related topics as a faculty member with the University of Phoenix and Tropic Lightning University in Hawaii.
Athey co-chaired Leadership Howard County’s Premier class steering committee and graduated from the Premier program in 2012. She graduated from the Leadership Institute with The National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities at The University of Delaware in 2018. In addition, Athey served on the Howard County Women’s Giving Circle advisory board.
She holds a master’s degree in counselor education from the University of North Texas and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Austin College in Texas. Athey lives in Jessup, Maryland.