Meet Audrey Trussell, VP of Community Impact
Meet Audrey Trussell, the new Vice President of Community Impact at the Community Foundation! Audrey comes to this role after having most recently served as the Vice President of Community Impact at the United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg and the Director of City and Schools Partnership. We sat down and asked Audrey a few questions as she’s getting settled into her role:
Tell us a little bit about yourself and the experience you’re bringing to this role at the Community Foundation.
For the last ten years, I have worked in the greater Richmond region with state and local leaders to create solutions that combat social and equity barriers that our community’s individuals and families face. Born and raised in Bedford, I moved to Richmond and immediately fell in love – both because of the access to a wealth of cultural offerings and because the passion and commitment to strengthening the community is undeniable.
In my former roles, I had the immense privilege to develop structures and programs, facilitate data-driven consensus among coalitions of cross-sector partners, empower community voice, and support nonprofit organizations to advance individual and family stability across the region. I am excited to bring my experience and energy to the Community Foundation team as we make the Richmond region a better place with bold solutions and inspired philanthropy!
Why are you excited to work at the Community Foundation?
The Community Foundation is committed to creating equal opportunity for every single person in our region, and I am incredibly grateful to be a part of this commitment. The diverse people and organizations that come together as a collective to strengthen our community bring a wealth of talent, dedication, passion, and joy to our community impact work. I am so excited to get to know each of you better as we work together to improve lives in the greater Richmond region!
What are your personal passions?
The Richmond region has some of the best opportunities for outdoor play – one of my biggest personal passions. I love taking advantage of our parks and trails for hikes, bike rides and long runs. Last year I ran my first marathon on a local trail, and I cherished my time spent getting to know our neighborhoods in a new way through many miles and hours of training. There is a place outside for everyone, and I am passionate about creating inclusive space for all individuals to discover the joy of outdoor play.
What are you passionate about related to our community?
I genuinely believe that together, we do more good. To create lasting change, our community’s challenges must be addressed through focused impact and data driven action that is supported by authentic partnerships. I am passionate about supporting and bringing committed organizations and individuals together so that every individual in our region can thrive.
What are you most hopeful for in our community?
We learned a lot in the last two years as we navigated the pandemic and confronted the reality of systemic inequities. Organizations across sectors came together with flexibility and resilience to ensure that our neighbors continued to receive critical support services. Nonprofit partners pivoted to create innovative methods for new and continued program delivery. Individuals and agencies led critical conversations about, and made commitments to, advancing racial equity. As we move forward in this work, I hope that we honor these lessons learned by staying steadfast in our commitment to collaboration, innovation and equity for all.
Welcome Audrey, we’re so glad to have you!