Katie Eyes
Vice President, Program Operations and Strategy
As Vice President of Program Operations and Strategy, Katie supports the program officer, grantmaking, and communications team to develop, implement, and adjust strategy across the Foundation’s focus areas and its grantmaking practices. Katie works closely with the team as well as external stakeholders to broaden the foundation's perspective, build partnerships to accelerate its progress, improve the experience of our grantees and applicants, and deepen the organization's impact in communities across North Carolina.
Katie joined the Blue Cross NC Foundation in 2009 as Operations Manager She later joined the program officer staff and played a leadership role in developing and refining the organization's focus on community-centered health in addition to leading the Foundation’s previous work in health care access and oral health.
Katie is a member of the 2014 Terrance Keenan Institute for Emerging Leaders in Health Philanthropy, a former steering committee member of the Funders Oral Health Policy Group, and has previously served as board member for the North Carolina Network of Grantmakers (NCNG) and co-chair for the NCNG annual meeting. Katie has an undergraduate degree from Carleton College and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Michigan.
What I love about my work:
This role allows me to take a 20,000-foot view and develop long-term opportunities to improve health so that all North Carolinians have greater opportunities for health. Working with our grantees - visiting them in their communities and seeing them in action - is the best part of my job.
When not at my desk:
I stay busy outside the office keeping up with my family who likes to adventure in North Carolina and beyond. My team knows me as “the maximizer,” so I’m always moving on something!
Favorite thing about North Carolina:
The energy and commitment to action at the personal level. The state motto is, “to be, rather than to seem,” and we are in a time and place where health care, communities, and individuals are being creative and ambitious about how we can be a healthier state. Being in the orbit of so many leaders - whether of a branch of state government, a chef focused on improving school meals, a neighborhood group seeking new playground equipment, or clinic leaders who are looking to make their front desk more patient-centered - gives meaning to the motto.
