The board of directors of the Menorah Heritage Foundation (MHF) has announced that Amy Gale will become the organization’s new chief executive officer on April 1.
Outgoing CEO Rita Cortes, who will retire in June, will work with Gale to ensure a smooth transition.
Gale brings more than two decades of experience in philanthropy, education and nonprofit management to the role. Following an extensive search process, Gale was selected by the board’s search committee, which considered candidates from across the region.
“Amy’s philanthropic expertise, deep commitment to collaboration and strong roots in the Jewish and broader Kansas City communities make her well-suited to lead the Foundation,” MHF Board President Barbara MacArthur said. “Her strategic vision, relational leadership and connection to our mission will serve our community and our grantees exceptionally well."
“It is a profound honor to be selected to lead the Menorah Heritage Foundation,” Gale said. “Guided by the principle of tikkun olam (repairing the world), I am committed to building on the Foundation’s legacy of meaningful community impact and advancing its mission with integrity, collaboration and purpose”
Gale joins MHF from the Kansas City Royals, where she served as senior director of community impact and executive director of The Kansas City Royals Foundation. In that role, she oversaw charitable community investments and increased foundation revenue by 63% over two years. Prior to that, she spent nine years at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, rising to senior program officer and managing a large grants portfolio. Her career began in education, including service as a Teach for America corps member and lead arts educator with Chicago Public Schools.
Gale holds a master’s degree from Dominican University and a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University. Her community involvement includes board service with City Year Kansas City, Kansas City Young Audiences and MHF. She lives in Kansas City, Missouri, with her husband, Jewish Federation of Kansas City Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Derek Gale, and their 10-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter.
MHF is a supporting organization of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City. It was formed through the 2016 merger of the Jewish Heritage Foundation and the Menorah Legacy Foundation, both of which trace their origins to Menorah Medical Center. The Foundation’s mission is to enhance health and human services within the greater Kansas City community, with a priority to serve the Kansas City Jewish community.
More information about MHF is available at mhfkc.org.
