News & Events

At the end of September, our President and CEO Carla Roberts will retire after 10 years leading Fremont Area Community Foundation. Recently, we sat down with Carla as she reflected on her decade with the Community Foundation, what she is most proud of, what she will miss, and more.

As you think back to when you started, what has surprised you about the Community Foundation or Newaygo County?

 Carla: Newaygo County has changed a lot in the last 10 years and one of the most salient examples is if you look at the Newaygo County Tourism Council. Everything about how they present the county on the web and in the publications, the things you can go do, the summer top 10 list—it is amazing to me how far that has come in the period of time I’ve been here.

We know anecdotally that now parents are much more engaged with wanting to see their students go on to post-secondary training. That starts with kindergarten through Kickstart to Career and, of course, all the work with WE CAN! Newaygo County and the Promise Zone. All of that has been put into place in the last 10 years. There’s a different climate than there was and a different kind of talk on the street than there used to be.

What are your proudest accomplishments over the last 10 years?

I would say our staff team is one of the things I’m most proud of. We have a good group of people who work well together and who are smart. I’m very, very proud of the team that we have created and know that this team will continue to do good work in the future.

What will you miss about this work?

I’m going to miss all the people I work with every day. I’m going to miss sitting here watching the prairie go from season to season. It’s a very peaceful place to work.

I’m going to miss the sense of achievement, of doing big things. The work here is very much oriented to building the best community that can exist. The levers of education, economic development, and reducing poverty I know in my heart are the right levers for achieving the best possible economy, and that’s what improves the quality of life. That’s what makes it a good place to live—when everyone is doing well.

We’re not there yet because these are long-term things. Then, when you’ve got big waves of activity like we had with the multi-pronged crisis last year, it feels like it washes away everything you’ve done. I know it hasn’t, but it feels like that at first. You just keep going. It’s like the stock market: it goes up and down but over time it should have an upward trajectory. When you do social change work, it’s the same thing. There are going to be setbacks, but you’re looking for a long-term trajectory toward betterment. If you’re achieving that, then that’s what you want to do and that’s the most you can do.

What are some of the biggest things you’ve learned along the way?

I have learned so much in the last 10 years! My biggest personal growth and professional development has come from the staff. Everybody here has taught me something. Every single person has opened my eyes to a new way of seeing something about life. I appreciate all of them so much.

I also learned how to put together a theory of change. I can’t say I had deep experience with that before. It certainly took us a long time to shuffle the pieces and figure out how it would fit together in a way that would make sense, not only to us but to our grantees and to other people in the community. And I think we landed on it.

What are you looking forward to?

I’m looking forward to removing the clutter from my house. That’s what I want to do first. I actually want to simplify my life a bit.

I’ve been to every continent except Antarctica, and I would like to get the seventh continent in. That’s going to be hard, but can you imagine going down there and seeing penguins? Then I could say I’ve been to all seven continents in the world.

 What are some favorite memories of your time here?

There’s a rhythm and a cycle to life and to the activities that happen in the communities, and it makes me smile just talking about it. And the parades! The parades in small towns are just so wonderful. I get the biggest kick out of those big pieces of farm equipment they bring out for parades. I’m going to look back and smile about that.

I always enjoyed trustee meetings because our trustees are so involved with the Community Foundation. They’re so engaged. They give a lot, especially this last year when they’ve been doing the [president and CEO] search.

[This job] has been the capstone of my career. That’s what I said I wanted it to be in my first interview with the board. It has been an opportunity to bring what I gained through a career in nonprofit work and in philanthropy into this place and try different things to see what might create real change for people and make improvements in the community. I’m really happy about that. I feel like my career is complete.

After 17 months of virtual meetings, our Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) kicked off a new school year with a teambuilding retreat at Camp Henry on August 4.

Returning YAC members spent the morning getting reacquainted and taking part in activities that emphasized teamwork, communication skills, and facing challenges creatively. Together, YAC members navigated a group tightrope walk, obstacle courses, and rode on a giant swing. The half-day retreat served as the official start of a new school year of activities for the group.

“This year, I’m most looking forward to meeting new people,” said Iris Herrera, an incoming junior from Newaygo who will also serve as this year’s YAC secretary. “Now that I’m a part of YAC’s executive team, I’m learning more in depth about what we do. Every year is a little different, and I’m looking forward to learning.”

YAC students meet once a month from September to May to learn more about philanthropy, nonprofit organizations, leadership, grantmaking, and more. Each March, students review grant requests for programs that impact local youth and recommend funding. In 2021, $62,500 was awarded to programs offering mentoring opportunities, outdoor recreation, mental health resources, and more for Newaygo County youth.

This year, YAC students will also continue to evaluate the results of their most recent Newaygo County youth needs assessment, which included a survey of more than 900 local high school students.

YAC typically includes 24 members and is made up of a student from each grade at each Newaygo County public high school as well as the homeschool community. Bringing together students from different grades and school districts allows for a diversity of perspectives on the committee and gives members the chance to get to know peers from other schools and towns.

YAC is currently looking for incoming ninth graders with leadership potential to join the committee for the 2021-2022 school year. Students entering ninth grade this fall at a Newaygo County high school—or who live in Newaygo County and homeschool—are eligible to apply. Potential applicants should be willing to attend all meetings, participate in occasional community service activities, and be responsible students with a positive attitude.

For more information about YAC or to apply, visit facommunityfoundation.org/yac.

Fremont Area Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees has selected Shelly Kasprzycki as the organization’s new president and CEO, effective September 27, 2021. Kasprzycki will succeed Carla Roberts, who will retire at the end of September after 10 years with the Community Foundation.

Kasprzycki, a lifelong Michigan resident, comes to the Community Foundation after most recently serving as president and CEO of Michigan Humanities. Prior to this position, she was executive director of Greater Jackson Habitat for Humanity and president and CEO of Jackson Community Foundation. Her career in nonprofit executive leadership and philanthropy has spanned the last 20 years.

“We are thrilled to welcome Shelly to the Community Foundation,” said Joe Roberson, FACF board chair and chair of the search committee. “She brings extensive experience in collaborative leadership, community outreach and engagement, and nonprofit best practices. We look forward to the ways she will utilize her expertise and strategic leadership to guide the vision and goals of the Community Foundation forward.”

Kasprzycki was selected via an extensive nationwide search conducted by executive search firm Kittleman & Associates and coordinated by a local search committee made up of Community Foundation trustees and a cross section of community members.

“We built a candidate profile for this position with input from donors, grantees, staff, trustees, and the local community,” said Lori Tubbergen Clark, FACF trustee and search committee vice chair. “Shelly checks all the boxes and brings deep experience in nonprofit development and philanthropy in rural communities. The search committee is thrilled to welcome her to Newaygo County, and we know she will be an invaluable asset to our community.”

Kasprzycki began her career in public health at the Michigan Department of Community Health in Jackson County and later led the Nonprofit Network, a regional chapter of the American Red Cross, and the Jackson Community Foundation. In her position at Michigan Humanities, she worked with a 25-member board as well as many statewide and national partners, including those in the service area of Fremont Area Community Foundation and its affiliates. Under Kasprzycki’s leadership, Michigan Humanities doubled its assets and grantmaking.

“Working for an organization with a statewide reach has given Shelly a unique ability to connect the priorities of all kinds of communities and organizations,” said Roberson. “She’s a master of collaboration and relationship-building. We can’t wait to see the ways she will build on the great work of those that came before her and make our organization even more effective.”

As a nonprofit and community leader, Kasprzycki has been honored as Jackson College’s Martin Luther King Jr Medal of Honor recipient, Rotarian of the Year, and as the Eastern Michigan University College of Health and Human Services Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. She has volunteered for many organizations, including the Jackson Women’s History Council and the Jackson County Michigan Historical Society.

Born in a rural community herself, Kasprzycki grew up enjoying nature, riding horses, and participating in 4-H. She looks forward to her new position and relocation to Newaygo County.

“I’m delighted to be selected to serve as the next president of Fremont Area Community Foundation,” said Kasprzycki. “I’ve followed the work of the Community Foundation and its affiliates and am deeply impressed by the community commitment and strategic initiatives. I hope to continue the wonderful work and effective strategies already in place to improve the quality of life for all in our region.”