Brunswick, GA - As the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation (CCGF) celebrates 20 years of connecting philanthropy with purpose, the organization is preparing for a significant leadership transition. Board Chair Hillary Stringfellow will conclude her service at the end of 2025, passing the gavel to longtime board member Jeff Barker in January 2026.
Originally appointed for a two-year term, Stringfellow’s leadership was extended to four years to provide stability during the Foundation’s executive transition. In 2023, she helped guide the successful hiring of President & CEO Keeva Kase, a St. Simons Island native.
“I wanted Keeva to feel a sense of stability at the Foundation as he resettled his family and stepped into the role,” Stringfellow said. “The Foundation is more than a financial institution—it’s a connector of people and purpose, a catalyst for long-term change.”
During Stringfellow’s tenure, the Foundation expanded its fundholder base, launched the Under One Roof housing initiative, and renamed its community grants program in honor of the late Bernard McCloud.
“Hillary’s leadership has helped us maintain our mission while making it deeply personal,” said Barker, who has served on the board since its inception and has been instrumental in strengthening fundholder relationships in Camden County.
Beyond her board role, Stringfellow is a partner at Gilbert Harrell Sumerford & Martin and widely regarded as one of Georgia’s foremost experts in estate and trust law. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia and magna cum laude graduate of its law school, she is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and past chair of the Fiduciary Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia. Her civic leadership has included service with the College of Coastal Georgia Foundation, St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, the Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Georgia, and the Coastal Georgia Historical Society.
“This has always been a team effort,” she said. “The staff, the fundholders, the nonprofits, and the broader community—none of this happens without all of us working together.”
Incoming Chair Jeff Barker brings decades of philanthropic and nonprofit leadership to the role. He serves as CEO of the St. Marys Methodist Church Foundation, where he oversaw transformative community investments and launched major initiatives. As a founding board member of CCGF, Barker has been a driving force in expanding philanthropy throughout Camden County and across the region.
“Philanthropy is evolving, but our core values remain the same—we connect people who care with causes that matter,” Barker said.
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Founded in 2005, the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation connects donors with causes that matter across Camden, Glynn, and McIntosh counties. With more than $55 million in assets under management and over 130 funds, the Foundation has distributed nearly $50 million in grants to nonprofits, driving lasting impact and building a stronger coastal Georgia.