Laurel Randi

Laurel joined the McCune Foundation in 2006, first as a Program Officer.  In October 2016, she became the Foundation’s third Executive Director since its inception in 1979.  Previously as Program Director, Ms. Randi worked closely with the former Executive Director to craft the Foundation’s strategy to sunset the Foundation by October 2029. Over the next 12 years, the Foundation will expend the entirety of its assets, valued at $322 million as of December 2016. The Sunset Strategy is dramatically changing the work of the Foundation. For more information, please visit the Foundation’s website at www.mccune.org.

The Foundation’s mission is to support non-profit organizations that advance the quality of life for the people of southwestern Pennsylvania by fostering community vitality and economic growth to improve the region for current and future generations.  This mission is accomplished through grantmaking in four program areas: education, health and human services, humanities, and civic affairs (including, but not limited to, community and economic development).

Ms. Randi manages a staff of five, and works closely with the Foundation’s seven-member Distribution Committee, four of whom are descendants of Charles McCune’s younger brother John.  Ms. Randi also shares grantmaking responsibilities across the Foundation’s four program areas with particular concentrations in community and economic development, higher education, and human services.

As part of her duties at the Foundation, Laurel sits on the boards of Neighborhood Allies, Pittsburgh Urban Initiative, and the Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania.

Laurel knows the Pittsburgh community well from both her educational and professional experience, as well as her civic volunteer activities.  For close to ten years, she worked at The Pittsburgh Project, a neighborhood-based Northside nonprofit organization that provides youth development programs, community arts initiatives, urban agriculture and education, free home repairs for seniors, and service learning experiences for local and national youth.  Prior to that, she worked for Carnegie Mellon in the Dean’s Office of Student Affairs.

Laurel received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh in Business and Public Policy, and her master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz College in Public Policy and Management.  Additionally, she is a 2003 graduate of the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs.

Laurel is a native of Los Angeles and moved to Pittsburgh in 1992.  She and her family live in Highland Park.