Campbell & Company Recruits CEO for Community Foundation of Bartholomew County
June 19, 2025 – Sarah Beraki and Angèle Bubna of Campbell & Company have helped to recruit Edie Blakeslee as president and CEO of the Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County. She succeeds Tracy Souza, who is retiring July 15 after 14 years. Following a national CEO search led by Campbell & Company, with participation by Heritage Fund board members and several community leaders to help identify excellent candidates, the board unanimously approved Ms. Blakeslee’s appointment effective Monday, June 16.
“Edie’s deep experience in operating a community foundation, collaborating to solve complicated issues, developing staff and her intense desire to include all members of our community in the work that we do elevated her as a top candidate,” said Lori Thompson, Heritage Fund board and selection committee chair.
“Edie joins a relatively short list of Heritage Fund CEOs as the foundation enters its 50th year of service to Bartholomew County,” said Ms. Souza. “She brings a fantastic opportunity for HFBC to learn about another community foundation. Community foundations do similar things, but each does them in a way that reflects the uniqueness of their community.”
Ms. Blakeslee brings more than 20 years of experience in grantmaking, community engagement and fundraising to Heritage Fund where she is eager to return to community foundation leadership following her most recent position as vice president of grantmaking and community leadership at the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina (CCF) and consultancy work. She held a number of positions during her tenure at CCF, starting in a support position, then advancing to officer, then director before moving into the vice president role for her final six years at the community foundation. She advanced trust-based philanthropy, donor stewardship and partnership across the nine-county region it serves. CCF holds $450 million in assets and awards $20 million in grants annually in its work to create communities rich in equity, opportunity and well-being.
Ms. Blakeslee was drawn to Heritage Fund’s community-focused mission and Midwest setting and is excited to amplify the foundation’s impact. “Heritage Fund’s history is impressive in its reach and service to Bartholomew County,” she said. “It’s a strong foundation, with assets of $111 million, and I look forward to cultivating deep relationships, focusing on Bartholomew County, and growing the foundation.”
In her new position, Ms. Blakeslee has full oversight of the organization, including but not limited to programming, personnel, fundraising, marketing, community outreach, partnerships, and general administration. She is responsible for leading its strategic direction, operational management, and community impact.
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Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County is a trusted, forward-thinking organization dedicated to building, investing, and distributing assets for the long-term benefit of Bartholomew County, Indiana. Since its establishment in 1976, Heritage Fund has served as a catalyst for impactful philanthropy, connecting donors with causes they care about while leveraging Heritage Funds assets and leadership, working collaboratively, to address the community’s evolving needs.
Serving Non-Profits
With offices around the country, Campbell & Company offers counsel in advancement planning, fundraising, marketing communications, and executive search for non-profit organizations in the education, health and medicine, arts and culture, environment, social service, and professional society fields.
Ms. Beraki serves as vice president, executive search at Campbell & Company. She has led organizations and individuals in boosting performance by leveraging technology, innovation, and human-centered design to ensure client’s needs are met and that growth is sustainable. Ms. Beraki has worked with leaders and organizations across the country, and her background spans organizational development, sustainability, intercultural development, leadership, DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility), and more.
Ms. McFeely serves as managing director with the firm. She conducts senior level searches across a variety of sectors within non-profit, including independent schools, social service concerns, healthcare businesses, associations and environmental organizations. For more than 22 years, Ms. McFeely has worked with the search firm’s recruitment team to find individuals who can make an impact on an organization’s mission. To date, she has partnered with over 250 clients.
Ms. Bubna, consultant, contributes to the Campbell & Company’s executive search team’s work through executing targeted research, networking and sourcing, and implementing strategies to match an organization with senior talent.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
