The Marshall Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Kelly Huber as its new Executive Director. Huber brings with her more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, including more than a decade of dedicated service at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona (CFSA), where she most recently held the position of vice president for philanthropy.
“I’m excited to bring that experience to the Marshall Foundation,” Huber said, noting that her career has included leadership on both sides of philanthropy: with grantmaking foundations as well as in nonprofits that rely on such grants. “Being in both of those roles has given me a deep understanding of the nonprofit sector, Huber said. “I know first-hand what it means to run a small, grassroots nonprofit without a lot of resources, and also what it means to connect with those organizations as a philanthropy.”
Greater Integration & Visibility for the Marshall Foundation
Huber said one of her goals for the Marshall Foundation is to make its longstanding work more visible and integrated in the communities it has long served. “I’d love to see the foundation be represented in all sorts of dialogues about education and other needs and really be seen as a cornerstone of
community support. I’d like people to better understand the amazing ways that this foundation has supported the University of Arizona and the larger Tucson and Southern Arizona community.”
In its 2024 giving, the foundation awarded more than $816,000 to 21 nonprofits and initiatives, including $289,000 to University of Arizona (U of A) programs, nearly $200,000 for childhood education and $335,000 to support wrap-around educational services. The Foundation also funds a variety of U of A student aid programs, including undergraduate and nursing scholarships and graduate fellowships. For the 2024–2025 academic year, this commitment totals $410,000. The grants and scholarships reflect the Marshall Foundation’s commitment to fostering equitable access to high-quality education and support services, continuing the philanthropic legacy of its founder, Louise Foucar Marshall.
Knowledge, Experience & Leadership
“We are delighted to welcome Kelly Huber as the new executive director of the Marshall Foundation,” stated Bruce Burke, the foundation’s president. “Kelly’s extensive experience and exceptional leadership in the nonprofit sector distinguished her among a highly qualified pool of candidates, making her the
perfect choice to drive our mission forward.”
Throughout her work at CFSA, Huber played a key role in building funder collaboratives and creating community partnerships for lasting impact. “Congratulations to the Marshall Foundation in naming Kelly Huber as your new executive director,” said Jenny Flynn, president and CEO of CFSA. “We will miss her so much, but I am thrilled that we will continue to benefit from Kelly’s extraordinary leadership, knowledge and relationships in the nonprofit community and her drive to create positive change. I can’t wait to work with Kelly in her new role.”
Continuing a Legacy
A third-generation Tucsonan and former educator from a family of educators, Huber said she feels a personal connection to Louise Foucar Marshall, founder of the Marshall Foundation. Born in 1864, Louise became the University of Arizona’s first full-time female professor. She had the foresight to acquire university-area real estate, which later became the foundation of her philanthropic endeavors.
“The fact that she was the first female professor at the U of A really resonates with me,” said Huber, a U of A alumnus. “But she was also an entrepreneur, a linguist, a scientist – all these things that were not typical for women at that time. She was a fearless, trailblazing philanthropist, and I’m excited for this chance to
honor and continue her legacy.”
With a focus on supporting educational access and success, Louise and her husband established the Marshall Foundation in 1930, making it Arizona’s first private foundation. To this day, the foundation’s philanthropy is funded by leases for the more than 60 businesses in Main Gate Square, immediately west of the University of Arizona main campus in Tucson.
“I think a lot of Tucsonans – even people who have been here their whole lives – don’t know that when they visit Main Gate Square to shop or have a meal, or when family and friends visiting from out of town stay at one of the two hotels there, they’re directly supporting the businesses whose leases fund our
philanthropy,” Huber said. “We want people to know that when they’re planning their weekend or a night out – dollars that they spend at Main Gate Square are also helping meet needs in our community.”
About Kelly Huber
Before joining CFSA, Huber served as public art coordinator for New Mexico Arts, the arts agency for the State of New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, and executive director at the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association. She holds a master of science in nonprofit, public and organizational management from the School for International Training, as well as a bachelor degree in environmental science and a bachelor degree in Spanish from the University of Arizona. Early in her career, she taught math and physics in public and charter schools.
Huber begins her new role as executive director of the Marshall Foundation on August 12, and said she looks forward to engaging with the community to build on the work of her predecessors: “I’m ready to listen, learn and collaborate to make the Marshall Foundation an even more integral part of our community’s future.”
About the Marshall Foundation & Main Gate Square
The Marshall Foundation, headquartered near the University of Arizona main campus in Tucson, was established in 1930 as a philanthropy to support education in Arizona. Its giving is funded by retail leases on commercial properties within Main Gate Square, real estate acquired over time by founder Louise Foucar Marshall beginning in 1903. Today, Main Gate Square is home to more than 60 shops, restaurants and entertainment venues, two full-service hotels, a free summer concert series and more, all within steps of the University of Arizona main gate at Park Ave. and University Blvd. Merchants validate night parking at the Tyndall Avenue Garage with any purchase. Learn more at marshallfoundation.com and maingatesquare.com.
