A message from Catherine Carlile

 

To our beloved Looking Out Foundation Community,

It is with a great sense of pride and, in some ways, a bit of a heavy heart that I’m announcing my decision to step down from my role as Executive Director of the Looking Out Foundation. While this decision was extremely difficult to make, it also marks an exciting new chapter for both myself and the Foundation!

I have been fortunate enough to serve as the ED of LOF since 2012 and it’s been one of the greatest honours of my life.

We started out as a very small grassroots non-profit - working out of a 200 square foot log cabin in Washington State, focusing our efforts on environmental causes. But with the help and fierce determination of our supporters, LOF galvanised, amplified the voices of the marginalised and broadened our reach to the Arts, Community Development, Education, Health, Human Rights and the empowerment of women and LGBTQIA and BIPOC communities.

Driven by a community of powerful activists and fuelled by volunteers and the undeniable power of music, LOF has grown exponentially over the last 12 years. Incredibly, we have raised over $6 million to support social justice and humanitarian causes across the US and globally, and we achieved this while always staying true to our grassroots ethos. With an average donation of $35, we have proved beyond doubt that grassroots fundraising translates to soulful global impact!

Over the course of my 22 year career in the music industry and non-profit sector, I have carved out a role for myself that has allowed me to devote my time and work to the intersection of music and activism. But as I transition into an exciting new role in management for Brandi and the twins, I need someone to be as hands on and solely focused on delivering our promise to make music mean more moving forward.

For this reason I feel it is my duty to step aside from the daily operations of the Looking Out Foundation and allocate this role to a full time and dedicated Executive Director who can lead LOF into an inspiring new era.

It is my absolute pleasure to announce that Gloria Goeres will be stepping into this position, as she transitions from her previous role as the ED at Together Rising. I know many of you are familiar with Glennon, Amanda and Abby’s activism through this incredible organisation already. So as the sun sets on that wonderful foundation, it will rise for Looking Out in a profound way.

Brandi and I are truly inspired by Gloria’s wealth of experience and her passion and dedication as she prepares to lead LOF into this new chapter. I hope you will join me in welcoming Gloria to the LOF family!

As Chair of the Looking Out Foundation, I will work closely with Gloria and will remain deeply focused on the causes we care about, while continuing to inspire and lead our board with Brandi, Tim and Phil.

I want to reassure our donors and support base that I am profoundly committed to staying in community with the people we serve and that I will continue to uphold our values and guiding principles as a foundation.

I want to take this opportunity to thank my wonderful volunteers-turned colleagues Yvonne Murray, Jason Anderson and Kellye Serna. We are a small but formidable team!

I’d also like to thank Brandi, Tim and Phil for giving me the opportunity to take the reins on LOF. For their belief and trust that I would honour their legacy and the beautiful music they put out into the world, by helping those less fortunate than us.

But most of all, I want to thank each and every one of you for donating, volunteering and amplifying our campaigns and causes over the last 12 years. None of this would have been possible without you. You will never know how many people you have helped… and there is still so much more work to do together!

I truly believe that the greatest gift you can be given in this life is the ability to take care of others - it is an absolute privilege. And I hope we can continue to band together and look out for one another for many years to come!

With immense gratitude,

Catherine Carlile