Kate Ritter Repen

Kate has served as the Executive Director of her family’s foundation since 2018, when the foundation Board decided to professionalize the foundation because the founders wanted to see all assets invested during their lifetimes. Located in Connecticut, the Ritter Family Foundation is a place-based grantmaking foundation that invests in and partners with organizations and initiatives that are working to achieve equitable outcomes for children in under-resourced communities- primarily in Norwalk and Bridgeport, CT. Although RFF’s investments span the cradle to career continuum, the Foundation has a special interest in early childhood and is a member of the CT Early Childhood Funders Collaborative. In addition to managing all aspects of the Foundation’s grantmaking and operations as a staff of one, Kate spends much of her time trying to influence peer funders to adopt trust-based philanthropic practices and particularly enjoys seeking opportunities for collaborative funding.

Kate has 15+ years of nonprofit development and management experience, holds a BA in Human Biology with a specialization in Genetics and Ethics from Stanford University, and serves on the Boards of multiple nonprofits in CT.