In the last two weeks, we have discussed on this blog lots of new changes happening at Angel Foundation. Perhaps one of the most exciting changes for those of us here at Angel Foundation headquarters has been the announcement of a new Executive Director!

Our Board of Directors voted unanimously to name Marsha Lietz (who was our Interim Executive Director, and previously a Board Member herself) to the position of Executive Director. You can read the full press release below this entry.

Marsha’s energy and drive is obvious to anyone who has worked with her. She is a major asset for our organization, and we are excited to share this enthusiasm with you!

A little more about Marsha(that you won’t learn from a press release!):

She grew up: In Oklahoma City, and still goes back frequently to visit her mom and dad (who are 91 and 92!) and other family members who live there.

Her favorite food: Potato Chips

Little-known fact: Marsha is a pheasant hunter.

Favorite moment from an Angel Foundation event: When Jay, a 10-year-old who originally didn’t want to stay at Kids Kamp, told her that Kamp should be five days next year because three just wasn’t long enough.

Full Press Release:
Twin Cities-based Angel Foundation named Marsha Lietz to the position of Executive Director at its Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday, August 11th. The organization also appointed five new members to its Board of Directors.

“The dedication and corporate expertise Marsha has brought to Angel Foundation over the last four months as Interim Executive Director has been tremendous for this organization, and has clearly demonstrated her leadership capability.” said Margie Sborov, the Founder and current Board President of the organization. During the past two years, Lietz also served as Board Secretary for the organization.

Lietz brings to her position more than two decades of corporate executive experience, as well as extensive work on various non-profit boards. Previously, she spent 10 years as an Executive Coach, leveraging her former experience as Senior Vice President at US Bancorp and at Citibank, to work with key executives of both public and private firms. She has also served on several boards for other Twin Cities non-profit organizations, including The Institute for New Americans, and Episcopal Community Services.

“I believe in the purity of the mission,” Lietz explains, “Angel Foundation’s mission is easy to understand, it is easy to communicate and it is easy to share a passion around this work.” Lietz’s priority will be in bringing strategic focus for managed growth of the organization, which is positioned to reach $3 million in annual revenue by 2012. “We have a wonderfully golden opportunity” Lietz says, “We are blessed with potential partnerships, and new avenues that have been previously unexplored for growth. I truly believe this goal is doable”.

Angel Foundation’s new Board members include: Terese Radford, Vice President at M & I Bank, Jim Platt, Managing Partner at Fredrickson & Byron law firm, Jeff Schackor, Healthcare Consultant with Healthlink Minnesota, Dr. Stuart Bloom, Oncologist with MN Oncology, and Dr. Gauri Nagargoje, Oncologist with MN Oncology.

Angel Foundation is a 501(c) non-profit organization founded in 2001 by Margie Sborov, a longtime patient advocate who recognized the need for “an army of angels” to provide emotional, educational, and financial assistance to patients and their families facing cancer. Since that time, Angel Foundation has distributed over $1.3 million dollars in financial aid to families. Free year-round programs geared towards children, teens and parents have brought hope and encouragement into the lives of people affected by a cancer diagnosis in the family. Angel Foundation is supported by corporate sponsorships, private grants, in-kind donations, and many generous individual donors.