Feed the Children Adds Two Executive Positions as Nonprofit Looks to Continue Growth

Jefferson, Ridenhour bring decades of nonprofit, strategic growth experience to new positions

OKLAHOMA CITY, July 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Feed the Children, a leading nonprofit focused on alleviating childhood hunger, is continuing its forward momentum into its next generation of growth and development with the promotion of Bregeita "Bre" Jefferson to President of FEED International as well as the addition of Colleen Finn Ridenhour as its new Chief Growth and Strategy Officer (CGSO).

These additions will allow Feed the Children to build awareness of the organization's valuable role in the Non-Government Organization (NGO) sector as well as continue to provide food and resources for children and their families around the globe.

In her new role, Jefferson will chart the path forward for the organization's international work while guiding and empowering the global team to develop the new business and delivery models required for success. She will bring a strategic focus to the organization, strengthen the broad network of partners and ensure all activities and programs meet the highest standards of quality, ethics, and integrity. She will enable FEED International to increase its capacity, effectiveness, and operational excellence while remaining tenacious about results and execution.

"Building on her successes to date, I am confident Bre will ensure FEED International is viewed as a bold, cutting-edge organization with a passion to help and the ability to deliver and grow impact," said Travis Arnold, President and CEO for Feed the Children, Inc.

Jefferson has served as Feed the Children's Chief International Operations, Finance and Compliance Officer since 2020. She has more than 20 years' experience serving and helping marginalized communities around the globe. Her work has been recognized by USAID, the State Department, the Center for Disease Control and the United Kingdom's Department for International Development.

She received a bachelor of science degree from Antioch University Seattle. She also attended the Executive Leadership/Executive Management Program and the Business Intelligence/Decision-Making Program at the University of Washington, Foster School of Business. Jefferson was the first non-scientific staff person to be awarded the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's prestigious Wyckoff award.

Ridenhour will lead the organization's strategic plan that will advance its mission, growth strategy and impact.  She will bring together strategically driven marketing, branding and fundraising programs and is charged with leading U.S. program development and implementation, ensuring the organization's increased contribution to reducing childhood hunger. Feed the Children created the new CGSO leadership position with the goal of nurturing, cultivating, and expanding an effective community of donors and partners that support its mission and effectively demonstrate the charity's impact.

"After a nearly seven-month global search, I am thrilled to welcome Colleen to our organization," Arnold said. "She is an exceptional leader who has the depth and breadth of experience needed, as well as the expertise required to lead our transformational evolution. With her leadership, we will build a bold strategy that further enables us to reach even more children and families."

Prior to Feed the Children, she served as Chief Development Officer at Habitat for Humanity International, overseeing fundraising and key organizational strategic initiatives. Ridenhour managed corporate and philanthropic partnerships in the entertainment sector, serving as Vice President, Branded Entertainment and Strategic Alliances at E! Entertainment Television and the Style Network. She subsequently held leadership roles at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer and Research Center in Los Angeles and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis.

Ridenhour earned a bachelor of science degree from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

At Feed the Children, we feed hungry kids. We envision a world where no child goes to bed hungry. In the U.S. and internationally, we are dedicated to helping families and communities achieve stable lives and to reducing the need for help tomorrow, while providing food and resources to help them today. We distribute product donations from corporate donors to local community partners, we provide support for teachers and students, and we mobilize resources quickly to aid recovery efforts when natural disasters strike. Internationally, we manage child-focused community development programs in eight countries. We welcome partnerships because we know our work would not be possible without collaborative relationships.

Visit feedthechildren.org for more information.

SOURCE Feed the Children