The Harvest Foundation on Wednesday announced the upcoming retirement of Sheryl Agee, Senior Operating Officer, who will step down from her role in February 2025. As part of this transition, the foundation also announced the promotion of Latala Hodges to Senior Communications and Operating Officer and Stacy Peters to Grants Manager.
Agee joined the foundation in February 2013 as Grants Administrator, moving to her current leadership role in September 2020. Over her tenure, Agee has been instrumental in shaping the foundation’s strategy, leading two highly successful strategic planning processes, and working closely with grantees to measure their outcomes. A passionate advocate for early childhood education in Martinsville and Henry County, she has been a key driver of positive change for local children and families.
“As a quiet leader, most people probably don’t know the impact Sheryl has had in our community and at Harvest,” said Kate Keller, president of The Harvest Foundation. “Sheryl led our health and early childhood initiatives which resulted in significantly increased capacity and efficiency in both systems because Sheryl thinks in terms of system change. As a senior leader at Harvest, Sheryl is a significant thought partner and is behind the scenes guiding our strategic plan. While I am very excited for her to start her next phase in life, she will be greatly missed but we will be benefiting from her leadership for years to come.”
Reflecting on her upcoming retirement, Agee said she feels a mix of emotions but is ready to move forward.
“Retirement is often bittersweet,” Agee said. “On one hand, it’s a time to enjoy more moments with family and the spaces in life that bring you joy. On the other, it’s hard to step away from the work that has been such a deep source of passion, knowing the impact it has on people’s lives.”
She added, “The key to retirement is maybe finding a balance between the two—continuing to make a difference where we can while cherishing the time spent with loved ones and pursuing what makes us truly happy. I’m looking forward to that challenge!”
In her new role as Senior Communications and Operating Officer, Hodges will combine her expertise in communications with operations oversight at the foundation. This expanded role includes responsibilities such as staff training, supporting and monitoring the foundation’s strategic plan, and evaluating internal processes for continuous improvement.
“With change, there is always opportunity and Harvest’s next opportunity is having Latala join the senior leadership team,” said Keller. “Latala’s years with Harvest have shown us that she is an engaged community leader who always brings optimism and pragmatism to a challenge. Her lens of the world will help guide Harvest into the future and shape how we do our work. I am really thrilled to have Latala step into this new role and allow more opportunities for her to use her experience and expand her influence.”
Hodges said, “I’m both excited and humbled to serve my community and the foundation in this new role. There’s much to learn in the months ahead, and I ask for a little grace as I navigate this new journey. The support from the staff has been tremendous, and working alongside them in this capacity makes me even more optimistic for the future.”
Along with these staff changes also comes the addition of a new position, Director of Evaluation and Policy. This staff member will help strengthen the Foundation’s impact by leading the organization’s evaluation and policy activities across all programs and administrative departments. Find out more at theharvestfoundation.org.
