Kathy A. Whelpley
Chief of Staff
Executive Committee
Kathy joined Oceana because she was inspired by the mission and impact of the organization. As someone who grew up two miles from the Jersey Shore, she swam almost every summer day of her childhood and spent countless hours on her dad’s fishing boat. Being a part of Oceana’s leadership team is the opportunity to connect personal passions with professional experiences.
As Chief of Staff, Kathy supports the CEO in all aspects of Oceana’s operations: board governance, executive and financial management, strategic planning and assessment, communications, and fundraising. Kathy has extensive experience in organizational leadership and philanthropy, holding senior positions in the National Center for Family Philanthropy, the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, and the Freddie Mac Foundation. While at the Community Foundation, she was honored to lead the Foundation’s response to 9-11, developing and managing the $25 million Survivors’ Fund, the largest fund in the country dedicated to the survivors of the attack on the Pentagon.
Kathy is a graduate of James Madison University and also hold a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland. She is a member of the Leadership Washington Class of 2000 and have been actively engaged in the local philanthropic community for two decades, serving as a board member and Vice Chair of Washington Grantmakers, a board member and Chair of the Washington AIDS Partnership, a board member and Treasurer of Street Sense, a board member of Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Health as well as the Culmore Clinic, and a volunteer with numerous local and international nonprofits.
Location: United States
