Karen is originally from Pittsburgh, PA but has called Holly Springs, NC home for the past 25 years. She received her Bachelors of Science degree in Marketing and Decision Sciences from Miami University of Ohio. She also completed her MBA at the University of Pittsburgh. For 23 years, Karen held a variety of sales, marketing and leadership positions at Merck & Co. After leaving Merck to spend more time with her family, she shifted her energies to giving back to the community. Karen led the Family Association Board at Cardinal Gibbons High School for 2 years and has volunteered with several Raleigh based nonprofit organizations before discovering her true JOY at Designed For Joy! Karen also volunteers with the national Colorectal Cancer Alliance, an organization near & dear to her post her colon cancer diagnosis & treatment in 2020/2021. She enjoys spending time with her husband Brian, a small business owner in Apex, her two adult sons, Kevin and Craig, as well as their 14 year old dog Freddie. She values time with friends and planning new adventures. She loves traveling, especially to the beach and new places, as well as cooking, working out, playing Pickleball (a new to her sport) and the Carolina Hurricanes!

Kendra McAdory is a highly accomplished non-profit executive with over two decades of leadership experience, specializing in strategic fundraising, team development, and cross-functional collaboration. She has held senior positions with renowned organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association, where she led a team of consultants to exceed an $84 million campaign goal, and the American Diabetes Association, where her leadership drove over $45 million in signature campaign revenue. Kendra’s expertise spans a broad range of non-profit operations, from reimagining large-scale fundraising events to managing national and local initiatives. Her ability to develop and execute strategic plans, coach teams, and foster corporate partnerships has led to transformative revenue growth and enhanced community engagement across the organizations she has served. Kendra is also a skilled event planner and consultant, with a strong track record of training volunteers and staff to ensure the success of various campaigns and events. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Cincinnati and has completed certifications in Consultative Sales and Leadership Development. In addition to her professional achievements, Kendra is deeply committed to volunteerism and community service. She was a board member of the Street Hope Foundation, and a member of Junior League of Raleigh. Currently, Kendra serves on the Membership and Publicity committees of Raleigh-Wake Jack and Jill, on the PTAA at Cary Academy, and as a Youth Group leader for 11th and 12th grade girls at Newhope Church. Kendra’s passion for building strong relationships, empowering teams, and driving mission- focused growth makes her an asset to any organization.

Rebecca S. Ayers, PhD Rebecca has enjoyed the peak of good living in Apex for the last 18 years. She moved to Apex with her husband Chris after finishing graduate school. In her day job, Rebecca serves as the HR Strategy Program Manager for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. HR Strategy provides federal agencies consulting services across a broad range of strategic human capital areas and OPM's software-as-a-service performance management system, USA Performance®. Rebecca has facilitated and worked with both public and nonprofit organizations to identify organizational goals, develop strategic plans, and implement performance management systems. She is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Raleigh after 10 years of active membership, serving in a variety of volunteer positions from team member to president. Rebecca and Chris have been active in Hope Community Church as small group leaders and through Global Hope India, leading short term mission trips to India. All her volunteer and nonprofit work center around helping women and children. For fun she enjoys running and playing soccer and traveling the world with her favorite travel partner, Chris.

Kim was born and raised in Huntington Beach, California. In 1999 she took a leap of faith and moved to North Carolina, calling Holly Springs home, ever since. After high school, Kim went on to earn her license as an (RDA) Registered Dental Assistant and continues her career within the oral health industry today. After years of working within private dental practices, she has spent the past 10 years at Blue Cross NC where she is a Principal Program Manager. Over the years Kim has looked for ways to give back to the community. As a volunteer she has thrived at being a fundraiser, event planner, and overall champion for each cause she supports. In 2017 Kim traveled to Belize with The Vine Effect to support women in need. While the experience in Belize was beyond meaningful, Kim felt she was being led to give back locally. That mission trip led her to Designed for Joy. Kim's passion for DFJ shines through as she spreads the word about the artisans, the products they create and the JOY she finds in being a part of such an impactful organization. Kim and her husband Michael have an amazing, blended family with four kids. With children ranging from 13-30, they stay busy. When Kim is not riding along with her husband and their youngest at the golf course, she loves gardening (overall plant lover) and planning her next DFJ porch party! 

Barbara is an executive with over 15 years of experience leading operations. She has led multiple international engagements in the Middle East and Africa with the UN and Oxfam International. Barbara's international experience is paired with business acumen gained while working in the private sector for financial firms like JP Morgan Chase and BKF Asset Management. She has also worked in academia for universities like New York University, Duhok University, and The New School. As the current Chief People & Operating Officer at TechBridge, a technology nonprofit, she leads human resource management, marketing, and communications, programs, finance, legal, and compliance. Barbara holds a Masters in Public Administration from New York University and Bachelors of Arts from Hobart & William Smith Colleges. She is trilingual, enjoys cycling, brewing beer and is an avid traveler, having visited over 30 countries. Barbara is a member of Elevation Durham and currently lives with her husband and two children in Durham, N.C.

Sara has been in the banking industry for over five years and serves as a Private Banker in the Raleigh area. She has a primary focus of serving the banking needs of law firms, title companies and large non-profit institutions, but enjoys working with other professional firms as well. Prior to her banking career, Sara enjoyed a 30-year career in the title insurance industry, serving the legal communities in both North Carolina and Georgia. She uses that career experience to serve the banking needs of the legal and title communities in a uniquely educated way. In addition, she has significant experience with FDIC protected investment products through her support of large non- profit organizations. Sara works closely with her team to serve her members with a sense of urgency and professionalism. Outside of work, she dedicates her time to her family, as well as serving at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral and supporting community organizations such as SAFEchild, The NC Bar Association, Wake County Real Property Lawyers Association, The NC Land Title Association and the NC Association of Women Attorneys. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Sara currently resides in Raleigh, North Carolina.