Kathleen Stress

Kathleen has worked in the not-for-profit field her entire career and has always been driven by a mission of an organization. Feeding New York allows her to make a lasting impact statewide.

Prior to food banking, Kathleen was child development advocate. Blending her passion, she moved to Food Bank of Central New York in 2007, ensuring that no child goes hungry as well as providing nutritious food to all in need.  Stress assumed the role of Executive Director in July 2013, working to increase food security for 11 counties of Central New York. She served in that leadership role for 7 years, growing programs and shifting toward ‘one message, many faces’ mantra ensuring all staff had the opportunity to elevate the work.

Not knowing the pandemic was on the horizon, in January 2020 Kathleen left Food Bank of CNY to lead Onondaga Community College Foundation. As the pandemic grew so did the need for Kathleen to rejoin the foodbanking cause. Luck would have it that FNYS needed someone to write grants and manage strategic initiatives. Today, Kathleen, as Feeding New York State’s Research Director, is working with members to collectively design initiatives and support programs through grants and fundraising.

Kathleen is a graduate of Leadership Greater Syracuse and holds a master’s degree in public administration from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University. Married to her soulmate for 27 years, Marc Stress, owner of a brand communication firm, 76 West.  The couple has one awesome son.

When Kathleen is not focused on feeding the hungry, she is working to place dogs into safe homes through a foster to adoption rescue. As the owner of three dogs Kathleen values the importance of animals in the home.