New president for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast

VENICE — Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast announced its new president and CEO following a national search, it announced.

Its Board of Directors stated that Kamala Martinez as the new leader for the nonprofit.

“Our search process was inclusive, strategic, exhaustive and thorough,” Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast Search Committee Chair Randall Woods stated in the news release. “We are grateful to Joy Mahler for her amazing work as the longstanding CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast.”

Woods said Mahler’s “exceptional work” for more than 40 years “built an incredible foundation.” She propelled the agency to new and great heights, he said.

“As Joy transitions, we have the responsibility to appoint another great executive with the passion to further our mission,” Woods stated. “Kamala is a well-seasoned leader in corporate and nonprofit settings. We are thrilled to have her at the helm.”

Martinez was called “an accomplished philanthropy executive” in the news release.

It noted she has “proven track record of integrating philanthropic efforts with corporate strategy, particularly within Fortune 500 companies.”

Most recently, she was vice president of Development for the United Way of South Sarasota and previously was CEO of a United Way agency near Chicago. She had leadship roles at KidsMatter and RR Donnelley, the news release noted.

“She successfully introduced an inclusive grant process and secured sizeable funding in just six months,” while at United Way of South Sarasota, the news release stated. In Will County, Illinois, “Kamala led groundbreaking initiatives that resulted in a 68.1% increase in total impact giving and the creation of a crisis line that now serves more than 700,000 residents.”

She received her college degree from The University of Iowa.

“I am deeply honored that the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast Board of Directors has entrusted me to lead the organization into its next phase of growth,” Martinez stated in the news release. “I look forward to engaging more Bigs to have meaningful relationships that empower and positively impact more Littles.”

Finding a leader after Mahler was “no small task,” Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast Board Chair Michael Nachef stated, calling Mahler “an iconic, beloved, and well-respected CEO.”

Nachef called Martinez “a leader with the depth of experience our Agency needs.”

“We are truly grateful to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast Search Committee, the Board of Directors, stakeholders, the Executive Leadership Team, donors, and our community partners who assisted in this effort,” he stated. “The result is exciting.”