The St. Johns County Education Foundation, which operates as Investing in Kids (INK!), has announced that Executive Director Donna Lueders will retire on Aug. 31. The newly named executive director will be Cathy Newman, who has served as the organization’s community and district relations achievement director since 2021. Lueders will remain with the nonprofit for approximately six months after her retirement date as a consultant.
Lueders has led INK! as executive director since 2006. Over that time, she helped raise millions of dollars for the 501(c)(3) corporation and establish sustaining relationships with donors, partners, sponsors and supporters while providing the community with an opportunity for creative programs benefiting students and educators throughout the St. Johns County School District.
As a result of Lueders’s fundraising efforts, INK! has been able to support the St. Johns County School District by funding programs with a deep impact on student and teacher success where there is a gap in public funding.
Prior to joining INK! and for more than 20 years, Lueders served as a victim’s advocate for St. Johns County and the State of Florida Attorney's Office, 7th Judicial Circuit. She serves in a variety of volunteer capacities with civic and business organizations throughout Northeast Florida.
Lueders holds a Bachelor of Science degree in public administration from Flagler College. She and her husband Loran Lueders, former police chief for the City of St. Augustine, have resided locally for more than 40 years.
Newman was selected following an extensive search and will begin her new role on Sept. 1. She will oversee the foundation’s community initiatives and staff activities, along with fundraising, innovative educational programs, classroom resources and teacher support for St. Johns County public schools. She will maintain and build relationships with key stakeholders and contributors to the organization.
Newman was previously the economic development manager for St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce and served as an executive management professional and director for nonprofit and for-profit businesses in real estate, law and marketing.
She holds a B.A. degree in international relations and government with academic and athletic honors from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. She also holds a graduate certificate in strategic communications from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, and has completed graduate coursework in business management at Florida State University’s College of Business in Tallahassee.
“I am honored and humbled to be recognized by Donna, our board of directors and advisers to manage the meaningful and extraordinary work that INK! does and that has been supported by a team of caring and dedicated professionals,” Newman said. “Over the last 17 years, Donna has grown INK!’s impact tremendously throughout St. Johns County and the St. Johns County School District. I am excited to continue the work Donna started and look forward to working closely with our board of directors, INK! staff, school district administrators, donors, supporters and educators to help our students achieve success.”
