Meet Kate
by Wren Team on Dec 13, 2019
Our nest is getting bigger! Meet WREN’s newest staff member and Director of Development, Kate Mayer.
Where are you from? I was born and raised in Greenville, SC and bounced around the Upstate after graduating from South Carolina. I finally landed back in Columbia about three and a half years ago.
What did you do before WREN? I’ve spent my entire career—the past 10 years—in nonprofit development and I can’t imagine doing anything else! Most recently, I served as Senior Major Gift Officer at Lexington Medical Center Foundation for over three years. Prior to Lex Med, I held development positions at Blue Tent, an organization providing enrichment opportunities to children living in foster care, and Habitat for Humanity.
What drove you to get involved in this cause? I’ve been in the very fortunate position to use past employment as an opportunity to expose myself to the struggles facing women in my community and help move the needle even the tiniest bit. At Habitat for Humanity, I saw hardworking, single mothers who continued fighting and clawing to provide for their children after traditional financial institutions insulted them or victimized them. At Blue Tent, I heard stories of young girls living through horrific abuse and then being expected to function as if that trauma never happened. At Lexington Medical Center Foundation, I served patients who missed critical OB check-ups because they didn’t have transportation to the doctor’s office. WREN’s mission gives me the opportunity to support real, desperately-needed change that will positively impact all of these women I’ve encountered the last 10 years who deserve so much better.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time? If I’m not at work, I’m usually at home romping around with my Australian Shepherd/Cattle Dog mix, Tallulah, binging true crime podcasts while rearranging my furniture, or impulse buying on Amazon Prime thanks to the glass of Cabernet in my hand.
If you could meet one person from any period of time, who would it be? This is a tough one. There are so many historical figures I admire for their bravery and generosity but there’s one woman who’s top of mind after recently listening to Ronan Farrow’s podcast about the Harvey Weinstein case (told you I’m obsessed with true crime!) Ambra Gutierrez is a Filipina-Italian, former Miss Italy who was the first to blow the top off Weinstein’s chronic, egregious behavior. She bravely wore a wire to record Weinstein admitting to the sexual assault he committed against her, outsmarted the nondisclosure agreement he threatened her into signing, and provided undeniable proof through her recording when the public and police refused to believe Weinstein’s other accusers. Her dedication to the truth while fighting against a man who had the power to completely destroy her is truly something to be admired and I’d love to have the chance to tell her so!
What is one mantra that you live by? “We rise by lifting others” aka the OG version of “real queens fix each other’s crowns.”
What’s one thing you’re excited about that’s coming up in 2020? I’m so, so excited to make meaningful contributions to support WREN’s efforts in our community and beyond while also snuggin’ with my pup, seeing a bit more of the world, and following the wise old question, WWBD—“what would Beyonce do?”