Mae Humiston is Invest Appalachia’s Director of Grants and Operations. Born and based in Virginia, Mae is motivated by the fulfillment that comes from developing equitable, local wealth and enhancing the quality of life throughout Central Appalachia. Her commitment to operational excellence serves as the foundational bedrock of Invest Appalachia, ensuring accountable and transparent practices to provide clients and partners with the highest level of service.
Mae came to IA with extensive organizational development, data management, strategic planning, and grants management experience specific to our region. Now in her second year at Invest Appalachia, Mae’s systems-thinking approach ensures a focus on approachability and accessibility. Previously, Mae ran the Nonprofit Support Services program at the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky, providing practitioners in Eastern Kentucky with critical strategic planning and grant writing capacity.
As the founding Director of Redbud Financial Alternatives, Mae assumed leadership of the first rural Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) in the nation that was specifically aimed at fair consumer finance and credit improvement. She effectively managed both the startup phase and subsequent growth of Redbud in Eastern Kentucky. Mae is passionate about enhancing community empowerment and self-determination through the development of assets that are locally owned and controlled.
Mae earned a B.A. in Anthropology from Tufts University, which propelled her into an Appalachian Transition fellowship and her work with Community Farm Alliance. Through CFA, she helped institute remote community organizing systems and fostered the creation of Northfork Local Food, a community-based food network initiative. She serves on the board of Human Economic Appalachian Development (HEAD). In her free time, Mae enjoys gardening, puzzles, hiking, and quality time with her cat, Jiji.
“My passion is to give communities the tools they need to own and control their assets. This way, we can create more equitable wealth and enhance the quality of life in Central Appalachia.”
