Linda Staunch has been appointed chair of the statewide board of directors of the North Carolina Community Foundation (NCCF), according to Stuart B. Dorsett, immediate past chair.

Dorsett said Staunch is the right person for this key leadership position. “This is a critical role for the Foundation during a milestone period in the Foundation’s growth and development,” according to Dorsett, whose tenure as NCCF chair ended last month. He remains a member of the board.

Staunch is president and CEO of Linda Staunch & Associates, a public relations/marketing communications business based in New Bern. She is well-known for her television show, “Around Town…with Linda Staunch,” which appeared for 15 years on the FOX network in eastern North Carolina and on the local Craven County cable channel. She is a past president and charter member of the board of advisors of the Craven County Community Foundation, an affiliate of NCCF.

NCCF CEO and President Jennifer Tolle Whiteside said that the Foundation would benefit from Staunch’s professional stature as a public relations and marketing executive, her extensive experience on nonprofit boards both at the local and statewide levels and her knowledge of North Carolina’s communities. “We are extremely excited about Linda’s new role as board chair and what her extensive leadership experience will bring to NCCF,” she said.

Staunch has received numerous professional and community accolades, including the Richardson Preyer Alumni award from Leadership North Carolina, where she also served on the board. She was named one of the 2011 Women of Achievement by the NC Federation of Women’s Clubs.

Staunch’s board experience is extensive. Current board involvement includes the North Carolina Symphony and president of the symphony board in New Bern. She is an executive board member of the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center in Chapel Hill. A longtime Rotarian, she was the first female member and president of the New Bern Rotary Club, where she also is a Paul Harris Fellow. She is an advisory board member of the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores and serves on the board of the Twin Rivers YMCA in New Bern. Past board activity includes the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, the UNC School of the Arts, the New Bern Chamber, where she also served as chair, and former chair of the Craven County Tourism Development Authority.

A graduate of Peace College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Staunch also earned a master’s degree from East Carolina University. She lives in New Bern and has three adult daughters and four grandchildren. She attends First Presbyterian Church.

About the North Carolina Community Foundation

The NCCF is the single statewide community foundation serving North Carolina and has made nearly $89 million in grants since its inception in 1988. With more than $191 million in assets, NCCF sustains 1,200 endowments established to provide long-term support of a broad range of community needs, nonprofit organizations, institutions and scholarships. The NCCF partners with 60 affiliate foundations to provide local resource allocation and community assistance in 67 counties across the state. An important component of NCCF’s mission is to ensure that rural philanthropy has a voice at local, regional and national levels. For more information, visit nccommunityfoundation.org and Facebook or follow on LinkedIn and Twitter @NCCF.