Brittany Knight Steps Down as Executive Director After Seven Years

The Joyce Ivy Foundation announced today that Brittany Knight is stepping down as Executive Director after seven years in the role.

As Executive Director, Knight led substantial growth by innovating new programs that simultaneously supported the Foundation’s mission of uplifting the next generation of female leaders while increasing its financial resources.

“All aspects of Joyce Ivy’s operations have flourished under Brittany’s leadership,” said Mike Pritula, Co-Founder and former Board Chair of the Joyce Ivy Foundation. “Her energy and commitment to our mission inspired our entire community, most notably our scholarship recipients, every day.”

Knight  created new programs to deepen Joyce Ivy’s impact along a Scholar’s personal and professional trajectory. She launched the Joyce Ivy College Admissions Workshop (JCAW) and Summer Mentorship Series to provide Scholars access to critical information before college. Her innovative approach to creating the Associate Board of Directors and Summer Internship Program extended leadership offerings for alumnae while building bridges with the broader Midwestern community.

During Knight’s tenure, fundraising grew by 30% and the size of the endowment tripled. Two new endowed scholarships were launched, and she created strategies to build the donor and fundraising pipeline. Knight tripled the number of annual donors, articulating Joyce Ivy’s mission with warmth and positivity. 

Growth in resources allowed the Foundation to expand the number of Scholars and geographies served under Knight’s leadership. She led the Foundation through the pandemic and notably increased the Scholar cohort size to 92 young women in 2020. Knight secured an endowed gift in 2023 which allowed the Foundation to expand its service area to include Indiana. 

Knight elevated the reputation of Joyce Ivy within the higher education community and added new summer program partners including Berkeley, Georgetown, Dartmouth, Northwestern, and Spelman. She also cultivated and stewarded partnerships with educational organizations including the University Prep Schools in Detroit, Minds Matter, and Morehead-Cain. 

“It has been a privilege to lead the Joyce Ivy Foundation and to engage in such meaningful work,” said Brittany Knight. “I am proud of the growth we have achieved together, particularly creating new programs to support more young women in more places as they elevate their college and career aspirations.”  

Knight’s background in college admissions and access powered her success. She is a graduate of Middlebury College and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and she began her career in education in Middlebury’s Admissions Office. While in graduate school, Knight directed the Joyce Ivy College Admissions Symposium. She then led the recruitment, selection, and matriculation of traditionally underrepresented student populations at Lafayette College before joining the Foundation in 2018 as Executive Director. In 2021, she was honored as a University of Chicago Outstanding Educator for her work to empower and support young women in the college application process. 

Knight will continue to advise the organization in the year ahead. Going forward, the Foundation will be led by Michelle Rosynsky, who joined the organization in late May.