Emily Bean has been with Burton D. Morgan Foundation since 2014. She has been in the philanthropic sector since 2010, first at Akron Community Foundation and then Morgan Foundation. She is passionate about developing strategic initiatives that advance the educational field and build entrepreneurial skills. In 2022, she spearheaded the design of the YIPPEE initiative as a way to promote equity in grantmaking and integrate community into classrooms. Through this platform, educators direct philanthropic dollars through the use of points; students receive more hands-on learning opportunities from experts; and educational providers receive streamlined payments for their services.
Emily has also served in a number of leadership roles, including for Entrepreneurship Funders Network, The Fund for Our Economic Future, Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates, Economic & Community Development Institute, United Way of Summit County, and The Barker Center for Economic Education. Prior to entering philanthropy, Emily created and coordinated B2B marketing campaigns for more than 600 franchise owners across the United States and Canada. Emily has a master’s degree in Human Development from Kent State University.
First entrepreneurial venture: Her high school entrepreneurship class sold glow sticks at football games and Nordonia Knight mousepads throughout the district. They doubled their stockholders’ investments and donated to local children’s hospitals.
What she is passionate about: Theme parties, excel spreadsheets, social research, and creating art
What she would love to see invented: Human wings