Benay Hicks
Associate Director of Communications and Marketing
benay@bookharvest.org
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Start Date: November 2020
Role at Book Harvest: As Associate Director of Communications and Marketing at Book Harvest, Benay provides leadership, strategic vision, and direction to the organization in all its communications, marketing, and public relations efforts. She is responsible for building awareness and support for all of Book Harvest’s wide range of programs, in order to drive program growth and participation, community support, and philanthropy.
Community Involvement: Grow Your World, Board of Directors; Students to Scholars, Founder; Partnership for a Healthy Durham, Communications Committee
Where she studied: BA in Psychology and Religion from Simpson College in Iowa; Master’s of History of Religion from Boston University; Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University
Experience: 16+ years working with nonprofits, including four years as Director of Operations at Boys & Girls Clubs of Durham and Orange Counties. Her background includes marketing/communications, development, volunteer management, and operations.
What she’s hopeful for: Universal equity in education and access to education — from birth to graduate school and everything in between.
Favorite Children’s Book Right Now: “Thunder Cake” by Patricia Polacco
Likes & Loves: Benay loves adventure, whether it’s in her backyard or across the world. You’ll find her out hiking, in the gym, hosting dinner parties, trying a new restaurant, or picking fruit at a local orchard. Her favorite people include her husband and a teenager they’ve been mentoring for over five years.