Ashley Varner will succeed Karen Enloe as executive director of the JC Schools Foundation.
"The theme of the foundation's annual gala this year was 'Embarking on a New Era,' Jefferson City School District, as we are in the midst of a number of important changes throughout the district," Superintendent Larry Linthacum said in a Friday news release. "In a sense, the foundation is beginning a new era as well."
Enloe will retire at the end of 2019 after 12 years as executive director, according to the news release.
The changes are exciting to Varner, she said. A Holts Summit resident, her children attend North Elementary.
"I am beyond honored and thrilled to be chosen for this very important role in our community," Varner said. "It is so very important to support our public school district and our teachers and our students. I am just excited to support them in this new role."
Her current involvement with the district is through Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities - a Missouri Foundation for Health program aimed to lessen childhood obesity.
In that role, Varner has helped bring things such as Walk-to-School Day, Healthy Celebrations and healthy concessions to the district.
The Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities program is through Capital Region Medical Center, and it's hard for Varner to leave that family, she said.
"Throughout my career, I have focused my efforts on building coalition and uniting individuals around causes that will enhance our community," she said in the news release. "I can think of no better place to continue this work than at the JC Schools Foundation, on behalf of our district's teachers and students."
She hopes to help JC Schools become a "premier school district in Missouri."
The Jefferson City Public Schools Foundation is a nonprofit that raises funds to support teachers and staff. The foundation will likely adopt a new name eventually following the school district's recent rebranding; however, no formal discussions have taken place, JC Schools Communications Director Ryan Burns said.