Kathleen Simpson is the Chief Executive Officer of The Russell Family Foundation (TRFF), where she partners with the Board of Directors to guide the foundation’s strategic planning, programs, community engagement, and impact investing. With more than 20 years of experience in accounting, investment operations, entity structuring, and governance across multi-entity organizations, Kathleen brings a blend of financial rigor and values-driven leadership to her role.
Since joining TRFF, first as Chief Financial Officer and now as CEO, Kathleen has helped transition the foundation’s investment portfolio from 7% to nearly 95% values-aligned, led the organization’s Net Zero commitment, and supported the foundation’s learning around decarbonization and catalytic climate finance. She is known for developing strong teams, implementing reliable financial systems, and building trusted relationships with advisors, financial institutions, and community partners.
Prior to TRFF, Kathleen served as Director of Finance for an independent wealth management firm supporting individuals, multigenerational families, and foundations. She also founded and operated a public accounting firm for more than a decade, providing CFO services to high-net-wealth families, privately held businesses, and nonprofit organizations.
Kathleen serves on the Board of Directors of the Bainum Family Foundation and is a former board member of Confluence Philanthropy and the American Leadership Forum of Tacoma–Pierce County. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) with a master’s degree in business administration. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants.
