Welcome Jeff Kimball

Wanting to exponentially scale the impact of our work, we are pleased to announce that Jeff Kimball, a national leader in supporting grieving children, is joining us as our Executive Director!  

Jeff’s career has been focused on transforming heartbreak into hope.  Having experienced the death of his wife, only grandparent, mother, father, best friend and 9-year old niece over a handful of years, Jeff has turned his lived experience into a catalyst for change serving a number of the nation’s leading grief-related nonprofits.  

Jeff’s career began In the US Senate, where he served as a deputy press secretary for then-Senator Joe Biden, but he spent most of his time in Washington working for Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV.  Jay’s passion for children’s issues, including health care, mental health, education and poverty, inspired Jeff deeply. 

Jeff has earned a reputation as an innovator and entrepreneur.  However, after his wife Amy died of cancer at age 38 when his girls Lexi and Elyse were 5 and 3 years old, Jeff transitioned his career to working with start-up nonprofits.  

An expert in branding, fundraising, and scaling nonprofits, Jeff most recently served as the founding staff member and Group President of Elizabeth’s Smile, a nonprofit operating in the US and UK serving grieving children and surviving caregivers.  Elizabeth’s Smile funded groundbreaking research and developed a series of guides to help people understand how to best support grieving children. 

Jeff’s professional experience with grieving children was rounded out by leading the exponential growth of Experience Camps.  Jeff transformed organizations like the United Way, Circle of Care, and Greens Farms Academy in leading their development, operations, and brand.  

While Jeff will help to manage the day-to-day strategic leadership assumed by Cara over the last decade, she will continue to serve as the global face of the organization and return to her Founder roots!

Jeff lives in Westport, Connecticut with his dog Winslow and is an avid abstract painter and award-winning writer. 

Please help us welcome Jeff to the Empower family!