Kayce Ataiyero has been named managing director of communications at The Joyce Foundation, reflecting the expanded leadership role she plays at the private, independent philanthropy based in Chicago.
Ataiyero oversees communications strategy, content development and public engagement at The Foundation. She leads an expanded communications team that supports the philanthropy’s grantmaking and a Foundation-wide task force on supporting the recovery of Chicago communities hardest hit by COVID-19 and persistent racial inequities.
“Kayce is an invaluable member of Joyce’s management team, and we rely on her strategic instincts, sharp decision-making and clear vision about our mission,” said Ellen Alberding, The Foundation's president.
Alberding praised Ataiyero for her team-building skills, “a true measure of leadership.”
Ataiyero, who formerly worked in government and media, joined Joyce in February 2018 as a senior communications officer. She was promoted in November of that year to director of communications.
She previously had served as director of external affairs for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Before that, she played leadership roles in communications for U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly, the Illinois Governor’s Office, and the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office.
Ataiyero is a former journalist and staff writer for the Chicago Tribune, The (Raleigh-Durham) News and Observer, Philadelphia Inquirer and Washington Post. She’s a native of Washington, D.C. and has a degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.
About The Joyce Foundation
Joyce is a nonpartisan, private foundation that invests in evidence-informed public policies and strategies to advance racial equity and economic mobility for the next generation in the Great Lakes region.