FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 30, 2026
Feeding America West Michigan selects Chief Philanthropy Officer Pattijean McCahill to be next President and CEO
KENTWOOD — The Feeding America West Michigan Board of Directors has selected Chief Philanthropy Officer Pattijean McCahill to be the organization’s next President and CEO.
McCahill has spent the past decade shaping Feeding America West Michigan’s hunger-relief strategy, philanthropic growth, and public voice through a series of leadership positions.
“Pattijean’s particular commitment to being a leader for equitable food systems, elevating community voice, serving neighbors with dignity, and cultivating an internal culture of belonging stood out among candidates,” said Board Chair Danielle Sheffield LaPorte. “At a time when national pressures are increasing food insecurity and decreasing resources, her commitment to centering community voice and local strengths, building needed partnerships, and advancing thoughtful innovation in both immediate relief and long-term solutions will help ensure neighbors have needed support today and a stronger, more equitable food system for the future.”
“I am deeply committed to the food bank’s future and prepared to lead the organization into its next chapter,” McCahill said. “Advancing this work requires listening first, using data to guide decisions, and allocating resources that reflect the realities of a service area spanning both urban centers and deeply rural communities. This approach emphasizes partnership, accountability, and continuous learning. I am committed to ensuring Feeding America West Michigan remains a trusted, unifying presence across every community it serves.”
In addition to her years in nonprofit philanthropy, McCahill possesses extensive experience in brand management, strategic planning, new product development, and category management for leading packaged goods companies Sara Lee Bakery, Whirlpool Corporation (KitchenAid), and Amway. Throughout her corporate career, she led cross-functional teams in making data-informed decisions grounded in consumer needs, financial discipline, and long-term sustainability.
“Throughout the search process, the board was consistently impressed by Pattijean’s vision for FAWM’s future, her values-driven leadership, and her genuine belief in the role each team member plays in nourishing neighbors and engaging communities across our service area,” Sheffield LaPorte said. “She brings a leadership style rooted in reflection, clarity of purpose, and a strong capacity to listen and learn, as well as a deep commitment to fostering an internal culture of belonging and advancing equitable service across our 40 counties.”
The board voted unanimously to select McCahill following a national search. McCahill succeeds Ken Estelle, who for the past 15 years guided the organization through rapid growth, the COVID-19 response, and the transition to a new warehouse in Kentwood, which doubled capacity and improved operational efficiency. McCahill credits Estelle for leaving the organization in a sound financial position for the future. She also credits him for building the organization’s reputation and stature as a trusted community partner.
As a member of the national Feeding America food bank network, Feeding America West Michigan supports hunger-relief efforts in 40 counties in West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. In 2025, the food bank partnered with more than 800 community organizations to distribute 28.7 million meals worth of food to more than one million households through fixed-site pantries, mobile food pantries, summer meal programs, and more.
McCahill and Estelle will work together for the next several weeks for a transitional period. McCahill will begin her duties as President and CEO on June 29.
Pattijean McCahill Biography
Until June 2026, Pattijean McCahill served as Chief Philanthropy Officer at Feeding America West Michigan (FAWM). During her decade with the organization, Pattijean has significantly strengthened the organization’s long-term sustainability and philanthropic capacity by driving contributed revenue from $2.2M to $8.4M while expanding FAWM’s active donor base from 5,711 to 9,566.
Pattijean transformed FAWM’s brand and visual identity, shifting the focus to strength-based neighbor storytelling and increasing digital engagement and brand trust. She led FAWM’s first-ever primary research initiatives, securing grant funding to assess neighbors’ experiences, the Mobile Pantry’s impact, the effectiveness of nutrition education, and brand health, and convening cross-sector partners to strengthen food systems in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula—using insights to inform strategy, program design, and organizational decision-making. She also managed a personal major donor portfolio of 70 donors, generating approximately $1.5M annually.
She has more than two decades of corporate experience, working for Whirlpool Corporation, Amway, Information Resources, Inc., and Sara Lee Bakery. She led the global launch of eSpring at Amway, which is now one of the world’s largest home water treatment brands. She also founded and scaled a national fitness products company, introduced a new private-label product line, and co-led the strategic evaluation and acquisition process for a nutrigenomics company.
Pattijean grew up in Chicago, earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Development & Social Policy from Northwestern University, a Master of Public Policy in Nonprofit Leadership from Grand Valley State University, and a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Strategy from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
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Media Contact: Anne Hamming,
Marketing & Communications Manager
AnneH@FeedWM.org / 616.498.1936