History & Legacy
The Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1970 by the late James E. Davis and his mother, the late Irene E. Davis.
Irene and her husband, George, were leaders in the support and promotion of cultural, educational, human service and religious organizations throughout Hampden County.
Having spent some of her childhood in an orphanage, Irene believed that those with resources have a responsibility to give back to their community. The foundation was established to formalize Irene's generosity.
Today, The Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation continues to provide grant opportunities to nonprofit organizations working throughout Hampden County in keeping with the family's legacy. The Foundation and the Davis family continue to partner with local and statewide organizations to better serve the communities throughout Hampden County. Their hope is for this spirit of helping others and sharing resources to continue for generations to come.
Our Team
List of Services
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Kiley O’MearaKiley O’Meara
Executive Director
Kiley brings three decades of experience in philanthropy, policy, and education to her role as Executive Director. She joined the Foundation in 2024 and is focused on both building out giving strategy in priority areas and honoring the Foundation’s long-standing commitment to the general well-being of Hampden County residents. Kiley previously worked as a senior researcher at Stanford University in the PACE (Policy Analysis for California Education) center, focused on improving policy, philanthropy, and practice in TK-16 education. Prior to that, she was Director of Policy and Research at GreatSchools, Program Officer at The Stupski Foundation in San Francisco, and Policy Director of the Bay Area chapter of the national Annenberg Challenge. Kiley is a native of Massachusetts and served as an AmeriCorps member after graduating college, teaching inmates at the Suffolk County House of Correction in Boston. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy (MPP) from the Kennedy School at Harvard University and a B.A. from Middlebury College.
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Becca SmithBecca Smith
Program Officer
Becca joins the Foundation with a background in early childhood policy and education research. As a Program Officer, Becca will support grants administration and management and contribute to the Foundation’s grantmaking strategy across priority areas. Prior to joining the Foundation, Becca worked as a Policy Strategist at the national nonprofit organization All Our Kin, where she advised state and local partners to advance policy change on behalf of family child care providers. Becca received her Master’s Degree in Education Policy and Analysis from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and was a fellow with the Saul Zaentz Early Education Initiative. During her graduate fellowship, Becca worked in the Boston Mayor’s Office of Early Childhood and supported the rollout of Great Starts, Boston’s one-stop enrollment platform for child care, preschool, and Boston Public Schools. Becca is a native of Massachusetts and began her career in education research at the American Institutes for Research, and in early childhood policy and advocacy at Strategies for Children and Jumpstart for Young Children. In addition to her Ed.M. from Harvard, Becca holds a B.A. in Psychology and Human Development from Connecticut College.
Directors
Laurel Ferretti
Stephen A. Davis
Drew Davis
Jane Davis-Kusek
John H. Davis (Emeritus)