Jackie Hartman was drawn to the St. Paul-based Ann Bancroft Foundation from a desire and commitment to give girls and young women opportunities to realize their potential. A former Cargill executive who now works for The Nature Conservancy, Hartman took on the role of vice chair of the foundation board in 2019 and became board chair a year later. Foundation executive director Ethelind Kaba credits Hartman with bringing transformational change to the nonprofit, despite obstacles during the Covid-19 pandemic. Under Hartman’s leadership, the organization transitioned from a paid staff of one to four full-time employees. Its budget has also nearly doubled to exceed $1.14 million. The organization’s total annual awards were more than $280,000 in 2023, granting greater access to educational and career opportunities for girls in grades K–12.