Kimmy Venter, former director of marketing and community relations, assumes permanent leadership role after three months as interim CEO

ALBANY, N.Y. (Jan. 2, 2024) – The Board of Directors of Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region (RMHC-CR), is pleased to announce that Kimmy Venter has been named the organization’s new chief executive officer. Venter assumes the position after serving as interim CEO for the last three months of 2023.
Venter has been with RMHC-CR since April 2020, previously serving as director of marketing and community relations and utilizing her expertise in communications, marketing and community engagement to advance the organization’s mission to deliver and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and families. Prior to joining the team at RMHC-CR, Venter spent 11 years with the American Red Cross, where she held leadership roles in fundraising and communications, and served as a national spokesperson and public relations leader on large-scale disaster relief operations across the country.
“The board is very pleased to be able to appoint Kimmy Venter as full-time CEO after a period of outstanding interim leadership,” said Martin X. Shields, board president for RMHC-CR. “We are confident that she will foster the culture of compassion and hospitality that has always defined Ronald McDonald House Charities, and that
she will lead the organization forward in new and exciting ways.”
“I am truly humbled by this opportunity and am honored to lead this incredible organization and the wonderful team of people who carry out its mission every day,” said Venter. “I look forward to extending the legacy of love and compassion that has made RMHC of the Capital Region such an important institution in our community for the last 40+ years. It is a great privilege to work alongside such dedicated staff, board members and volunteers to make a difference in the lives of families with sick children.”
Venter is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and holds an Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) from the Universal Accreditation Board. She is involved in numerous professional and community organizations, and currently serves as a board member for Girls on the Run Capital Region. Born and raised in Southern California, Venter has been a Capital Region resident since 2008. She lives in Delmar, N.Y. with her husband, Brendan, and son, Bryce.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities® of the Capital Region
Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region (RMHC®-CR) draws on the compassion of our community to deliver and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and families. Through our core programs – the Ronald McDonald House®, Ronald McDonald Family Room®, and Ronald McDonald Family Retreat at Krantz Cottage – we offer access to quality health care with a family-centered approach. RMHC-CR helps families with sick children stay close to each other and the care they need, and brings critical health care resources where they are needed most. With the help of dedicated volunteers and community partners, we ensure that families are fully supported and actively involved in every aspect of their children’s care. For more information, visit rmhcofalbany.org and follow RMHC-CR on Facebook, Instagram,
LinkedIn and TikTok.