Feeding Alabama announced Wednesday that Laura Lester, the organization’s founding CEO, will retire after 13 years of leadership and 20 years in the food banking field.
The Feeding Alabama Board of Directors named current Chief Operating Officer Kim Lawkis as the organization’s next CEO, effective September 1, 2026.
Feeding Alabama is the statewide association representing Alabama’s eight Feeding America food banks.
Under Lester’s leadership since 2013, Feeding Alabama grew from a part-time effort into a statewide association with a full staff and a $5 million annual budget. The organization represents eight food banks and 1,200 partner agencies across all 67 Alabama counties.
During Lester’s tenure, Feeding Alabama secured more than $40 million in funding for its member food banks. The organization also led policy and program efforts to expand children’s access to food across the state.
Its Summer Food Service Program reached about 20,000 children and distributed more than 1 million meals from 2015 to 2024 through about 100 sites in 20 counties. Feeding Alabama also advanced statewide Summer EBT implementation to expand access during the summer months.
The Summer Meals Initiative, created in 2025 to feed children during the summer when access to school meals is limited, has reached more than 1,000 children at 15 locations and served more than 55,000 meals since its launch.
“Leading Feeding Alabama for these 13 years has been the honor of my career,” Lester said. “When we started, this was a part-time effort with a handful of people who believed Alabama’s food banks were stronger working together than apart. Today it’s a full statewide association, and that growth belongs to our team, our board and our partner agencies as much as to me. I’m retiring at a moment when the organization is on solid footing, with strong leadership ready to carry it forward, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve built or more confident in where it’s headed. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this work.”
The board, following its governance authority to approve the hiring of Feeding Alabama’s CEO, voted to name Lawkis as Lester’s successor after an evaluation process.
Lawkis will officially become CEO on September 1, 2026, with Lester remaining through September 24, 2026, to help ensure a smooth transition, according to the organization.
“On behalf of the Executive Committee and the full Feeding Alabama Board of Directors, we are deeply grateful to Laura for 13 years of leadership that built Feeding Alabama into the statewide force it is today,” Feeding Alabama Board Chair Nicole Williams said. “Her legacy is one of partnership, growth and unwavering commitment to ending hunger in our state. After a thorough and thoughtful process, the board is confident that Kim Lawkis is the right leader to build on that foundation, and we look forward to supporting her as she steps into this role.”
Williams is also CEO of Community Food Bank of Central Alabama.
“Working alongside Laura for over a decade has been one of the greatest privileges of my career,” Lawkis said. “She took a vision and built Feeding Alabama into an organization that has transformed how our state responds to hunger, and I’m incredibly grateful for the mentorship, trust, and example she’s given me along the way. She has challenged me, encouraged me, and prepared me for this moment in ways I’ll always appreciate.
“I’m honored that the board has entrusted me with this responsibility, and I don’t take it lightly. I’m excited to build on the remarkable foundation Laura has created, continue strengthening the partnerships that make our work possible, and lead Feeding Alabama into its next chapter while always honoring the legacy she leaves behind.”
Lawkis has served as Feeding Alabama’s chief operating officer since 2022. She previously served as director of policy and programs beginning in 2017.
Lawkis has more than 14 years of nonprofit leadership experience, including oversight of federal grant compliance and statewide advocacy. She currently serves as chair of Alabama VOAD.
Feeding Alabama said it remains financially and operationally strong, with a continued focus on its mission to end hunger across the state. The organization said more information about Lawkis’ vision for Feeding Alabama will be shared in the coming weeks.
