Collaboratory’s Women’s Legacy Fund will honor Gail McClure and Gail Markham with their Women’s Legacy Fund Philanthropy Impact Award.
The Women’s Legacy Fund Philanthropy Impact Award recognizes and celebrates extraordinary female philanthropists who exemplify the true spirit of giving. This honor is bestowed upon women who are deeply committed to empowering and inspiring others, both through their financial contributions and dedication to mentorship. They lead by example, generously sharing expertise, time, and resources with a heart full of love and intention. Their selfless efforts are focused on uplifting the community and making a lasting positive impact on the lives of others. This award honors these women’s tireless dedication to service and profound role in fostering growth, support, and unity.
Gail McClure, Ph.D. currently serves as a consultant to Collaboratory, focusing on organizational change and building and deploying philanthropic resources. Helping align systemic change from the community level to institutions and public policy is her passion. She enjoyed a 20-year career at the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, in Battle Creek, Michigan where she served as a vice president on the executive leadership team with responsibility for the foundation’s domestic and international programs, including program design, development and evaluation. McClure also enjoyed an international development focus as a faculty member at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul campus. At the Academy for Educational Development in Washington, D.C., she was a vice president for rural programs active in Africa, Asia and Latin America. She has also been a consultant to the National Science Foundation, the Council on Foundations, The European Foundation Centre, and various universities in South Africa following the end of apartheid.
Gail Markham, CPA and Founding Partner of Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & CO., PA currently serves as Collaboratory Board Chair and has served on the nonprofit board since 2016. She started her firm as a sole-practitioner in 1979. Forty-four years later, she works alongside her eight partners and a team of 46, with offices in Fort Myers and Naples. Her firm has consistently ranked one of Florida’s Best Companies to Work For by Florida Trend Magazine. She has been recognized for being an outstanding community leader on many occasions. In 2023, she received the Collier/Lee Chapter of Hadassah Inspiring Women Award and in 2018 was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Gulfshore Business Magazine. She was also named as one of the FICPA’s Women to Watch Experienced Leaders in 2017. She was inducted to the Business Hall of Fame by Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida in 2013 and was a recipient of the 2013 Southwest Florida Makers Award: Women Who Make Southwest Florida. Markham is the founder and former chair of the Lee County PACE Center for Girls; sits on the FGCU Foundation Board of Directors and Finance committee and is chair/advisory board member of the Lee County Industrial Development Authority.
Both McClure and Markham will be honored at the WLF fall luncheon on Monday, November 4 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Collaboratory located at 2031 Jackson Street in downtown Fort Myers.
Established in 2008, the Women’s Legacy Fund raises the philanthropic power of women who support Southwest Florida’s most vulnerable populations in their journeys to lives of fulfillment and success. Their goals are to amplify the power women possess to strengthen their communities through philanthropic giving; educates women and the community on current issues and philanthropic strategies; and inspires women to be leaders in philanthropy.
Contributors to the WLF, professional women who are committed to philanthropic giving, include annual members, donors and Prima donors. Membership contributions begin at $250.
For more information on membership and to join this collective, inspiring group of women, visit www.collaboratory.org/wlf, contact Gina Dengler at gdengler@collaboratory.org or call (239)333-4171.
ABOUT COLLABORATORY
Collaboratory is a regional community foundation with an evolved mission committed to coordinating the solving of Southwest Florida’s major social problems by 2040. Not alone, but with everyone—the entire community working together across all five counties: Lee, Hendry, Glades, Charlotte and Collier.
Collaboratory provides community leadership, raises and coordinates funding, and disburses funds to organizations that are helping solve the problems our donors and the community have identified as priorities. Collaboratory also provides capacity building with training and resources for regional partners. Given the complexities of the social challenges in our region, Collaboratory ensures we are all working together and that every generous donor achieves the biggest impact with their funds. By using and sharing data to track progress, we ensure that donor dollars are best invested to move the needle on improving social issues.
Connection and collaboration are at the heart of our mission. Since 1976, we have made over $120 million in grants to individuals and organizations across the region to enhance the quality of life for current and future generations. It is upon that legacy of a commitment to community we will collectively achieve our 2040 goal. To learn more and get involved, call 239-274-5900 or visit www.collaboratory.org.
