Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO)

Handy L. Lindsey, Jr.

Handy has spent over twenty-five years in professional philanthropy. Prior to joining The Cameron Foundation in 2004, he served as Executive Director and Treasurer of the Field Foundation of Illinois from 1988 until 1997 when he was named President. Prior to that, he was assistant director of the Chicago Community Trust. From 1980 to 1986, he was staff associate, senior staff associate and executive director of the Chicago Area Foundation for Legal Services. He has also worked as a consultant to the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago and the corporate contributions program of Illinois Bell Telephone. Handy was instrumental in the development of the East St. Louis Community Foundation, where he served as interim executive director in 1985-6. He served on the board and the executive committee of the Donors Forum of Chicago and in 1995 completed a two-year term as chairman of that board. His service to other civic organizations include: the board and Management Committee of the Council on Foundations, the board of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, the Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities, the Chicago Zoological Society/ Brookfield Zoo and the Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago.

Handy studied at the University of Chicago where he earned an M.B.A. from the Graduate School of Business, an M.A. from the School of Social Services Administration and an undergraduate degree in Sociology. In 1997 while continuing full-time employment with the Field Foundation, Handy returned to the School of Social Service Administration to undertake work toward a Ph.D., for which he completed all required course work in March, 2000. Handy has two grown children, Josef and Marshall. He is married to Kristin R. (Anderson) Lindsey.