Pier Blake

Pier A.H. Blake has been the Executive Director of Jack and Jill Foundation since 2008. Serving as Executive Director,Pier has led the organization through a strategic plan to buildthe Foundation with national recognition for its grants andprograms in three philanthropic focus areas of health/wellness, education and building strong black families.

Since 1968, Jack and Jill Foundation is a public non-profit organization (501c3) that addresses issues affecting African American children and families, by investing in programs and services that create a solid foundation for children to thrive long-term. The vision of the Foundation is “transforming African American communities, One Child At A Time.”

Pier has over three decades of experience in the public and non-for-profit sectors. Prior to Jack and Jill Foundation, Pier worked at the National Headquarters of the American Red Cross and the local National Capital Chapter, managing its National Events and as the Development Officer in the Office of Development. She has a passion for education and unapologetically for black students at HBCUs, which led her to start her development career at the United Negro College Fund to support UNCF member institutions.

Pier has a B.S. degree from the University of Maryland in Political Science, a master’s in information systems and a M.B.A. in Financial Management. Pier started her public service in Foreign Service under the State Department at the United States Peace Corps in the Office of Program Services and as a Country Desk Assistant in the areas of Europe, Asia, Morocco and North African countries. Pier served in this capacity and traveled throughout Eastern Europe for over five years.

Pier is a member of several boards all dedicated to building up African American children, nonprofit organizations such as CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) as a volunteer and served as Vice President, and currently she is with UNCF as the Chair of the DC/MD/VA Leadership Council. She is a long-term resident of Howard County, where she lives with the
husband and two children.