Feeding Alabama today announced that CEO Laura Lester has decided to retire after 13 years leading the organization and 20 years in food banking overall. Her last day will be September 24, 2026. The Board of Directors has named current COO Kim Lawkis as the organization's next CEO, with a start date of September 1, providing a short transition period alongside Laura.
"None of what we've built belongs to one person," Lester said. "It belongs to a network of people across this state who decided that no Alabamian should go hungry — and who show up for that, year after year."
Lester became Feeding Alabama's founding CEO 13 years ago, growing the organization from one part-time staffer to three full-time staff and a $5 million budget. During Laura’s tenure, Feeding Alabama has secured more than $40 million in funding for its member food banks, and Alabama has become a national example of maximizing every available hunger-relief resource — from disaster response to programs like Summer EBT — because its network works across stakeholders rather than in silos.
Lawkis started her career on the front lines of food banking at Feeding the Gulf Coast before moving into statewide and disaster-response roles, and brings a background with the Department of Agriculture along with a long tenure in food banking. "Kim is smart, thoughtful, and a big-picture thinker who has been essential to Feeding Alabama's success," Lester said. "Feeding Alabama would not be where it is without her."
Feeding Alabama is strongly positioned for its next chapter, with Lawkis ready to meet a shifting policy landscape and rising need. The organization remains focused on protecting and strengthening the nutrition programs Alabama families rely on.
Read the full announcement in Alabama Daily News here. The full press release is available here.
