Julie Fisher Cummings

Julie Fisher Cummings MSSW (Columbia University, School of Social Work) presently serves as the Chair of the Board for the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties.

Ms. Cummings advocates for responsible policies on health, education, and philanthropy on behalf of underserved and marginalized children and families

She is the co-founder and Chair of Lovelight Foundation, which focuses on domestic child sex trafficking, undeserved women and girls and early childhood education and care. She served as the Executive Producer of I am Jane Doe, an award-winning documentary about domestic child sex trafficking, highlighting the legal battle against Backpage.com which ultimately led to its discontinuation and seizure by the FBI.

She has forged effective public-private partnerships and new funding networks in Florida and across the U.S. She is a co-founder of the Florida Women’s Funding Alliance, which has commissioned two research reports to drive policy change and enhance the quality of life for women and girls in the state of Florida: The Status of Women in Florida by County and The Status of Girls in Florida by County. Through the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation (Vice Chair), she was the founding sponsor of the Southeastern Michigan Early Childhood Funders Collaborative.

Bridging academia, public service, and policy reform, she has dedicated over 40 years to civic leadership locally and nationally through her positions at: Corporation for National and Community Service (Presidential appointee), Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University (Board), and Children’s Hospital of Michigan (Board). In both Florida and Michigan she has held board and leadership positions with the United Way and with local Community Foundations (Southeastern Michigan and Palm Beach and Martin Counties), Council of Michigan Foundations (Board Chair), Women Moving Millions (Founding Steering Committee), Ms. Foundation (Advisory Committee), Jewish Teen Funders Network (Founding Trustee), the Jewish Women’s Foundations in Florida and Michigan (Founding member), and Council for Strong America, and The Lord’s Place.

She is developing a graduate level course in Child Policy for Columbia University, Graduate School of Social Work. Previously, she served as an adjunct visiting professor at the University of Miami, Department of Public Health Sciences, Miller School of Medicine.

She has been honored by organizations such as Cranbrook Schools (Distinguished Alumnae), Palm Beach Atlantic University (Woman of Distinction), Alternatives for Girls (Role Model of the Year), Anti-Defamation League (Woman of Achievement), Women’s Funding Network (Leadership, Equity and Diversity Award) and Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin County (Founders Award), Ryan Licht Sang Foundation (Shining Star Award), Families First of Palm Beach County (Harriet Goldstein Award).