The Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation has appointed Carma Mornarich as its new executive director. Mornarich will be the second Executive Director in the Foundation’s ten-year history.

“The Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians has a long and proud history of giving. We are so pleased to have a trusted Douglas County visionary as the new head of our foundation,” said Sue Shaffer, chair of the Foundation Board of Directors and of the Tribal Board.

“The foundation is one of many ways that the Cow Creek Indians continue to build strong communities. I look forward to continuing work with the wonderful board of directors, whose longevity and commitment to serving the seven counties of Southern Oregon is unsurpassed,” said Mornarich, “It’s a great honor to lead the foundation into its next decade of giving.”

Mornarich served as a board member of the Foundation since 2001. She also is board member for the Lilja Family Fund through the Oregon Community Foundation.

Born and raised in Days Creek, Mornarich received her bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University and her master's degree in teaching from Oregon State University. She worked as a substitute teacher throughout Douglas County for five years before working full time as a business teacher at Oakland High School.

Mornarich and her husband, Jeff Mornarich, are partners in I-5 Auctions, a machinery and equipment auction company. They live in Roseburg with their three young children.

In the foundation’s most recent round of giving, $432,727 was awarded to 47 different non-profit organizations in Douglas, Coo, Deschutes, Klamath, Jackson, Josephine and Lane counties.

Awards are presented in January and June of each year.