VP | Success in Education

Got a problem? Erin Trenbeath-Murray will find a solution. Throughout her career, she has approached challenges with creativity and ambition, bringing an entrepreneurial spirit to nonprofit work—a skill set noted by Ernst & Young, who named her an Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013.

While serving as CEO of Utah Community Action, Trenbeath-Murray determined that space constraints created obstacles for the Head Start program, and she spearheaded an effort to construct dedicated buildings from the ground up. “We used to get bumped [due to lack of classroom availability], and it wasn’t consistent for families,” she says. “Families in poverty really need consistency.”

Later, she became frustrated with the minimally nutritious food served at Head Start. For some children, the meals served there would be their only chance to eat all day—and Trenbeath-Murray thought they deserved more than microwaved trays of monochromatic food. “I knew we could do better. My husband had been in the restaurant industry for 30 years and said, ‘You realize this is ridiculously hard, right?’”

Undeterred, Trenbeath-Murray proceeded with a new plan, which included building a huge commercial kitchen where food was made from scratch. She bought a fleet of 14 trucks for meal delivery. Her staff created diverse menus of healthy food—no hot dogs, pizza or processed food—and the organization prepared 600,000 meals a day for Utah’s children. Next, she created a culinary program called Sauté for low-income parents, which later scaffolded into the culinary arts program at Salt Lake Community College. She partnered with Primary Children’s Hospital to assist children who were obese or malnourished. She bought a small farm, creating a development camp for high schoolers that featured farm-to-table food. Michelle Obama even recognized the organization for its nutrition work in these projects.

Trenbeath-Murray currently serves as executive director of the Robert H. and Katharine B. Garff Foundation and the VP of Success in Education. According to its website, Success in Education provides a pathway to college or careers through literacy, technology and mentoring programs, and exposure to scholarships, internships and careers. “I’m so lucky and grateful to help the Garff family with their philanthropic work and their desire to build Utah’s economy,” Trenbeath-Murray says. “They have been so supportive, not only of me but of the whole organization.”

Among Success in Education’s many initiatives, Women Who Succeed is especially dear to Trenbeath-Murray’s heart. This program pairs young women aged 16-22 with high-achieving mentors who are established in their careers. “I wanted to do something with my connections and my voice to try to make it easier for young women,” Trenbeath-Murray says. “I want their leadership and their confidence abilities to be stronger than mine. And I want them to have doors open for them more easily than I did for me. I want them to have the confidence to speak and to act.” 

Now in its second year, Women Who Succeed is flying, but the plane is still being built, Trenbeath-Murray says. The ever-evolving program is driven by the members and ideas for bringing value, creating connections and solving problems. As usual, Trenbeath-Murray has an eye on future growth, hoping to bring a bigger impact to women in rural Utah. She’s still working on how to make that happen.

“I get to merge my love of entrepreneurialism and my love of startup with my background of nonprofit work,” she says. “That’s why I get to do the best job on Earth.”

Connect with Erin Trenbeath-Murray on LinkedIn.