Dec. 17, 2025 | Cambridge, MA
The Cambridge Community Foundation (CCF) has named Ellen Varney, a seasoned senior executive with extensive expertise in nonprofit and for-profit finance, operations, and risk management, as its Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Varney joined CCF on December 2 and will replace Geoff O’Connell, upon his retirement in late December.
The foundation of and for all of Cambridge, CCF has a 109-year history of partnering with nonprofits and donors to ensure Cambridge remains equitable, just, and vibrant — for everyone. In 2023’s strategic plan, CCF set forward an ambitious goal to solve intractable social problems in Cambridge in partnership with civic and nonprofit leaders and donors, with a focus on economic mobility and social cohesion. As a member of the CCF’s leadership team, Varney will play a critical role in realizing the goals of the strategic plan through CCF’s new corporate structure, strong financial management, improved operations, and the growth of the Foundation’s assets.
“Ellen is a strategic thinker with deep experience in finance and an empathy and compassion that is aligned with CCF’s values,” said Geeta Pradhan, president of CCF. “I’m delighted to welcome her to CCF, and I know she will build on the systems and operations Geoff O’Connell put in place so that we have more impact in the community and can engage even more creatively with our donors and our partners.”
For more than three decades, Varney has served as an executive leader, chief financial officer, and risk management executive in nonprofit organizations, healthcare, and financial services, with leadership and expertise in finance, audit, risk management, capital risk frameworks, regulatory compliance, corporate governance and operations. Varney came to CCF from Our Generation Speaks, a residential entrepreneurial fellowship program with a mission to create an entrepreneurial community of leaders committed to shaping a peaceful Israeli-Palestinian future built on trust, where she was Chief Finance & Operations Officer. She has also served as CFO for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston and The Risk Management Foundation of the Harvard Medical Institutions.
“I am so honored to join Geeta and the team and be a partner in their important work to support the Cambridge community,” said Varney. “CCF’s focus on economic mobility and social cohesion is essential and inspiring to me. I am also truly grateful for Geoff’s many years of work and accomplishments — he is leaving a very strong operation for me to take up. I extend my best wishes to Geoff as well.”
Varney will build upon the work of Geoff O’Connell who joined CCF as CFO five years ago to build “the foundation of the foundation.” During his tenure, O’Connell replaced the core financial systems, improved operational processes, and standardized technology platforms while CCF grew its assets from $45 million to nearly $75 million, doubled its staff to 16, and infused $33.9 million into community. O’Connell’s role touched nearly every aspect of how the foundation executes its work, from building structures for multi-year initiatives, to Donor Advised Fund (DAF) partnerships. O’Connell also helped design and coordinate the implementation of the infrastructure for Rise UP Cambridge, the City of Cambridge’s cash assistance program.
“Geoff leaves the foundation in very good stead and Ellen is the perfect person to take the foundation to the next level, leveraging her vast experience and financial and risk acumen,” said Ham Lord, chair of CCF’s Finance Committee.
Dan Kern, chair of CCF’s Investment Committee added: “Ellen brings a superior strategic mind to finance and investing, which will be critical and impactful as CCF continues its transition to a corporate entity, providing new and creative opportunities and alternatives for our donor community, both present and future.”
Ellen Varney holds a B.A. in economics from the University of Maine and an M.A. in economics from the University of Memphis. She has also completed programs at Northwestern University in executive leadership and financial management strategies. She is a member of the Board of Pact, Inc., a nonprofit international development organization, operating in nearly 40 countries to improve the lives of those who are challenged by poverty and marginalization.
The foundation of and for all of Cambridge, the Cambridge Community Foundation harnesses the power of collective action to ensure a vibrant, just, and equitable city for everyone. CCF is a strategic grantmaker, philanthropic partner, and data-informed civic leader tackling the city’s most intractable problems in deep partnership with nonprofits, local changemakers, and donors. In 2025, CCF and its philanthropic partners invested more than $5.1 million in community through strategic investments addressing food insecurity, expanding economic mobility and fostering social cohesion and responsive grantmaking to nonprofits supporting human services, workforce training, housing, food security, unhoused populations, elder services, youth and early childhood services, education, and the arts.
