Mary Leong Saunders

Vice President of Philanthropy, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation

Mary Leong Saunders serves as Vice President of Philanthropy at the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, where she leads development, donor relations, and planned giving. She joined HCF in January 2023, bringing more than two decades of experience guiding some of Hawaiʻi’s most respected nonprofit organizations.

Previously, Mary was Vice President of Philanthropy at Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi and Executive Director of the Rotary Club of Honolulu. As Executive Director of Family Promise of Hawaiʻi, she helped families facing homelessness and deepened her understanding of Hawaiʻi’s ALICE population. Earlier in her career, she served as the State Supervisor for the National Assessment of Educational Progress, overseeing implementation of the largest national measure of student achievement.

Mary is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and a former board member of the Junior League of Honolulu. A graduate of Maryknoll High School, she earned her bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

When she isn’t working, Mary finds calm at the ocean’s edge, often with a book in hand or enjoying time at the beach with her family and grandchildren.

At Worthshop, Mary brings the perspective of someone who has spent her career building authentic relationships—with donors, with families, and with organizations navigating change. She has witnessed resilience firsthand, from families working their way out of homelessness to communities rebuilding after hardship. Her work speaks to the power of recovery, of finding common GROUND in connection, and of charting a way forward together.

L I N K S:

https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/meet-mary-leong-saunders