New CEO of Feeding America - Claire Babineaux-Fontenot. Michael Towner, Iconic Legacy

Claire Babineaux-Fontenot

​The nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, Feeding America, has appointed a new CEO who will be based in its Chicago headquarters. 

Feeding America’s board announced today that Opelousas, Louisiana native Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, 54, will take over as CEO on Oct. 1. Ms. Babineaux-Fontenot is the Founder of CBF Consulting Group, LLC located in Dallas, Texas. She had previously worked with Wal-Mart for 14 years and her most recent role was Executive Vice President and Global Treasurer for 14 years. At this role, she had global responsibility for tax, treasury operations, capital markets, investor relations, global risk management, casualty and self-insurance with teams across 28 countries and over 1,000 associates worldwide.Prior to her time at Wal-Mart, she was a Partner and Tax Practice Leader for Adams and Reese LLP, the largest law firm in the Gulf South Region. She was also a Dispute Resolution Practice Group Leader for the Southwest Region at PwC (Price Waterhouse Cooper) and in government. She will be relocating to Feeding America's headquarters in Chicago.

​Ms. Babineaux-Fontenot holds an L.L.M. in Taxation from Southern Methodist University School of Law in Dallas, TX; a J.D., from Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, LA; a B.S. from the University of Louisiana in Lafayette, LA. She also attended the Kellogg School of Management (Executive Training Program).

"As one of the over one hundred children raised by my parents through biology, adoption and foster care, I saw the ravages of hunger firsthand, as many of my siblings entered our home with visible signs of malnutrition. I will harness my learnings from working in some incredibly successful organizations toward the passion of my life, the fight against hunger," Babineaux-Fontenot said in a statement.

Keith Monda, executive chairman of the Feeding America board of directors, said in the statement: "The organization needs a leader who believes that food insecurity in America is unacceptable and will devote her life to leading Feeding America's charge to end hunger. I believe Claire is that individual."

Feeding America provides hungry people in the U.S. with more than 4 billion meals a year through its network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs. The organization was ranked the third-largest charity by Forbes magazine. It also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security, educates the public about the issue of hunger, and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.
​Michael Towner

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