2020 40 Under 40 Yearbook: Natalie Murdock, 39

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Then: Development Director, Foundation for Springfield Public Schools
Now: Executive Director, Foundation for Springfield Public Schools

In 2008, Natalie Murdock had just begun her journey with the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools. Now, she’s the executive director of the organization providing aid to local teachers.

The foundation altered its crowdfunding platform for teachers a few months ago to remove the $1,000 restriction initially established for smaller classroom needs. The platform is now open to any amount.

“We kind of revamped it to meet a wider variety of needs,” she says, adding the foundation provides between $600,000-$1 million back to public schools per year. “The money stays local and there are no administration fees.”

The foundation currently manages around $5 million in funds.

“We’re an organization that a lot of people don’t really know exists in Springfield,” she says. “We continue to push and push to provide more resources.”