Donna J. Gambrell, President & CEO of Appalachian Community Capital (ACC) is responsible for attracting and directing investments to Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and other mission-driven lenders in Appalachia. These lenders, in turn, use the investments to make loans to small business owners, including diverse businesses in underserved communities throughout the 13-state region. Since its beginning in 2015, ACC has deployed $47 million in loans to community lenders.

Ms. Gambrell is a member of several CDFI boards: Southern Bancorp, Raza Development Fund, Fahe, and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. She also serves as board chair for the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs, a nonprofit organization with over 80 members committed to closing the racial and economic wealth gap in the United States. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Towson State University (Maryland) and a Master of Science degree from New York University (New York).