JUDSON CENTER PRESIDENT & CEO LENORA HARDY-FOSTER RECEIVES 2026 MARIAM C. NOLAND NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP AWARD FROM THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
Farmington Hills, MI – Judson Center President and CEO Lenora Hardy-Foster has received the 2026 Mariam C. Noland Award for Nonprofit Leadership from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (CFSEM) Board of Trustees. Named for CFSEM’s now-retired founding president, the award recognizes a nonprofit executive in southeast Michigan whose service exemplifies the importance of leadership in their organization and the nonprofit community.
“It is indeed an honor to be recognized by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan for being a leader in the nonprofit industry,” said Hardy-Foster. “This is a field that I am passionate about, and my entire career has been focused on helping change lives for the better. This award represents a significant milestone in my commitment to strengthen and empower children, families and adults in our community. I am filled with profound gratitude to the Community Foundation Board of Trustees and the President and CEO for selecting me for this prestigious accolade.”
Judson Center, a human service agency headquartered in Farmington Hills, provides programs and services for autism, behavioral and primary healthcare, disabilities, substance use disorder, foster care, adoption, and mentoring.
Since joining the agency in 2016, Hardy-Foster has grown the annual budget from $16.5 million to $32 million. She has helped expand Judson Center’s reach to serve more than 13,000 children, adults and families each year across six counties. Under her leadership, Judson Center was fully certified by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration site. Hardy-Foster is currently heading up the organization’s $9.5 million Capital Campaign.
The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan has supported Judson Center’s work across multiple programs since 2020, awarding six grants totaling more than $116,000.
The Mariam C. Noland Nonprofit Leadership Award was presented to Lenora Hardy-Foster at the CFSEM 2026 Annual Meeting on June 24 at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield. Two other leadership awards were presented. The Richard F. Huegli Award for Program Excellence was given to Turning Point Macomb’s President and CEO Dr. Sharman Davenport, and the Allan D. Gilmour Award for Community Leadership went to Community Foundation Trustee Ken Whipple.
About Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan was established in 1984 to ensure residents in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, Livingston and St. Clair counties can thrive. Since its inception, the Community Foundation has grown to be among the top 35 community foundations in the country and has distributed more than $1.4 billion through roughly 91,000 grants to nonprofits. The Community Foundation’s mission is to build the resources, relationships and expertise required to expand equitable access to opportunities and to make southeast Michigan a desirable place to live, work and play for all residents, today and tomorrow. For more information, go to www.cfsem.org
About Judson Center
Judson Center, trusted by Michigan families for more than 100 years, is a non-profit human service agency providing expert, comprehensive services that strengthen children, adults and families impacted by abuse and neglect, autism, and developmental, behavioral and physical health challenges so they can achieve whole health, well-being, and maximum potential. Since opening its doors in 1924, Judson Center has grown to change the lives of more than 13,000 children, adults, and families each year. Judson Center has offices in Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw, Wayne, Genesee, and Jackson counties. Judson Center’s headquarters is located at 30301 Northwestern Highway, Suite 100, Farmington Hills, MI 48334-3277. Learn more at www.judsoncenter.org.