After 14 years of visionary leadership at Austin Community Foundation (ACF), Coralie Pledger has announced her retirement from her role as chief financial officer. Coralie’s tenure has shaped ACF into the trusted philanthropic institution it is today—one that is financially sound, mission-driven, and well-positioned to serve Central Texas for generations to come.
Coralie began working with ACF in 2011 as a financial consultant and later stepped into the CFO role, bringing decades of financial expertise and an ability to think beyond traditional nonprofit finance. Known for her creative problem-solving, Coralie consistently turned innovative ideas into practical tools that strengthened ACF’s financial foundation and expanded its community impact. Her leadership supported strong financial systems and governance and created new pathways for using philanthropic capital more effectively.
“Serving ACF has been one of the most meaningful chapters of my career,” said Coralie Pledger. “I’ve always believed that strong financial management and creativity can—and should—go hand in hand. When we’re willing to think differently, we can unlock new ways to support our community while remaining responsible stewards of the resources entrusted to us.”
Key Achievements
Under Coralie’s steady management, ACF experienced significant growth and evolution. Since Coralie officially stepped into the role of CFO ten years ago, ACF’s assets have increased by over 300%, from $156 million to $675 million, while annual grantmaking grew from $21 million in 2015 to approximately $91 million in 2025. This progress reflects not only sound fiscal oversight, but Coralie’s ability to anticipate the needs of a growing foundation and translate forward-thinking ideas into systems and strategies that could scale with impact.
In 2019, Coralie’s contributions were recognized when she was named a Best CFO by the Austin Business Journal, an honor that highlighted her leadership and innovative approach within the nonprofit sector. At the time, ACF had grown its assets by 92% in just four years—an important milestone in the Foundation’s growth trajectory.
Coralie’s vision for innovation extended well beyond traditional financial management. She was instrumental in launching FundATX in 2018, ACF’s impact investment program, which uses philanthropic capital—through low-interest loans—to support nonprofits and community development organizations while recycling dollars for future impact. By reimagining how philanthropic funds could be deployed, Coralie helped ACF expand its toolkit for addressing complex community challenges.
She also played a key role in launching ACF’s Housing Accelerator Loan Fund in 2023, helping transform an ambitious idea into a flexible financing mechanism that supports affordable housing development across Central Texas. In just two years, the Housing Accelerator Loan Fund has provided 10 loans, totaling over $17.9 million in support of more than 1,200 new housing units. These initiatives reflect Coralie’s belief that innovation in finance can lead directly to measurable, lasting community outcomes.
“Coralie has an exceptional ability to connect big ideas with real-world results,” said CEO Mike Nellis. “She helped ACF grow responsibly while also pushing us to think differently about how capital can be used—especially in areas like housing and impact investing where creativity and discipline go hand in hand.”
Just as important as the financial outcomes is Coralie’s collaborative leadership style. She consistently encouraged shared learning, cross-team problem-solving, and thoughtful risk-taking—creating space for innovation while maintaining strong financial controls. Colleagues and partners alike describe her as a leader who listens carefully, asks insightful questions, and empowers others to bring forward new ideas.
Continuing Leadership
To ensure continuity during this transition, Coralie will move into an advising role, where she will continue supporting the ACF team with complex gifts, housing and impact investments, and the onboarding of the next CFO. This approach allows the Foundation to retain her institutional knowledge while continuing to build on the innovative frameworks she helped establish.
As Coralie steps into this next chapter, we are deeply grateful for her years of leadership, financial stewardship, and commitment to turning bold ideas into tangible community impact, which have left a lasting mark on ACF and Central Texas. At the same time, we look to the future with confidence and optimism. With strong financial systems in place, a thoughtful transition underway, and a rigorous national search for the next CFO in progress, the Foundation is well-positioned to continue growing its impact and responding to the evolving needs of our community.
We are deeply grateful to Coralie for helping build a strong foundation—and excited for what comes next as ACF continues its work to serve Central Texas, now and forever.
