Below the Line With Mary Thomas, CEO of CFLeads

Welcome to Below the Line, a monthly question-and-answer column in which Chancellor Bennie L. Harris, Ph.D., of the University of South Carolina Upstate interviews a leader about change, technology, education, and leadership. This month, Dr. Harris spoke with Mary Thomas, CEO of CFLeads, a national network of community foundations committed to community leadership. (This interview has been edited for clarity, content, and length.) 

Harris: Let's just start from the beginning. You grew up in Spartanburg and have spent much of your career there. What does it mean for you to lead nationally while staying so deeply rooted in your home community?

Thomas: I actually grew up in a small town called Pacolet, south of Spartanburg. 

What does it mean for me to be leading a national organization with my roots still here? It's surreal for the most part, but traveling was always a part of our life as children growing up with my parents in ministry. And so I've always had a worldview. So it's a blessing. It's a blessing to be able to lead a national organization that's committed to place-based work.

Harris: You studied French and communications at Winthrop University and studied abroad in France. How did those experiences shape who you became as a leader and as a communicator?

Thomas: So there's a story behind me majoring in French. Growing up in Pacolet, I knew there had to be something bigger than this community. I loved Pacolet, but I made straight A’s in French. I went to Jonesville High School and had a great teacher who encouraged me. I got this idea that I could be an ambassador for the United Nations. So I decided to major in French.

At Winthrop, I had really good professors. In my junior year, Dr. Medlin said we were going to France for the summer and asked if I wanted to be an exchange student. I thought we couldn’t afford it, but somehow the provisions were made.

That experience — being immersed in another culture, learning the language, connecting with people – opened my perspective. It showed me that while we come from different backgrounds, the love of humankind is present. It gave me a worldview larger than my own community.

Harris: You were ordained as a minister in 1987, becoming one of the first women in the Rocky River Baptist Association. How has your faith informed your leadership?

Thomas: My faith is everything. Most environments I’ve been in, I’ve been the only one who looked like me. I’ve had to be confident in who I am and know that I belong in the room.

Even if I don’t have what I need, my faith reminds me. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. That has carried me throughout my career. I’ve been in places where I was shaking internally, but you would never see it.

Harris: What responsibility comes with being the first, and what do you want to make easier for others?

Thomas: Being first has advantages and disadvantages. I’ve never approached work through a race lens, but the room will remind you of differences.

Preparation is key. Knowing the room, having allies — those allies have made a huge difference. It hasn’t been easy. I have scars to prove it. But I stayed in the seat.

Harris: Has navigating those “firsts” prepared you for pioneering roles in business and philanthropy?

Thomas: Yes. I remember going through catechism and being questioned intensely because female preachers weren’t widely accepted. At one church, I wasn’t allowed to preach from the pulpit.

That experience taught me preparation, clarity of purpose, and facing fear. I went in knowing who I am, not with arrogance, but with readiness. I was prepared, and that made the difference.

Harris: How do you approach environments where you’re not expected or even welcomed?

Thomas: For me, humility meant listening, observing, and doing. That’s what I coach others to do.

At the Spartanburg County Foundation, it was a completely different culture. I was the first person of color there since 1943. I had to ask, “Is there room for Mary to show up in this environment?” And they allowed it.

Once they did, I brought my full self. I showed up ready to make things happen.

Harris: Tell me about the Bethlehem Center.

Thomas: The Bethlehem Center is an institutional ministry of the United Methodist Church, started during the Great Depression to serve women and children.

I became executive director at 23. I believed in the mission to uplift families. We built programs, opened the center to youth, and turned it around. It became a safe place for African Americans in the community.

Harris: You were 23 leading that work. How were you prepared?

Thomas: It was how I was raised. My parents emphasized independence, critical thinking, and discipline. We had strong family structures, church, and education. All of that shaped me, even if I didn’t realize it at the time.

Harris: Let’s talk about the Robert W. Scrivener Award.

Thomas: It came from creating an initiative called Strengthening Voices. We built a capacity-building program that empowered nonprofits and community members to become advocates.

We leveraged about $1 million. In 2004, I received the Scrivener Award, becoming the first African American to receive it.

Harris: You used the prize money to create the Mary Thomas Award. Why?

Thomas: I didn’t do the work alone. I wanted to invest in leadership. I said if the foundation started with $10,000, I could use mine to continue a vision of leadership.

That fund has now grown to about $250,000 and still supports leaders today.

Harris: What drew you to CFLeads, and what challenges did you see?

Thomas: After 25 years at the foundation, I knew it was time for a pivot. CFLeads aligned with my purpose. I had helped bring community leadership into the foundation, and now I could lead that work nationally.

Harris: How do you know when it’s time to pivot?

Thomas: You feel it in your gut. The environment gives you signs. If the fire isn’t there anymore, and your work is purpose-driven, you know it’s time.

Harris: How do nonprofits close the gap between fundraising and strategy?

Thomas: Begin with the end in mind. Ask why and so what. Strategic thinking and fundraising go hand in hand.

Harris: You mentor many young professionals. Is that intentional?

Thomas: Yes. I had great mentors who showed me what was possible. I try to do the same, though I wish I could do more.

Harris: What does legacy mean to you?

Thomas: Legacy is everything. It’s about integrity, consistency, and investing in others. I want to leave impact everywhere I go.

Harris: I’d next like to talk about Leading Below the Line. What I mean by that is that oftentimes we don’t know what’s going on beneath the surface — for leaders and for their teams — and we have to dive in and find out exactly what’s at play in order to make a project or a plan successful. What does it mean to you?

Thomas: It means going deeper — listening to your team, asking questions, and understanding what’s beneath the surface before making decisions.

Harris: Do you have a hero? 

Thomas: My dad. He showed perseverance, resilience, and faith. He built everything himself, and his journey inspires me.