Nara Topp

Nara Topp is a program officer for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan. In this role, she works within the foundation to support thriving children, working families and equitable communities.

Nara focuses on the foundation’s work in early childhood education. She is responsible for providing leadership and oversight for on-the-ground execution of program efforts, screening and recommending grants for funding, maintaining strong relationships with grant seekers and effectively communicating the foundation’s mission, vision, core values and strategy direction to internal and external groups.

Nara is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Southern California Global Education Executive Doctorate program. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Lawrence University, an elementary teaching certificate from the Master of Arts in curriculum and instruction from the University of Saint Thomas and a Master of Arts in public affairs from the University of Minnesota.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal innovator and entrepreneur, Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life.

The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special emphasis is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti. For more information, visit www.wkkf.org.