For Vicki Mayo, chief executive officer of the Mayo Family Foundation, leadership doesn’t begin with influence or resources—it begins with understanding. Her work has always centered around one core belief: empathy is the gateway to impact. Over the past three years, she has led the foundation through an era of bold reinvention, focused not just on expanding reach, but deepening connection with those it serves.
Under Mayo’s guidance, the Mayo Family Foundation has launched new mental health programs, invested in youth-centered nonprofits and responded to shifting social dynamics with agility and compassion. She’s cultivated a model of leadership that rejects surface-level solutions in favor of human-centered change. It’s an approach that has reshaped how the foundation operates—from how partnerships are formed to how outcomes are defined.
Progress, in Mayo’s world, is built on presence. Whether she is mentoring Afghan girls, collaborating with local organizations or advising global partners, her ability to listen deeply and hold space has proven more powerful than any traditional strategy. That ethos has also helped the foundation strengthen its internal culture, where team members are encouraged to speak boldly, challenge assumptions and design initiatives that matter.
Her recognition as a Titan 100 Honoree has amplified that mission. The program provides opportunities to share stories often hidden behind data—stories of resilience, innovation and transformation. Mayo views this visibility not as validation, but as an invitation to do more: more listening, more collaboration and more courageous action. One of her proudest achievements this past year has been building sustainable systems for growth that honor the individual while serving the whole.
When asked what skill she would master instantly, Mayo offered no typical business answer. She would choose the ability to truly understand others—the kind of emotional clarity that transcends language, fear or trauma. To her, empathy is a “mind-reading” power rooted not in magic, but in intention. She strives daily to hear the unspoken, honor silence and create environments where people feel seen. That commitment turns trust into action and dialogue into progress.
The most profound leadership lesson she’s embraced recently is the power of stillness. In a world that rewards speed and output, Mayo has discovered the strength of pausing—to reflect, recalibrate and ensure alignment with purpose. That awareness has enabled her to navigate complexity with clarity and remain focused on long-term transformation.
Her vision for the coming year includes building more access points for underserved youth, scaling mentorship initiatives and investing in innovation within the nonprofit space. Mayo continues to support emerging leaders, particularly young women of color, by creating platforms that amplify their voices and elevate their agency.
The Mayo Family Foundation has become a model for responsive, heart-led philanthropy. But it is Mayo’s unwavering commitment to human connection that sets her apart. She leads with intuition, grounded by insight, and reminds us all that the deepest change often begins with the quiet act of understanding.
That is what defines a Titan—and why Mayo’s presence is as transformative as the work she leads.
