Kay Chitty,
grants committe chair

"Being a member of Women Making A Difference brings me in contact with wonderful women of all ages that I would not otherwise meet.

As a member of the grant committee, I get to hear how they think, how they make decisions, and what their values are. As one of the older members of Women Making a Difference, I find it wonderfully reassuring that so many intelligent, thoughtful, responsible young women are seriously considering how they can contribute to the well being of others. It's a fantastic group."

A native South Carolinian, Kay Chitty holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Nursing from Emory University and her doctorate from the University of Tennessee. Kay practiced nursing for more than 40 years, receiving numerous honors and awards throughout her distinguished career, highlights of which include establishing the first independent nursing practice in North Carolina in 1978 and holding faculty appointments at the University of South Carolina, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she served as Dean of the School of Nursing from 1988 to 1993. Upon her retirement, Memorial Hospital established the Kay K. Chitty Professorship in Nursing at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to honor her service as chairperson of that hospital's board.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Dr. Chitty has served in leadership roles on the boards of a number of not-for-profit agencies, including Family and Children’s Services, Girls, Inc., the Metropolitan Council for Community Services, Memorial Hospital, and the Chattanooga Area Community Foundation.

Since retiring to South Carolina in 1997, she has worked on a variety of initiatives with the Coastal Community Foundation, Crisis Ministries, Florence Crittenton Programs of South Carolina, the College of Nursing at the Medical University of South Carolina, and Women Making A Difference.