Cathy and Jeff Lyttle are passionate about supporting the central Ohio community through volunteer service and philanthropy.
The Lyttles, who have been married for 38 years, first met while working in the newsroom at 10TV. Over the years, as they built a life together, raised their son, Jack, and progressed in their careers, Cathy and Jeff found themselves wanting to do more to give back to the community. The couple, who live in Powell, felt they had a responsibility to get involved through volunteer service and philanthropy.
“There’s so much in our community that needs our attention,” explained Cathy. “We were ready to roll up our sleeves and do our part to help solve big challenges in the community. It was just a matter of figuring out where we could make the greatest impact. For us, it was a duty that we knew we were bound to.”
In 2023, Cathy, who grew up near the southernmost point of Ohio, retired from her position as the Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Worthington Industries after more than two decades with the company. Throughout her professional career and into retirement, Cathy has given generously of her time and talent by serving on numerous nonprofit boards. Currently, she chairs the Columbus Youth Foundation, a Supporting Foundation of The Columbus Foundation dedicated to increasing opportunities for economically disadvantaged youth to participate in recreation and sports, as well as the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation and the Matriots Education Fund. She also previously served on the boards of CelebrateOne, Columbus State Community College, Experience Columbus, Franklin Park Conservatory, Leadership Columbus, and LifeCare Alliance, among other organizations.
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Jeff has also been a dedicated community volunteer for many years. A lifelong central Ohioan who grew up in Westerville, Jeff is the past Board President of the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation and former Chair of the Community Shelter Board. He also served as a trustee for several central Ohio nonprofits, including the Center of Science and Industry (COSI), I Know I Can, and The Center for Family Safety and Healing at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Outside of his board service, Jeff is an Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase & Co., where, among his many roles over 28 years, he managed the company’s philanthropic giving and community engagement across several states, including Ohio.
Jeff credited his and Cathy’s professional experiences, along with their respective companies’ commitment to corporate philanthropy, for providing them valuable exposure to central Ohio’s nonprofit landscape. These experiences also introduced the Lyttles to other local leaders who are dedicated to strengthening and improving the community through service and charitable giving, helping Cathy and Jeff build relationships—and friendships—that continue to shape their philanthropy today.
Our professional roles gave us a great opportunity to get to know the nonprofits in the community. It gave us a lens of the community that we might not otherwise have had,” said Jeff. “It’s been eye-opening. It’s great to be part of the generous ecosystem that’s been built here.”
“I imagine a day sitting around the table where the six of us can talk about what we think is important in the community and the organizations we should be supporting. Maybe you can’t change the world with a single gift, but you certainly can make a difference.”
— CATHY LYTTLE
Wanting to be more strategic and impactful with their personal giving, the Lyttles decided to establish the Cathy and Jeff Lyttle Family Fund, a Donor Advised Fund at The Columbus Foundation, in 2015. Through their fund, the Lyttles have given generously to organizations that are improving the quality of life in central Ohio, including the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation, Columbus Humane, Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation, Columbus State Community College Development Foundation, Inc., Friends of the Conservatory, and Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation, among other nonprofits.
As Cathy and Jeff shared, working with The Columbus Foundation has provided them with valuable resources and knowledge of community needs. “The Columbus Foundation has been a true partner in our philanthropy, both personally and professionally,” said Jeff. “We look to the Foundation for insight and counsel.”
“We’ve had a front row seat to the community in many respects,” Cathy added. “We are doers and we want to be engaged—that is just who we are.”
In addition to the many contributions they’ve made to the community over the years, Cathy and Jeff are also proud grandparents to two young granddaughters—the ninth generation of Lyttles in Ohio. Looking toward the future, Cathy and Jeff said they look forward to one day involving their grandchildren in charitable giving, alongside their son and daughter-in-law, Tori.
“I imagine a day sitting around the table where the six of us can talk about what we think is important in the community and the organizations we should be supporting,” said Cathy. “Maybe you can’t change the world with a single gift, but you certainly can make a difference.”