Qiana Austin

Qiana Austin serves Senior Vice President, Community Investments and Programs, providing key support to scholarship fund donors, advisors and volunteer boards for Foundation for the Carolinas' 150 scholarship grantmaking programs, awarding more than $4.2 million to more than 1,000 students each year. 

Additionally, Qiana provides oversight for Foundation For Black Philanthropy, a competitive grantmaking program that supports organizations addressing disparities in the African American Community. Qiana’s prior responsibilities at the Foundation included overseeing the day-to-day delivery of the employee disaster and hardship relief funds.

Prior to working at the Foundation, Qiana worked in higher and public education as an educator, financial aid counselor and scholarships officer. Qiana understands the priceless value of a postsecondary education and believes that education should be both accessible and affordable. 

Qiana received a B.A. in English from North Carolina A&T State University and holds a Master in Public Administration with a concentration in Public Policy from Bowie State University. Qiana participated in Community Building Initiative’s Leaders Under 40 and currently serves as a member and relationship manager of the New Generation of African American Philanthropists – a collective giving circle, the Unite Charlotte Review Committee with United Way, Charlotte Business Journal’s Power 100 Class of 2023 as well as the American Leadership Forum Senior Fellow – class of XXI. She is also a member of the GenerationNation Board.