Her Story
About Camilla
Camilla Holbrook currently serves as Executive Director of the Breckenridge Legacy Foundation in Morganfield, Kentucky, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving quality of life in Union County through recreation and housing initiatives. In this role, she oversees strategic planning, donor relations, community engagement, and daily operations, guiding the organization's mission to strengthen the local community. She also serves as a part-time instructor in Cultural Awareness at the University of Southern Indiana, where she shares her cross-cultural expertise with the next generation of students. Her passion for public service traces back to her high school years, when she first volunteered with Amnesty International—an experience that planted the seeds for a lifelong commitment to advocacy and community betterment.
Holbrook's professional path has taken her across the globe before ultimately leading her back home to Kentucky. She began her nonprofit career in 2019 as a fundraiser for Doctors Without Borders, gaining firsthand insight into the operational side of humanitarian work. She went on to spend time in Norway as a Sponsor and Event Coordinator for the Norwegian Professional Women's Football League, where she championed equality for women in sports and led a United Nations pilot initiative focused on sustainability in athletics. Her international experience continued with an internship at the Norwegian Delegation to UNESCO and the OECD in Paris, where she focused on education policy and media freedom. Over time, her global perspective evolved into a deep appreciation for the power of local action, inspiring her transition into rural community development work in her home state.
Academically, Holbrook holds a Bachelor of Arts in International/Global Studies from the University of Southern Indiana and a Master's degree in Development, Environment and Cultural Change from the University of Oslo. She credits much of her professional growth to a willingness to embrace unfamiliar challenges and pursue opportunities even when she didn't feel fully prepared for them, a mindset she now encourages in others—particularly young women who may hesitate to pursue roles unless they meet every qualification. Guided by the belief that meaningful change starts at the community level, Holbrook remains dedicated to giving her full effort to every task, no matter its scale, and to being part of something larger than herself.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Camilla
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my willingness to step outside my comfort zone and push myself, even when a role or challenge feels uncertain. I've noticed that women in particular tend to hold back from opportunities if they don't meet every single requirement, and I've made a conscious effort not to let that stop me. Instead, I've focused on learning and adapting along the way, trusting that the skills I need will come with time and effort.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is simple: whatever you do, do it well. I try to bring my full effort to every task, whether it's something small or something that carries a great deal of responsibility. Giving my best and taking ownership of what's in front of me has become a guiding principle in how I approach my work.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would encourage young women not to count themselves out of an opportunity just because they don't check every box on a list of requirements. Say yes to the challenge, apply for the role, and trust that you'll learn and grow into it. Some of my most meaningful professional growth has come from taking on positions that stretched me beyond what I thought I was ready for.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges facing nonprofits, especially local community development organizations, is that demand for our services keeps growing while financial pressures make it harder to keep up. Inflation has intensified needs among the families and communities we serve, while simultaneously straining the financial resources organizations rely on to deliver that support.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
No matter what I'm doing, I want to help make the world a little better than it was the day before. I take real pride in being part of something bigger than myself — in contributing to my community and being part of the effort that drives it forward and creates positive change.
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