Lydia Parkey to lead St. Bernards Foundation

The St. Bernards Foundation, which supports fundraising, volunteerism and community awareness for the nonprofit healthcare system, St. Bernards Healthcare, has named Lydia Parkey as its next president.

She replaces Kila Montgomery who was appointed to the position in January of 2020. Montgomery has taken a job in another city.

Parkey moves into her new role after spending 10 years at St. Bernards. She most recently served nine years as director of physician marketing and executive director for St. Bernards Medical Group, the region’s largest voluntary association of physicians and other healthcare providers.

Now with the foundation, Parkey will work with hundreds of volunteers, thousands of donors and a board of directors to fund development efforts and to further education and healthcare programs that support St. Bernards.

“I never dreamed of working in healthcare,” Parkey said. “Now, 10 years later, I love the mission, the care we provide and the team that provides it at St. Bernards. My role with the foundation gets to support each of them.”

A graduate of Samford University in Birmingham, Ala., Parkey has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications.

She subsequently moved to Washington, D.C., working eight years under Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV from her home state of West Virginia.

Since moving to Jonesboro in 2013, Parkey has been involved with numerous philanthropic and community organizations, including Junior Auxiliary of Jonesboro, St. Bernards Advocates, Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce, St. Bernards Women’s Council, United Way of Northeast Arkansas and the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas, among others.