Sophia Fifner is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Columbus Metropolitan Club (CMC), the only organization in Central Ohio focused on serving as a force for influential leaders, civic engagement, and community conversations since 1976.

Fifner oversees all operations for the organization, including CMC’s weekly town hall-style forums where engaged citizens hear from speakers on a variety of newsworthy and relevant topics of community interest for the region’s nearly 2 million residents.

Previously she held leadership roles at NiSource, where she served as director of corporate social responsibility and executive director of the NiSource Charitable Foundation. As a leader, she helped the organization revamp its mission, vision and values for NiSource’s nearly 7,5000 employees across the Midwest. Additionally, her team was responsible for public relations efforts for key events like Investor Day at the New York Stock Exchange, launching NiSource’s corporate reputation plan, and managing the philanthropic assets of a $38M charitable foundation. Her leadership helped to position NiSource as a competitive leader recognized on the Forbes list of Best Employers for Women 2022 and, for the first time, named to the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook, recognizing NiSource as one of the world’s most sustainable companies.

Fifner is a seasoned nonprofit executive with experience in corporate affairs, philanthropy, and communications. She launched her career in philanthropy and public policy, working first as a staff assistant under Senator George Voinovich in Washington. From there, Fifner became more deeply involved in fundraising and public affairs as political action committee and campaign finance manager at Nationwide and, later, as director of corporate philanthropy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, director of public relations and communications at I Know I Can, and most recently as community relations chief with the City of Columbus.

Over time, Fifner has raised and stewarded over $450 million in funds to support social impact and has worked with over 150 corporations, including companies like Walmart, RE/MAX, and Speedway, to launch national philanthropy campaigns. Last, Fifner has served as a strategic senior advisor for S&P 500 CEOs and executives on messaging, channels, and delivery style with publications such as MSNBC, Bloomberg, Forbes, Fast Company, and the Wall Street Journal.

Fifner is active on boards for prominent gender equity and anti-sexual violence organizations. Fifner currently gives her time to Marsys’ Law for Ohio, Freedom a la Cart, the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence and the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. Currently, she serves as chair of the Women’s Fund of Central Ohio’s and the Ohio Crime Victims Justice Center’s board of directors.

In addition to her board service, she is an alumna of the Jo Ann Davidson Leadership Institute, the John Glenn College of Public Affairs’ NEW Leadership program, the American Enterprise Institute’s Leadership Network, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission board of commissioners, and was recognized as Columbus CEO magazine’s Future 50 Class of 2021.

Fifner has a bachelor’s degree in speech communications from Miami University and a master’s in marketing and communications from Franklin University in Columbus. She is a CFRE (certified fund raising executive) and earned her PAC (political action committee) & Grassroots Advocacy certification from the Public Affairs Council.

Fifner lives in Columbus with her husband, two daughters, and standard poodle – George Washington.