Louisa McCune

Louisa Douglas McCune (1970 – August 10, 2024) was a philanthropy executive and magazine editor, working in the contemporary arts and animal well-being. She was the executive director of the [http://kirkpatrickfoundation.com Kirkpatrick Foundation] in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where she was engaged with arts and culture, education, animal well-being, environmental conservation, and historic preservation. Under McCune's direction, the foundation has established two major animal well-being initiatives for the state of Oklahoma, to make the state "the safest and most humane place to be an animal by 2032" (launched in 2012), and to increase Oklahoma's cat and dog "live release" rate to 90 percent by 2025 (launched in 2018). Both of these efforts are a part of the foundation's [https://safeandhumaneoklahoma.org Safe & Humane] initiative.

McCune was also the editor in chief and co-founder of ''[https://readartdesk.com ArtDesk]'', a contemporary arts magazine published quarterly by the Kirkpatrick Foundation. Her background in publishing and editing includes a thirteen-year term as editor in chief of ''Oklahoma Today'' (1997–2011), preceded by an internship at ''Harper's Magazine'' and freelance work for ''[https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/15/business/philanthropic-magazines-circulation-rises-along-with-interest-in-giving.html The American Benefactor]'', ''[http://www.worth.com Worth]'', ''George'', ''Mirabella'', ''New York'', ''[https://greenmagazine.com Green]'', and ''Harper's Magazine's'' Franklin Square Press ''[https://books.google.com/books/about/Fools_for_Scandal.html?id=iMntAAAAMAAJ Fools for Scandal: How the Media Invented Whitewater].'' Her first job in journalism was at the ''Enid News & Eagle'' (1994–1995)'','' as a general assignment reporter. McCune's last publishing project was ''[http://www.oupress.com/ECommerce/Book/Detail/2340/love%20can%20be Love Can Be: A Literary Collection About Our Animals]'' (Kirkpatrick Foundation, 2018)'','' which she co-edited with Teresa Miller. The book was distributed by the University of Oklahoma Press.

McCune often credited a number of influencers in her work, including Christian Keesee (chairman, Kirkpatrick Foundation), Steven Walker (principal, [http://www.wcreative.com Walker Creative]), Joan Henderson (former publisher, ''Oklahoma Today''), and Lewis Lapham (editor, Lapham's Quarterly).

McCune died August 10, 2024, aged 54, from cancer. Provided by Wikipedia