Diana Martin has been named executive director of the Hourglass Foundation, a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide reliable information to Lancaster County leaders to ensure informed decisions and make Lancaster a better place to live and work. She assumed the role on Aug. 2.

Martin most recently served for six years as the director of communications and marketing at the Rodale Institute. Before holding that position, Martin was the communications manager at the Lancaster County Community Foundation, where she helped start initiatives like the Extraordinary Give. Martin lives in Lancaster city and is a graduate of Manheim Township High School and Syracuse University. She is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration and a master's degree in sustainable food systems at Prescott College.

Hourglass conducts research on trends happening in the community, consults leaders and informs the public through publications and forums, and encourages collaboration and innovative thinking on key quality-of-life areas such as Lancaster city vitality, public education, growth and land use, and environmental stewardship.

Among Martin's aims at Hourglass is to lead the organization through a strategic planning process. To be involved in Hourglass events, become a member at http://www.hourglasslancaster.org/membership.

The Hourglass board of directors includes Art Mann Sr., Charles Milner Jr., Carol Philips, Michael Rowen, Timothy Lapp, Ronald Bailey, William Ebel Jr., Sidney Marland III, George Mann, Carol Simpson, Brian Davidson, Susan Eckert, Liz Martin, and Donald Roseman Jr.