Speakers

Saida is a longtime cultural organizer, activist, and seasoned nonprofit leader. She has guided statewide advocacy efforts promoting the rights of LGBTQ youth in foster care, education, and juvenile justice, winning critical new protections, and directed national art actions uplifting the visibility of Black girls, women, and LGBTQ communities. Founder of the Rooted Collective, a gathering of Black LGBTQ healing justice activists in Baltimore, Saida is dedicated to building radical healing spaces that move us towards freedom.

She comes to Funders from YWCA USA, where she served as Vice President of Member Services, directing a department responsible for stewarding a national network of over two hundred local associations serving 2.3 million women and girls annually. Prior to YWCA USA, Saida was Chief Operating Officer for FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture, an artist collective dedicated to ending rape culture. During Saida’s tenure, she guided critical coalition building efforts to ensure the success of key organizational projects, most notably, the display of the Monument Quilt on the National Mall, a collection of over three thousand quilt squares crowdsourced from survivors over several years.

In November 2017, Saida was named a Movement Maker by the Move to End Violence, a program of the NoVo Foundation. A graduate Cave Canem Fellow, she has received honors for her art and activism from the Baltimore Sun, R.W. Deutsch Foundation, Leeway Foundation, and the Blue Mountain Center. She holds a Masters of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania.

Jennifer Barksdale (she/her) joined the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation in 2007 and serves as Chief Finance and Operations Manager. A certified public accountant, Jennifer handles the organization’s budgeting, financial accounting and reporting, audit and tax coordination, grant accounting and human resources. She serves as a liaison for the Foundation’s investment committee and financial advisers who oversee a portfolio of market-rate investments that adhere to environmental, social and governance best practices. Jennifer also manages financial aspects of program-related investments. 

For eight years, Jennifer taught Accounting and Financial Reporting for Governmental and Not-for-Profit Organizations as an adjunct professor at Wake Forest University. Her previous positions include chief financial officer for NC Child, finance director for Uplift, Inc. and audit manager for Arthur Andersen. Jennifer is a member of the North Carolina Association of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs. 

In her spare time, Jennifer serves on the the board of directors and as Treasurer of the Riverwood Therapeutic Riding Center. She also serves on the board of the Children’s Law Center of Central North Carolina as well as the Philanthropy Southeast board of directors where she is Secretary-Treasurer and Chair of Finance Committee. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Wake Forest University. 

Scott Alarcón began his career with Georgetown Hospital in 1999. He then held several progressively responsible management roles culminating with his promotion to Chief Operating Officer of Georgetown Hospital in early 2006. He then transitioned to the Georgetown Health Foundation in late 2007 as its Chief Operating Officer and became the foundation’s Chief Executive Officer in 2009. A lifelong Williamson County resident, Scott received his Bachelor of Business Administration from Baylor University and a Masters in Health Services Management from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. He also holds the designation of Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a BoardSource Certified Governance Consultant.

He has served in a number of leadership positions for local civic organizations and has been instrumental in the expansion and implementation of innovative projects in support of health care and education throughout Central Texas. Currently, he is a member of the St. David’s HealthCare Board of Governors, and Chairman of the Lone Star Circle of Care Board of Directors. Scott has also previously served as a three-term Trustee for the Georgetown Independent School District Board of Trustees and Board President for five years, Past Chairman of the American Council on Exercise Board of Directors, past member of the Children at Heart Ministries Board and a past member of the Executive Committee for The Georgetown Caring Place Board of Directors, past Member of the Executive Committee for The Boys and Girls Club of Georgetown Board of Directors and past STARRY Board Member.

He is a long-time supporter of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and served as its Chairman of the Board in 2006.

In 2006, he received the Healthcare Cornerstone Award from the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and in 2012 he was recognized with the Distinguished Service Award from the American College of Healthcare Executives. In 2013, he was named the Citizen of the Year by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce.

Scott and his wife Gretchen reside in Georgetown and are proud parents. They are actively involved at Celebration Church at the Leander/Liberty Hill location.

Erin Gibson Allen combines her diverse professional background with a passion for problem-solving to deliver strategic legal guidance to employers. With expertise spanning labor and employment law, workplace investigations, and non-profit governance, Erin is a trusted advisor who helps organizations navigate complex challenges while protecting their reputations and fostering strong leadership.
 
With extensive leadership experience on non-profit boards, Erinʼs practice includes advising non-profit and tax-exempt organizations on general employment issues, board governance, organizational management, executive search, and leadership oversight. She has served in multiple board chair and committee roles across the performing arts, higher education, healthcare, and human services sectors.

Drawing on her background as a journalist, Erin leverages her investigative skills to design and execute thorough workplace investigations. She has handled complex cases involving senior leadership complaints, employee theft, workplace safety concerns, and allegations of harassment and discrimination. Erin frequently speaks on best practices for effective workplace investigations.

Her media experience also makes Erin a key member of the firmʼs Reputation and Crisis Management team. She helps employers protect and defend their public image, understanding the critical importance of a strong reputation.

Additionally, Erin advises employers on reductions in force, providing strategic guidance to ensure smooth transitions while minimizing legal risks and maintaining workforce morale.

In the labor space, Erin has represented employers in representation elections, collective bargaining, union grievances, strike contingency planning, and defense of unfair labor practice charges.

Before joining Fisher Phillips, she also represented employers in antitrust matters and complex litigation. Erin also worked as a law clerk in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania after earning her law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she served as president of the Pitt Law Womenʼs Association.

Erin is a sought-after speaker on career development, leadership cultivation, and board service. She has been interviewed by The New York Times and BBC News and has spoken at professional events and on various podcasts. In 2011, Erin collaborated with the Pittsburgh legal community to create “Back to the Bar,” an initiative offering education, training, and resources for attorneys re-entering the profession after a career break. She also serves as an adjunct professor and regularly speaks at law schools to help students successfully transition into the legal profession.

At the Trust, I support our statewide policy work in close partnership with diverse stakeholders including researchers, advocates, and organizers. By listening to the needs of communities and investing in local leaders—especially immigrants and people of color—I believe that we can build power for a healthier, more equitable future.

I Work On
Health Improvement in North Carolina
Healthy Places NC

My Proudest Accomplishment
At Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, I identified systemic issues with Medicaid access for immigrant families in our state. Based on barriers that my clients experienced, we negotiated changes to the N.C. Medicaid eligibility manual that resulted in increased access to care for thousands of immigrant children and pregnant women.

Before I Got Here

• Co-lead, Protecting Immigrant Families Campaign, a network of 500+ organizations united to advance, protect and defend access to health care and public benefit programs for immigrants and their families.
• Senior Policy Attorney, The Center for Law and Social Policy
• Senior Attorney for Health Care Access, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy
• Board Member, Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency

Education and Awards

• Bachelor of Science in Public Health, George Washington University
• Juris Doctor, Tulane University Law School
• Community Leadership Essentials, Center for Creative Leadership
• People Who Made Charlotte Better in 2015, Charlotte Observer
• New Leader in Advocacy Award, National Legal Aid & Public Defender Association
• Leadership North Carolina, Class 31 Graduate
   

When the Day is Done
Inside and outside of work, I love building community and bringing people together. After many years away, my husband and I are happy to be back in our hometown of Greensboro, NC, with our two young kids. On the weekends, you’ll find me spending time with friends and family, planning our next trip, exploring thrift shops, and taking yoga classes.

I have been in healthcare for over 26 years. I received my Master of Social Work in April 2024 from Chamberlain University. I received my Licensed Master's Social Work in August 2024. 

I was able to observe how the E2 program operates during my first internship at the Family Success Center of Etowah County from May to August 2023.  In July 2024, the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama offered me the E2 life coach position. I typically meet with 4-5 students weekly to provide encouragement and guidance as they work toward their educational goals and learn to balance their other obligations.

I have had two students successfully graduate from the E2 program during my time as the E2 life coach. Additionally, I serve as the Hope Family counselor at the Family Success Center of Etowah County, which is a program funded by the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama to provide free mental health counseling to individuals, couples, and families in the area. I also serve as the Physician Assisted Autism Diagnostic Clinic Program Director and an Alabama Youth Relationship Education community educator at the Family Success Center of Etowah County. 

Matt Bank is the Chief Investment Officer at GEM. In this role, Matt oversees the firm’s policy construction, asset allocation, and portfolio strategies. Prior to joining GEM in 2018, Matt spent six years as a Partner at Windhorse Capital Management, an outsourced investment office for families and institutions. Prior to Windhorse, he spent five years at Goldman, Sachs & Co. in New York. Matt is currently a Trustee and member of the Endowment & Investment Committee of Blumenthal Arts. He received a B.A. in Government from Dartmouth College where he graduated with honors, and an M.B.A. from the Tuck School of Business. He is also a CFA Charterholder.

Sara Barba is Managing Partner at Integer, LLC, where she leads the government relations practice. She is known for her coalition-building expertise and substantive tax policy knowledge.

At Integer, Sara represents individual, corporate and nonprofit tax interests on Capitol Hill and in the Administration, developing and executing strategic advocacy efforts to advance clients’ priorities in the tax code. Her experience includes regulatory and legislative analysis, local engagement with Members of Congress, bill writing, and coordination of sector-wide advocacy campaigns.

Prior to Integer, Sara was Vice President at Urban Swirski & Associates, LLC and held several positions with Members of Congress, including Representative Mike Coffman (R-CO) and Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO). She worked both in district and in Washington, DC, where she supported policy, communications and field staff.

Sara holds a Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, and she graduated with honors from the University of Missouri, Columbia, with bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and Political Science. She was named to the Top Lobbyist list by the National Institute of Lobbying and Ethics in 2025. She is a skilled writer and editor, and her work is featured in Wealth Management and Trusts & Estates where she provides insightful analysis of breaking financial issues and policy trends to watch for in Washington.

Sherra Bennett is an accomplished nonprofit executive and philanthropic leader with over 15 years of experience advancing community well-being through effective leadership, strategic partnerships, and organizational development. She currently serves as Senio Program Officer Officer at the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, where she leads the Movement Building, Leadership Development, and Community Change portfolio—supporting Arkansas communities in building long-term resilience and opportunity.

Sherra is native Arkansas, and a proud daughter of the Arkansas Delta region, Sherra brings a principled approach to her work grounded in both professional rigor and a deep commitment to public service. Her career began as a Field Organizer with a presidential campaign, where she developed a passion for civic engagement, equity, and service. Since then, she has held senior roles including Nonprofit Founder, Executive Director, Director of Operations, Program Director, and Principal Consultant, guiding mission-driven organizations in achieving measurable outcomes across sectors such as human services, youth development, and grassroots leadership.

Sherra is a two-time graduate of the University of Michigan, holding a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. Her professional ethos is shaped by this interdisciplinary foundation—blending strategic communication with ethical, community-based social work practices. Her work has extended across the U.S. and internationally, with impact efforts in Africa, Germany, Italy, Haiti, and The Netherlands.

Sherra is also a Presidential Leadership Scholar and a Grantmakers for Southern Progress Fellow. She has been recognized as a “Woman to Watch” for her contributions to advancing leadership and community solutions. Her leadership style is defined by authenticity, collaboration, and the belief that sustainable change stems from investing in people, institutions, and ideas that uplift the common good.

Shell Knox Berry is the President and CEO of the Community Foundation for the CSRA. Shell joined the Community Foundation in 2015 and since that time, she, her team of professional staff, and the Board have strengthened its mission to engage, inform, and inspire donors and nonprofits to build a stronger and more vibrant community. Under her leadership, the organization has grown from just over $60 million in assets to over $215 million, has received $234 million in charitable gifts, has made over $184 million in grants to a wide array of charitable needs and has added more than $50 million in net value through its investment portfolio.

Shell has professional skills in non-profit management, finance, and business; however, it is her passion and vision for her community that makes her work for the Community Foundation impactful. Her professional background includes development for the Atlanta Ballet, investment banking for Banc of America Securities in Chicago and Atlanta, and ownership of a retail business.

She has served her community through significant volunteer and leadership roles throughout her adult life. Currently, she serves as a member of the HUB Augusta Collaborative Board of Directors, the Augusta Economic Development Authority, Augusta Tomorrow Board of Directors, and Union Presbyterian Seminary Board of Trustees. Shell recently served as the co-chair of the Georgia Grantmakers Alliance. She was a member of the Leadership Augusta Class of 2018, the Leadership Georgia Class of 2011 and is an elder at Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church. She has a BA in communications from Wake Forest University and a Masters of Management from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She lives in Augusta, Georgia with her husband, Reab Berry, Jr., and are parents to three children, Reab, Mac and Wyckie.

Colleen Briggs is Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility and President of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC).  In this role, she is responsible for advancing the company’s purpose to improve the health and well-being of customers and communities.

Prior to joining Blue Cross NC, she was Head of Inclusive Economies and Banking within the Office of Corporate Responsibility at JPMorgan Chase & Co.  Colleen was responsible for helping establish and execute the firm’s strategies to promote inclusive products and practices, including advising the development and implementation of the firm’s $30 billion commitment to advance economic inclusion by harnessing the firm’s products, hiring, philanthropy and advocacy. She also led strategic initiatives for the JPMorgan Foundation, including developing and managing global strategies for community development, affordable housing, and small business.

Previously, Colleen was the Economic Policy Advisor to Senator Debbie Stabenow. In this role, she managed the Senator’s economic portfolio, including policy related to financial services, tax, small business, job creation, community development, manufacturing, and housing. Colleen managed the Dodd-Frank market reforms for the Senate Agriculture Committee, and helped draft the Recovery Act, TARP, the Dodd-Frank Act, and health care reform.

Colleen is on the Board of the Dix Park Conservancy. She earned an MBA from the Yale School of Management and a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Ivan is passionate about leadership, social change, and service to community, and has been involved with nonprofits, foundations, civic organizations, and his Triad community over many years as a staff member, volunteer, consultant, and board member. Before joining the Center as President & CEO, Ivan was executive director of North Carolina for Community and Justice (NCCJ), where he began as a board member before joining its staff. He has also worked with the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, Guilford Green Foundation, and Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants & Hotels. Ivan currently serves as a board member with the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, Carolina Pride Alum Network, Equality North Carolina, UNC-Greensboro Board of Visitors, and S.J. Edwards Foundation. He also served on the boards of the National Federation of Just Communities, Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN) National Board, and North Carolina Center for Nonprofits, where he was board chair and chair of the Center’s board nominations and equity committees.

Dena Chadwick was named president and CEO of Philanthropy Southeast in June 2024. She has been with the organization since 2009, including serving as chief operating officer with her predecessor and mentor, Janine Lee.

Dena played a leading role in the development of the Equity Framework, the organization’s groundbreaking commitment to inspire and strengthen learning, leadership and actions within Southern philanthropy dedicated to the advancement of equity in the field and region. The Framework, adopted in 2019, has since influenced the development of a new mission and vision. Dena is also a key architect of Philanthropy Southeast’s Courageous Leadership Strategy, which calls on the organization to take risks and make leaps that mobilize the people and resources needed to address critical issues facing philanthropy in the South and communities in the South.

Throughout her career at Philanthropy Southeast, Dena has leveraged her expertise and prior experience to ensure effective stewardship of financial resources. Working with the Board of Trustees and Finance Committee, she has led work that has placed Philanthropy Southeast in a strong and sustainable position. She also spearheaded successful efforts to operationalize the organization’s commitment to equity, including the creation and adoption of a DEI Policy and a new Employee Handbook.

In addition to her work at Philanthropy Southeast, Dena serves on the board of the United Philanthropy Forum. She also served as a board member for The Museum School of Avondale Estates from December 2010 to January 2013 and served as its Treasurer from December 2010 to June 2012. She continues to serve on its Advisory Board.

Dena began her career in philanthropy as a staff accountant and assistant controller with the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation in 1991. She earned a bachelor’s of business administration degree in accounting from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta.

Dena, an Atlanta native, has two adult children. She lives with her partner and their two dogs and enjoys when the house is full and everyone comes home.

Leng Leng Chancey is the Director of the Racial Justice and Equity Fund (RJEF) at the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative (ECFC). In this role, she oversees all aspects of RJEF, including fundraising, grantmaking, funder education, and relationship-building with grantee partners and external collaborators. RJEF is dedicated to increasing funding, capacity, and influence for leaders and organizations rooted in historically underserved communities.

Prior to joining ECFC, Leng Leng was the President and CEO of 9to5, the National Association of Working Women. Under her leadership, 9to5 became a driving force for community-led solutions advancing economic, gender, and racial justice. In 2020, under her guidance, 9to5 led the passage of Paid Medical Leave Insurance legislation in Colorado, a landmark achievement that guarantees millions of workers access to paid leave for health and caregiving needs.

Throughout her career, Leng Leng has led national campaigns on reproductive justice, immigration, worker rights, and child care. She has held leadership positions spanning direct service to national policy and advocacy. In 2023, she was selected as a Rockefeller Bellagio Resident, where she worked on a book amplifying the voices of marginalized communities.

Leng Leng serves on the boards of the Southeast Immigrant Rights Network (SEIRN), Mothering Justice Action Fund, and Rewire News Media. Originally from Singapore, she earned a BA in History and Asian Studies from Washington State University and pursued post-graduate studies at the University of Arizona.

Ed Chaney advises tax-exempt organizations on a broad range of tax and corporate matters, including organization formation, structure, and governance, ongoing tax and regulatory compliance, investment of charitable assets, and complex organizational structures and transactions.  Mr. Chaney’s clients are located across the country and have included private and community foundations, donor advised fund sponsors, colleges and universities, community economic development organizations, charter school management organizations, and a variety of other operating charities.

Mr. Chaney graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law and has practiced in D.C. and North Carolina.  Prior to attending law school, Mr. Chaney worked for ten years in the nonprofit sector, serving in a variety of staff and board positions.  He speaks and writes frequently on the law of nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations.  Among other engagements, he has presented at Georgetown University Law Center CLE’s Representing and Managing Tax-Exempt Organizations and at the University of Texas School of Law CLE’s Nonprofit Organizations Institute.  He has also served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the UNC School of Law, where he taught the Law of Nonprofit Organizations.  Mr. Chaney lives in the Chapel Hill area with his wife, Mandy Hitchcock, and their children, and is obsessed with photography in his spare time.

Jolley Bruce Christman serves as a third-generation trustee for the Jolley Foundation. She is a Greenville, South Carolina native, and settled in Philadelphia after college. There, she worked as a high school teacher, teacher educator, and school district administrator. In 1992, with her good friend Eva Gold, Jolley founded Research for Action, a non-profit organization that, through its research, seeks to improve the life chances of underserved youth by strengthening public schools and enriching the civic dialogue about public education. In her retirement, she has served on the boards of higher education institutions and community arts organizations and campaigned for fair funding for Philadelphia public schools. Jolley holds a B.A. from Randolph College and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.

Amy Clarke operationalizes the TogetherATL strategy at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta to catalyze transformational change. In her role, she leverages resources and team expertise to create access to opportunities for wealth building, upward economic mobility, civic engagement, power-shifting through democracy, and supporting arts groups in the creative industry. Before joining the Foundation team, Amy was the program director of the CF and Cousins Foundations, where she focused on building strong partnerships and trust across multiple areas of focus. She is adept at strategic and collaborative grantmaking to leverage various types of resources toward greater impact. She is a native of Pennsylvania and a graduate of Bloomsburg University.

Brittany Collins is a trusted, strategic advisor and social impact strategist with over a decade of experience in urban public education, community development, and the non- profit sector. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Betty and Davis Fitzgerald Foundation in Atlanta, GA. Prior to joining the philanthropic sector, she served as the Founding Director of PAACT: Promising All Atlanta Children Thrive, a citywide alliance of public and private partners focused on improving outcomes for young children in Atlanta. Under her leadership, she deployed a $2 million rapid response grant fund to stabilize the childcare sector and support families with young children during the pandemic. She was also instrumental with supporting Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens' administration to develop a comprehensive early childhood strategy that led to the development of a historic $20M investment fund to improve early childhood access across Atlanta neighborhoods. Prior to joining GEEARS, she served as the Managing Director of Program for OneGoal Metro Atlanta. In that role, she was chiefly responsible for setting, defining and managing the overall direction of the OneGoal program in Atlanta, ensuring efficiency and efficacy in delivery of the model. Before joining OneGoal, Brittany served as a Community Development Advisor at Purpose Built Communities, a non-profit, community development consulting firm that works with local leaders to implement a holistic approach to revitalizing distressed neighborhoods. She managed approximately 18 start-up backbone organizations seeking to replicate and implement a national model. She specifically supported the development and identification of resources to deploy targeted housing, education, and community wellness intervention strategies to improve neighborhood health and life outcomes in over 18 cities; and developed tools to formalize public-private partnerships with a focus on scaling high quality early learning programs.

Mark D. Constantine joined the Dogwood Health Trust team in April 2023 as Senior Vice President of Community Investment. Prior to joining Dogwood, Mark served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Richmond Memorial Health Foundation (RMHF). He has served as senior vice president at the Jessie Ball duPont Fund in Jacksonville, Florida, where he directed the Program-Related Investment and affordable housing activities of the Fund.

Mark served for more than a decade as a consultant to foundations and national nonprofit organizations on issues related to governance, strategy, and learning. His clients included CFED, Demos, First Nations Development Institute, Ford Foundation, Lilly Endowment, Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Southern Education Foundation. In addition, he served as the assistant executive director of the Kathleen Price Bryan Family Fund and as a senior fellow of the Foundation for the Mid-South.

Mark has authored two books, Wit and Wisdom: Unleashing the Philanthropic Imagination (2009) and Travelers on the Journey: Pastors Talk about Their Lives and Commitments (2005), as well as the award-winning monograph, “Where Hope and History Rhyme: Reflections and Findings from the Mid-South Commission to Build Philanthropy (2005).” Wit and Wisdom was selected by the 2009 Philanthropy Annual Review as one of the two “notable titles” in the Social Justice Philanthropy category.

He holds a PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business (Duke University), and a Master of Theological Studies degree from Duke Divinity School. He was a 2006/2007 Fellow of the Emerging Leaders Program directed by the Centers for Leadership at Public Values at the University of Cape Town and Duke University. He serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the Virginia Funders Network, Co-Chair for the Jeffress Trust Awards Program in Research Advancing Health Equity and has served as a faculty member for the Grantmakers in Health Terrance Keenan Institute for Emerging Leaders in Health Philanthropy.

He is the proud father of Noah Balazs Constantine.

Betsy Conway is president of Truist Foundation and a philanthropic leader with more than 15 years of experience in corporate philanthropy, community engagement and workforce development. Her career spans leadership roles at Truist, Lowe’s, Novant Health and Duke Energy, with a focus on advancing economic opportunity through strategic philanthropy and cross-sector partnerships.

As president of Truist Foundation, Conway leads the Foundation’s work to expand economic opportunity and help communities thrive. In partnership with Truist teammates and nonprofit leaders, she advances efforts to create pathways to quality careers, strengthen small businesses and deliver lasting community impact.

Previously, as executive director of the Lowe’s Foundation, Conway shaped and led its national skilled trades strategy to support community and technical colleges and nonprofit organizations while expanding training capacity and pathways into skilled trades careers. Under her leadership, the foundation invested more than $60 million across 73 workforce development partners in 30 states from 2023 to 2026.

Conway also launched the Building Futures Skilled Trades Coalition, uniting more than 75 organizations around a shared goal of helping train and develop one million people for skilled trades careers by 2035. The coalition brings together educators, businesses and workforce organizations to expand proven training solutions, elevate skilled trades careers and measure progress from training to employment.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications from Northwestern University. Conway serves on the Central Piedmont Community College Foundation board and the Duke Mansion & Lee Institute board, and previously served on the board of the Association of Junior Leagues International.

Andy Davis brings more than 25 years of experience serving nonprofit organizations as a leader, educator, consultant, and governance expert. As Vice President of Education and Capacity Building at Georgetown Health Foundation, he leads initiatives that strengthen nonprofit organizations and community impact across Georgetown and Williamson County. His work focuses on developing educational opportunities, cultivating strategic partnerships, and building support networks that help identify where resources and investments can create the greatest community benefit.

Andy also serves as the Founding Strategic Lead and a Governing Board Member for the Center for Nonprofit Success, a regional capacity-building initiative serving nonprofit organizations across Central Texas. In this role, he helps guide the Center’s strategic direction, governance, and efforts to expand access to training, resources, and organizational development support for the nonprofit sector.

In addition to his foundation leadership, Andy works as an independent consultant and is a frequent speaker and presenter on nonprofit governance, board leadership, strategic planning, and organizational effectiveness.

Prior to joining Georgetown Health Foundation, Andy spent 15 years with BoardSource, the nation’s leading organization focused on nonprofit governance, most recently serving as Associate Vice President of Education and Outreach. During his tenure, he played a key role in developing the Purpose-Driven Board Leadership and Measuring Fundraising Effectiveness frameworks. He also co-created and led the Certificate of Nonprofit Board Consulting program, which has trained hundreds of nonprofit consultants nationwide.

Andy currently serves as Board Chair of Our Minds Matter in Washington, DC. He previously served as Chair of the National Advisory Council of AmeriCorps Alums and was a charter member of the Center for Nonprofit Advancement’s Board Leadership Awards. He holds a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Kim joined the Foundation in January 2025. He previously served as Senior Advisor and Delta Region Lead at the Walton Family Foundation, overseeing philanthropic efforts in Arkansas and Mississippi since 2015. A dedicated advocate for underserved communities, Kim has worked to enhance education, afterschool programs, homeownership, and workforce development through collaborative partnerships. Kim earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at the University of Saint Thomas and a Master of Education at the University of Saint Thomas. He enjoys spending time with his family, grilling, and hanging out with his dog Oreo.

Joanne Peters Denny has more than two decades of experience in media relations, message strategy, crisis and strategic communications planning. She has served as a trusted advisor to C-Suite leaders, U.S. cabinet secretaries, university chancellors and members of Congress, and has a track record of designing campaigns to communicate complex issues and achieve legislative and policy victories. 

Joanne currently serves as a Senior Director at APCO, a global advisory and advocacy firm helping clients navigate a complex world and create lasting impact.  She counsels clients on how to strengthen and protect their corporate reputation in today’s disruptive environment.

Prior to joining APCO, Joanne served as media relations director at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she led communications efforts to position the university as a leading global research institution, ran Carolina’s message strategy operation through the COVID-19 pandemic and provided counsel and media training to university leaders. In this role she also oversaw issues management and crisis response to a range of high-profile matters facing the university.

Previously Joanne served in senior communications roles in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was the national press secretary for health care at the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services during the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and the launch of HealthCare.gov. She also served as deputy director of the Office of Communications at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In this role she led communications efforts to build support for the department’s major policy priorities, including a national communications strategy that helped to secure passage of major Congressional legislation to address the opioid crisis.

Joanne began her career on Capitol Hill and has worked on congressional and presidential campaigns. In 2012, she served as a spokesperson for the re-election campaign of President Obama in the key battleground state of Virginia and was national press secretary for the Democratic National Convention, which was hosted in her hometown of Charlotte.

Joanne is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and lives in Raleigh.

Melissa approaches each day by asking two simple questions: who have I helped and what have I learned? She strives to serve each client by first listening to their needs and learning their business and culture. This thoughtful approach enables Melissa to provide legal counsel that not only mitigates legal risk but also reflects her clientsʼ values.

Melissaʼs practice is multifaceted. She counsels employers on a wide variety of day-to-day employment and labor issues, including wage and hour law, employee leave issues, reasonable accommodations, workplace harassment, and reductions-in-force. She assists employers in developing proactive employee relations programs, including developing employee handbooks and conducting supervisory training.

Melissa also defends employers responding to charges before administrative agencies like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

In addition, Melissa regularly represents clients in connection with mergers and acquisitions, representing both buyers and sellers, and provides advice on the many employment concerns related to these transactions. She also assists employers with a broad variety of executive compensation matters, including the drafting and negotiation of employment agreements, separation agreements, non-competition and confidentiality agreements, and commission and incentive compensation plans.

Melissaʼs passion for service is reflected in her non-profit practice. Melissa routinely advises health care organizations, educational institutions, museums, advocacy groups, and other non-profit organizations with respect to the employment and board governance issues they navigate daily.

Prior to joining Fisher Phillips, Melissa was Corporate Counsel and Compliance & Ethics Officer for a global, publicly-traded company. In this role, Melissa developed significant experience advising management on complex international employment and compliance matters. Accordingly, Melissaʼs unique perspective helps businesses “connect the dots” between their Human Resources and Compliance functions. Whether it is helping corporations develop effective anti-bribery and anti-corruption policies and due diligence procedures that also comply with seemingly conflicting employment laws, or designing corporate codes of conduct, Melissaʼs past experience provides firsthand understanding of the challenges facing todayʼs employer.

Passionate about helping children reach their full potential, Melissa volunteers in the Cleveland public schools and has served as a director for non-profits serving vulnerable children.

David is MDC’s past president and co-creator with Joan Lipsitz of MDC’s Passing Gear Philanthropy practice, which focuses philanthropic investments on the upstream causes of social disparities. He was a founder of MDC’s Passing Gear Philanthropy Institute, where he will continue working with Southern philanthropic partners.

David joined MDC in 1987, became president in 1999 upon the passing of founding President George Autry, and retired in 2020. He led place-based work across the South to address stalled economic mobility and build leadership to tackle unmet challenges on issues including rural development, community college reform, and postsecondary attainment, and he co-wrote MDC’s State of the South reports.

Prior to joining MDC, David served as executive director of the Cummins Engine Foundation and director of corporate responsibility for Cummins Engine Company in Columbus, Ind., a corporate innovator in creating workplace democracy and corporate responsibility under its legendary CEO, Irwin Miller, who showed how institutions can harness economic and institutional power to tackle barriers to shared wellbeing.

He is a member of the boards of the Public Welfare Foundation and the Center for Law and Social Policy, a eucharistic minister at his local Episcopal Church, and has been singing since childhood, currently with the Choral Society of Durham, its chamber choir, and The OK Chorale, an elite Durham a capella group that sings once a year at his neighborhood’s Fourth of July celebration.

David is a graduate of Yale University, where he received a B.A. in Architecture and Urban Policy and Master’s degrees in Divinity and in Public-Private Management.

Philanthropy is changing. Public funding is shifting, wealth is changing hands, and funders are being asked to prove impact, not just give. Robert “RD” Dortch, Jr. has spent his career rethinking how funding works. At a private family foundation, he led the team that reshaped its grantmaking, impact investing, and strategic partnerships. He chaired the board of Philanthropy Southeast, co-founded the Ujima Legacy Fund, and has directed more than $100 million in philanthropic investment. Today, as Principal of Jordan Sydnor Innovation Group, he helps funders do the same through his JSEG Strategic Readiness Framework. www.jordansydnor.com

Kelsey Dorton is an associate in the firmʼs Charlotte office and represents employers in all aspects of employment litigation.

Prior to joining Fisher Phillips, Kelsey worked for a national litigation defense law firm where she defended businesses and individuals in general liability, premises liability, employment discrimination, and commercial litigation matters. She began her legal career as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Guy R. Humphrey, Federal Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of Ohio.

Eleanor is a strategist, catalyst, and coach. Through her 30 years of work with nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, joint ventures and public-private partnerships, Eleanor offers a depth of experience in organizational development, governance, thought leadership, systems thinking and design, succession and executive search and coaching. Her philanthropic experience includes private, family, community, and health care conversion foundations and her work with nonprofits spans a wide range of mission focus areas. Her public-private partnership work has involved large corporations, small businesses, governmental agencies, academia, and nonprofit entities.

Her goal with every client is to lead with curiosity, seek discovery, build trust, explore solutions, and champion those who are working toward mission impact. Eleanor knows that organizational success is a people focused business. As an executive, consultant, and volunteer, she has worked with hundreds of leaders throughout the southeast and as an industry expert at national convenings and conferences.

Prior to joining FGP, Eleanor was the Chief Impact Officer of The Graham Foundation in Greenville, SC. Her previous roles include serving families and making home visits in rural SC, building collaborative initiatives to foster healthier communities and improve mental health, and developing strategies to increase racial equity and economic mobility. She earned an MPH from the University of South Carolina and a BA from Clemson University. She is a Liberty Fellow (a program of Aspen Institute’s Global Leadership Network), a Hull Fellow (a program of Philanthropy Southeast), and a Creating Healthier Communities Fellow (a program of the National Health Forum and American Hospital Association). Eleanor is an outdoors enthusiast and enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Emilie Elzein supports Direct Relief's Power for Health Initiative as Manager, advancing grant-funded solar and battery projects that strengthen energy resiliency and continuity of care for community health centers. In this role, she collaborates with health centers and technical partners to support funding, project development, and implementation of solar microgrids.

Prior to Direct Relief, she supported constituents in Santa Barbara County's 1st District with a focus on resilience initiatives and disaster response. Emilie's background includes community engagement, project management, and planning and development, with a professional focus on sustainability. As a first-generation American with family from Lebanon and the Seychelles, Emilie has a personal connection to advancing energy equity and resilience for communities affected by climate-driven risks and infrastructure vulnerabilities. 

For more than a decade, Sydney has sought professional opportunities at the intersection of place‐based philanthropy, community development finance, and local impact investing. Early in her career, Sydney supported grantmaking, impact investing, research, and convening functions at the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, a $300M private, place-based foundation located in Jacksonville, Florida. Following this experience, Sydney moved to Richmond, Virginia, to work at Locus, a community development organization. While there, Sydney worked as a strategy consultant supporting a diverse array of place-based foundations across the country. Through individualized and cohort consulting, Sydney helped numerous foundations develop local impact investing policy statements, operational guidelines, and deal evaluation frameworks. Collectively, Locus helped foundation clients allocate $175M to local impact investing. Beyond her work with foundations, Sydney also helped establish innovative financing funds, such as Invest Appalachia, LLC, and the Partners for Rural Transformation’s Persistent Opportunities Fund. Today, Sydney leads the Georgia Social Impact Collaborative's (GSIC) effort to build the infrastructure for impact investing across Georgia. In this role, Sydney convenes and educates mission-driven investors, connects community-rooted investment partners to sources of impact capital and pipelines, and brings together philanthropic and capital partners working at the intersection of place-based investing and community ownership. Outside of her role with GSIC, Sydney serves on the Community Advisory Board for Self Help Credit Union, which serves Atlanta’s West End.

Mark Ethridge leads Ascent Housing as Managing Principal. Ascent Housing has been a leader in Charlotte’s response to the affordable housing crisis, leveraging over $300 million to preserve more than 2,000 units of naturally-occurring affordable housing (NOAH) since 2019.

Prior to joining Ascent, Mark was a Vice President at Bellwether Enterprise Real Estate Capital where he arranged debt and equity financing for multi-family, mixed-use, office and retail projects.

Mark currently serves on the boards of Housing Impact Fund and Housing Collaborative. He co-chaired the City of Charlotte’s Source of Income ad hoc advisory committee in 2021/2022 and has served on variety of multi- sector initiatives addressing housing affordability and homelessness in the Charlotte region.

Mark is a Charlotte native and graduated from Princeton University in 2010.

Dr. James E. Ford is an award-winning educator, equity strategist, and public education advocate serving as Executive Director of the Center for Racial Equity in Education (CREED), a North Carolina–based nonprofit dedicated to eliminating racial disparities in education from early childhood through postsecondary systems. A nationally recognized voice on educational equity, systemic racism, and public policy, Ford previously served on the North Carolina State Board of Education from 2018–2023 and was named the 2014–2015 North Carolina Teacher of the Year after teaching World History and Sociology in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

In addition to leading CREED, Ford is the founder of Filling the Gap Educational Consultants, LLC, where he advises organizations on equity-centered strategy and professional learning. A two-time TEDx speaker, published columnist, and frequent commentator on education and democracy, his work focuses on closing the “knowing-doing gap” between research and practice in public education. Through CREED, Ford has helped advance statewide conversations on teacher diversity, culturally affirming education, school discipline, and race-conscious policy reform across North Carolina.

Dr. Laura Gerald is president of the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, one of North Carolina’s largest private foundations. A pediatrician who was born and raised in rural North Carolina, she has decades of leadership experience in health care delivery, rural health, philanthropy, and public health. Under Dr. Gerald’s leadership, the Trust has deepened its commitment to racial equity and systems change and announced in 2022 it will divest from tobacco and invest $100 million of the foundation’s corpus in socially responsible funds supporting North Carolina residents. Prior to joining the Trust, she served in critical roles focused on statewide health improvement including serving as the North Carolina State Health Director. Dr. Gerald holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges, a medical degree from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and a Master of Public Health degree from Harvard University School of Public Health. She is the former Board Chair of Grantmakers in Health, on the Board of Trustees for Winston-Salem State University, on the Advisory Board for Center for Effective Philanthropy, and adjunct faculty at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. In 2024, Dr. Gerald was appointed to Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Wisdom Council to provide expertise to the national foundation as it embarks on its Truth, Repair and Transformation process. She is a board-certified pediatrician and fellow in American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dr. Shawn Ginwright is the Jerome T. Murphy Professor of Practice at Harvard Graduate School of Education. His groundbreaking work on trauma, healing, and the empowerment of African American youth has earned him a reputation as an innovator, provocateur, and thought leader in the field of education.

Dr. Ginwright's vision is rooted in his extensive experience working directly with young people in urban communities. From grassroots initiatives to serving as the chairman of the board of a $5 billion foundation, he has consistently demonstrated his passion for empowering marginalized youth.

Dr. Ginwright's research has been instrumental in reshaping the discourse surrounding youth development. His introduction of the concept of "healing-centered engagement" in 2018 has revolutionized the field, providing an asset-based approach to addressing youth trauma and fostering resilience. His work has been cited in the New York Times, and he is a highly sought-after speaker on topics ranging from civic engagement and youth activism to the transformative power of healing.

Dr. Ginwright's contributions extend beyond his academic work. He is a seasoned non- profit leader, serving as Founder in Residence at Flourish Agenda, Inc., a research lab, and consulting firm dedicated to unlocking the power of healing and empowering youth of color, as well as their adult allies, to drive transformative change in their schools and communities. In recognition of his exceptional research and dedication to urban youth, he was awarded the prestigious Fulbright Senior Specialist award from the US State Department in 2011. He is also the former chairman of the board for the California
Endowment, where he oversaw a substantial $5 billion endowment dedicated to improving the health of underserved communities.

A notable author, Dr. Ginwright has written numerous highly acclaimed books, including "The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves" (North Atlantic Books), "Hope and Healing in Urban Education: How Urban Activists and Teachers Are Reclaiming Matters of the Heart," "Black Youth Rising: Activism and Radical Healing in Urban America," and "Black in School: Afrocentric Reform, Urban Youth, and the Promise of Hip-Hop Culture." Additionally, he has co-edited the influential volume "Beyond Resistance! Youth Activism and Community Change: New Democratic Possibilities for Practice and Policy for America's Youth."

Shawn resides between Boston, MA and Oakland, CA and continues to drive transformative change in education. His relentless dedication to empowering marginalized youth and creating inclusive spaces for healing and growth is truly inspiring. To learn more about his impactful work, please visit www.ShawnGinwright.com.

Brian Goldstone is a journalist, an anthropologist, and the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America, an “exceptional feat of reporting” (The New York Times) which exposes the dramatic rise of the “working homeless” in cities across America.

Today there isn’t a single state, metropolitan area, or county in the United States where a full-time worker earning the local minimum wage can afford a two-bedroom apartment. In this “gripping, high-stakes account of America’s housing emergency” (Publisher’s Weekly), Goldstone plunges readers into the lives of five Atlanta families struggling to remain housed in a gentrifying, increasingly unequal city where urban “revitalization” comes at the expense of its low-income residents. Following parents and children as they go to sleep in cars and in squalid extended-stay hotel rooms before heading out to their jobs and schools the next morning, There Is No Place for Us shows in heartbreaking detail that this new American homelessness won’t be solved until housing is treated as a fundamental human right.

Goldstone initially reported on Atlanta housing in the 2019 New Republic article “The New American Homeless.” His long-form reporting and essays have appeared in The New York Times, Harper’s, The California Sunday Magazine, Guernica, Jacobin, and Public Books. He has written on such topics as mental health in Ghana, life after incarceration, the plight of chronic pain sufferers during an opioid epidemic, and Israel’s secretive campaign to deport African asylum seekers. Goldstone received his PhD in cultural anthropology from Duke University. He was a Luce/ACLS Fellow in Journalism, Religion & International Affairs; his post-doctoral work at Columbia University included a Mellon Research Fellowship in the Society of Fellows as well as a Justice-in-Education Fellowship, during which he taught at Sing Sing Prison. He is the recipient of grants and fellowships from Fulbright, the Wenner-Gren Foundation, and the American Council of Learned Societies.

Darrin Goss Sr. is the President & CEO of Coastal Community Foundation, the largest community foundation in South Carolina, serving all nine counties on the coast. With his guidance, the Foundation crafted a Civic Engagement Agenda to communicate the systemic issues and inequities burdening the coastal SC region, and how the Foundation will work as a community leader in areas of housing, education and economic development. He has also been instrumental in establishing the Foundation’s first advocacy initiative, the Policy Agenda, as well as the first Place-Based Impact Investing Program to provide capital to emerging enterprises that address social needs.
 

Troy M. Hanna serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Spartanburg County Foundation. He leads work with Trustees and staff in fulfilling the nonprofit organization’s mission – to improve the lives of Spartanburg County residents.

Troy became the sixth Foundation President and CEO in 2014. Before joining the Foundation in 2014, Troy served as Vice President and Client Relationship Manager for TD Wealth and Vice President and Private Banking Relationship Manager for Wachovia Bank, both in Spartanburg. Troy and his wife Cecilia have lived in Spartanburg for 27 years. Their children, Lillian and Mac, drive Troy’s inspiration and commitment to ensure that the community where they and their peers live becomes an even better place in the future.

A Spartanburg resident for nearly three decades, Troy is deeply familiar with the intense spirit of collaboration that defines Spartanburg County and that has garnered national attention. He considers it his daily privilege to have a front-row seat for witnessing and supporting all that community leaders and residents are doing to make Spartanburg a better place for all.

Troy is often found helping fundholders meet their philanthropic goals, working with community leaders to strengthen partnerships and local impact initiatives, and sharing the work of the Foundation with other organizations.

Troy loves history, which was the focus of his studies at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia and St. Andrews University in Scotland.

Stephanie Hoopes has overseen the expansion of ALICE from a pilot study of the low-income community in Morris County, New Jersey, to a national effort with ALICE data for all 3,000 U.S. counties. Her research has garnered the attention of local, state, and national media and legislators.

Before joining United Way of Northern New Jersey, Hoopes taught at Rutgers University-Newark and Columbia University, and at the Universities of Sussex and Birmingham in the United Kingdom. Hoopes has a doctoral degree from the London School of Economics, a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College. She received a resolution from the New Jersey Assembly for work on ALICE (Asset, Limited, Income, Constrained, Employed) in 2016.

DeWitt House, Vice President of Community Investments at The Harvest Foundation, joined Harvest in 2014. He works primarily in the areas of economic development, education, housing, and broadband. He brings over 30 years of experience to the Foundation in the field of education, having formerly served as teacher, coach, athletic director, principal, and as the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction for the Henry County Public School system. DeWitt is a graduate of Lincoln Memorial University and received his master’s degree in education from Radford University in 1989. He enjoys reading, playing golf, and is a passionate and die-hard Boston Red Sox fan. DeWitt resides in Henry County with his son, Evan.

DeWitt House joined The Harvest Foundation in 2014 and currently serves as Vice President of Community Investments, where he leads strategic initiatives in economic development, education, housing, and broadband across Martinsville-Henry County. With more than three decades of experience in public education, DeWitt brings a deep understanding of community needs and systems-level change to his philanthropic work.

Prior to joining Harvest, DeWitt served in various leadership roles within the public school system, including Assistant Superintendent for Instruction for Henry County Public Schools. His career also includes roles as principal, assistant principal, athletic director, coach, and teacher, each contributing to his legacy of student-focused leadership and community service.

A graduate of Lincoln Memorial University, DeWitt earned his master’s degree in education from Radford University in 1989. He has been recognized for his professional excellence, including the Lincoln Memorial University Student Teacher of the Year award and an award for excellence in professional development from the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education.

Deeply rooted in the Martinsville-Henry County community, DeWitt has served on numerous local boards, including the Martinsville Area Community Foundation, Piedmont Arts, and the YMCA. He enjoys reading, playing golf, and is a lifelong, die-hard fan of the Boston Red Sox. DeWitt resides in Henry County.

Amanda Jaquez is a senior associate at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, where she leads philanthropic investments that strengthen neighborhoods, expand opportunity for young adults, and support community-led approaches to lasting systems change. Her career has spanned philanthropy, city planning, economic development, and the arts, with a consistent focus on helping communities shape their own futures through collaboration, creativity, and shared leadership. She recently released a multi-media series on affordable housing highlighting the partnerships necessary to create 70 units of affordable housing in southwest Atlanta.  

Amanda is especially interested in the role of civic leadership to close the racial wealth gap in the midst of rapid technological change. She is drawn to questions about how communities build trust across differences, how philanthropy can better share power with residents, and how creativity and the arts can deepen democratic participation. She is a proud member of the 2025 Janine Lee Learning & Leadership Collaborative.

Meliah Bowers Jefferson joined the Jolley Foundation as Executive Director in June 2022. She guides grantmaking, investments, and community engagement to advance the foundation’s vision of a just, compassionate, and vibrant community for all. Meliah brings 20 years of professional experience in law, business, and community leadership to the Foundation.

Meliah graduated from the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business and earned a law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law. During her legal career, she clerked for Chief Justice Jean H. Toal (ret) at the South Carolina Supreme Court and United States Circuit Court Judge J. Michelle Childs. She also practices law in civil litigation, intellectual property, and alternative dispute resolution as a member of Wyche, P.A., where she previously served as a member of the executive leadership team.

A community servant at heart, Meliah has nearly 18 years of nonprofit board experience and currently serves on the boards of directors for the Greenville Chamber of Commerce and Greater Good Greenville. She is a Liberty Fellow, a Fellow of the Furman University Riley Institute Diversity Leaders Initiative, and a graduate of Leadership Greenville. Under her leadership, the foundation stays true to its core mission of creating a thriving Greenville community. Meliah lives in Greenville with her daughter.

Erin Johnson is Chief Community Impact Officer at Central Carolina Community Foundation, where she leads strategic grantmaking, nonprofit capacity building, scholarships, and community leadership initiatives. With more than 25 years of experience spanning public health, nonprofit leadership, and philanthropy, Erin is recognized for building partnerships that connect philanthropic resources with community needs and opportunities.

Her leadership includes coordinating statewide disaster response and recovery investments through the One SC Fund, advancing collaborative grantmaking, and strengthening nonprofit effectiveness. She has also co-leads the Foundation's investments in nonprofit AI capacity, including its $1.1 million statewide AI Opportunity Accelerator supported by Google.org, which provided funding, training, and individualized coaching to 20 nonprofits across South Carolina.

Previously, Erin held leadership positions with the South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and worked with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and Baylor University. She served on Philanthropy Southeast's Community Foundation Advisory Committee and is immediate past-chair of the Richland Library Board of Trustees.

Erin's honors include being named a Woman of Influence by Columbia Business Report, a Woman of Distinction by the Girl Scouts of South Carolina, and a Riley Institute Diversity Leaders Fellow. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse and an undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
 

Gregory Johnson, a passionate philanthropist and esteemed community organizer, has been recently appointed as the CEO and President of the Foundation for the Mid South. Hailing proudly from Mississippi, Greg is committed to forging innovative pathways towards improved wages, savings, education, and entrepreneurship in underserved communities. He accomplishes this by fostering effective partnerships with private, public, and social sector organizations.

Greg’s previous positions include managing director of equity and economic opportunity at The Rockefeller Foundation, program officer at the Unitarian Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock, and Manager of VIP relationships, corporate responsibility, and philanthropy in a corporate social responsibility office that supported access to clean water and higher education.

During his tenure as part of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Mississippi and New Orleans team, Greg managed a diverse portfolio of nearly 140 grants amounting to over $90 million. In recognition of his exceptional contributions, Greg was awarded Philanthropist of the Year at the Young, Gifted & Empowered Awards in February 2020. Furthermore, C-Suite Quarterly acknowledged him as a NextGen 10 in Philanthropy, Art, and Culture in 2021.

Greg’s impact has resonated far and wide, leading to features in esteemed publications such as Forbes, CBS News, Newsweek, USA Today, and Black Enterprise. His forward-thinking approach and dedication to transformative change have solidified his reputation as a dynamic leader in the philanthropic sector.

Marion joined LGF with over a decade of experience at the intersections of philanthropy, research, and community engagement. Most recently, she served as a Regional Program Officer at the Asset Funders Network, where she managed coalitions of funders and policymakers to advance economic equity across the Carolinas. Previously, at Frontline Solutions, Marion led equity-centered strategic planning and evaluation projects for philanthropic and nonprofit organizations nationwide, helping institutions reimagine and deepen their practices toward justice and accountability. 

Marion is highly aligned with LGF’s values, demonstrating integrity, inclusiveness, and a strong commitment to community power-building. In her relationship and partnership-building efforts, she has excelled at facilitating transformative conversations across difference and holding groups accountable as they shift power and pursue equity and justice. A skilled listener and strategist, she’s known for her ability to help funders and movement partners align values with practice, strengthen culture and relationships, and co-create lasting progress towards a shared vision for liberation.  

She holds a Master’s in Public Policy from Duke University and a Bachelor’s in English from Wellesley College, and currently serves on the board of DataWorks NC. 

As Director of Impact Investments, Tracy Kartye leads the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s impact investment portfolio. Casey has allocated 4% of its endowment to projects that achieve financial returns and social impact — to build a brighter future for children, families and communities in the United States. 

Since joining Casey in 2005, Kartye has managed more than $300 million invested in funds, private entities and projects across the country. These investments have leveraged more than $1 billion in support of thousands of new jobs, affordable housing units and community facilities nationwide. 

Kartye has a background in community and economic development, working for the Local Initiatives Support Corp. in Houston, Texas, and the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corp. in Brooklyn, New York, before joining Casey.

She sits on the boards of Episcopal Housing Corporation and Healthy Neighborhoods in Baltimore. She is a graduate of Hendrix College and the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University.

Glory Kilanko, is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Women Watch Afrika, Inc. (WWA), an Atlanta based grassroots, nonprofit, international, national, and local social justice organization focused on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and girls, the promotion of social and economic development and health equity of women, and the acculturation of immigrants and refugees arriving to the United States from 23 African nations. In line with its goal, Women Watch Afrika provides Social Services, Advocacy, Health and Legal Education, Know Your Rights workshops, Citizenship Preparation, Legal Services, Domestic Violence/FGM Prevention; Civic Engagement; Advocates against unjust, discriminatory laws that affect our community.
WWA has an office in Clarkston, Georgia.

WWA is guided by its mission to “promote improved quality of life, health, and well-being of African refugees and immigrants”. This is accomplished with conducting and promoting activities to eliminate discriminatory practices, abuse, and health and housing inequities with focus on low-income, underserved African American communities. WWA advocates for the self-sufficiency, independence, and empowering of women and girls, while supporting social and economic development of underserved refugee and immigrant women from African nations. Ms. Kilanko has wealth of experience working with women and youths locally and internationally in many parts of Africa, Europe, and the United States. Ms. Kilanko has extensive experience teaching, training, and developing curricula for culturally and linguistically diverse populations. She has been involved in women’s right and development for over 47 years.

Her success story in socio-economic development programs for women include, the setting up of the only daycare center for working mothers within the labor movement in her country, initiated and set up a rural women’s cooperative society in five states in Nigeria, and the sitting of boreholes (wells) in three local communities in Nigeria. As a civil rights activist, she co-built a strong Human Rights movement in Nigeria that challenged the undemocratic military regime. She is currently involved in an international movement to end all forms of violence against women including female genital mutilation, widowhood rites, HIV/AIDS as a form of violence against women and forced and early marriages. She has participated in local, national, and international conferences on the rights of women and the girl child and was a consultant to the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in the area of women’s right, violence against women and female genital mutilation

As an advocate of environmental justice, Ms. Kilanko was in the forefront of the Ogoni people struggle with Shell Oil Nigeria from 1990 -1995 over the pollution and devastation of Ogoni land. Ms. Kilanko was eventually exiled by the military dictatorship for advancing the Ogoni Bill of Rights and exposing the execution of the Ken Sar-Wiwa and the Ogoni 9 at an international conference. The Ogoni bill of right demanded environmental protection for the Ogoni region, and self-determination for the Ogoni nation.

As a human rights activist Ms. Kilanko co-founded and was in the leadership of the five major human rights organizations in Nigeria. Driven by her passion for human rights and gender equity she has participated in local, national, and international conferences on the rights of women and the girl child, and was a consultant to the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in the area of Women’s Right, Violence Against Women and Female Genital Mutilation. Ms. Kilanko provides expert testimony for battered immigrant women who are victims of cultural and religious violence. She is a well-known motivational speaker and a national transformation for change trainer for the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, (HIAS). She is currently involved in an international movement to end all forms of violence against women including female genital mutilation, widowhood rites, and forced and early marriages.

She has a Diploma in Journalism from the London School of Journalism, postgraduate diploma in Comparative Labor Studies and Gender Relations, at Warwick University, UK, and various professional certificates. Glory is married and has three children, they are: an attorney, a technician, and a clinical psychologist respectively.
 
Ms. Kilanko was instrumental to the passing of the Clarkston Non-Detainer Policy in May 2017, to make Clarkston safer and welcoming for refugees, immigrant, and all resident. An in 2021 worked with the City of Clarkston to put in place the Clarkston Redistricting Resolution calling for transparency and inclusion.

Ms. Kilanko serves on many boards and has received many distinguish awards and recognitions for transforming many lives. Ms. Kilanko is the immediate past Co-Chair of Live Healthy DeKalb Coalition, (a coalition of 176 organizations and individual working to make DeKalb resident live healthier and better lives); President Women 4 Change Initiative in Diaspora, State of Georgia, and Board Member WRFG 89.3FM Community Radio. She also served as the Stop Violence Against Women Coordinator for the State of Georgia Amnesty International; she is a Task Force member for DeKalb County Faith Based Domestic Violence Sub-Committee; Member of the Georgia Coalition Against Family Violence; Member - Georgia Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (GIRRC), Member- Piece by Piece – A Regional Housing Foreclosure Initiative and member of the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
 

William L. Kincaid, MD, MPH is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and the St. Louis University School of Medicine. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology and holds a Masters Degree in Public Health from the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston. He served in the U. S. Navy Medical Corps from 1972 to 1979.

Dr. Kincaid served as a local health officer as the Director of Health for the City of St. Louis from 1989 to 1995 during the peak of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. He moved into managed care to become the Executive Director and Medical Director of GenCare MC+, one of Missouri’s initial Medicaid Managed Care providers. GenCare was purchased by UnitedHealthCare and he remained with United Healthcare until 2003 as a medical director.  He retired in 2003 to devote his time to community activities. He returned to the City of St. Louis Department of Health in 2005 and left in 2007.

Dr. Kincaid was on the adjunct faculty at the Saint Louis University School of Public Health from 2008 to 2010 in the Department of Health Management and Policy. He served as the interim director of the Health Policy Program where he taught a course in Public Health Law. 

He has a long-standing interest in a variety of public policy issues. He is particularly interested in public and private investment in community health and the maintenance of public health infrastructure and systems. His other interests include the development of health education projects for physicians and consumers, nurturing local community collaboratives that address community needs and special at-risk populations. He has, of necessity, become interested in the issues surrounding the demographic shift in America’s population and its impact on older Americans.

He has been a member of the Foggy Bottom West End Village in Washington, DC since 2018 where he served on their board for 3 years. He joined the Board of the Village to Village Movement in 2023 and currently serves as the Board President. VtVN is a national nonprofit organization that serves a “Village Commons” for the 270+ member Villages in 42 states, Canada and Australia. 

Christine Laporte lives in Asheville NC and serves as the Program Manager for the Truist Foundation Western NC Recovery and Resiliency Fund at the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. The Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s goal is to guide grant makers and donors in their understanding of disasters, including the drivers that create vulnerabilities and the pre-existing inequities that hinder recovery. She is a member of the Funds Management and Coalition Building team which mobilizes philanthropy across the globe by supporting localized resilience and recovery across sectors.  

With more than 30 years in nonprofit leadership, conservation and Indigenous rights philanthropy, her expertise includes strategic cross-disciplinary analysis, nurturing robust relationships and collaboration. Christine holds an MES in Conservation from Yale University’s School of the Environment and a bachelor’s in environmental studies from Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, NC.
 

As associate director of Policy Reform and Advocacy, Karina Jiménez Lewis leads the Foundation's state policy, reform and advocacy efforts, including engaging young leaders to advocate for policies that can improve the lives of youth and families in states where the need is greatest.

In her most recent role, as a senior associate with the policy reform and advocacy team, she worked with state advocates to help advance policy strategies grounded in evidence and data, with a focus on the well-being of young people of color. Her portfolio included the KIDS COUNT®, Partnership for America’s Children and State Priorities Partnership networks.

Before joining the Policy Reform and Advocacy team in 2016, she developed expertise in child welfare over 15 years of social work policy and practice in state agency and nonprofit settings, including working with Casey Family Services, the Foundation's former child welfare agency.

Jiménez Lewis earned a master’s degree in social work with a focus on policy practice at the University of Connecticut and a bachelor’s degree from Elms College in Massachusetts.

Darlene Lynch brings her extensive expertise and dedication to overseeing Georgia Appleseed’s housing and school justice programs and policy initiatives. 

She is a distinguished lawyer and public policy expert with over 25 years of experience in social justice and economic empowerment at the state, federal, and international levels. Before joining Georgia Appleseed, she was the head of external relations for the Center for Victims of Torture Georgia, where she spearheaded advocacy efforts to expand access to education, employment, and health care for Georgia refugees and immigrants, including by leading the award-winning Business & Immigrant for Georgia (BIG) Partnership and other statewide coalitions.  

Her career includes leading the U.N. advocacy office for the global nonprofit, ECPAT International, in Geneva, Switzerland, where she focused on access to justice for child survivors of human trafficking. She previously worked to advance children’s rights across the State of Georgia, including as staff attorney at Emory’s Barton Child Law and Policy Center.  She has taught law and advocacy at Emory, Harvard, and Boston University law schools and began her career as a prosecutor and trial attorney.

In addition to her professional roles, Darlene is deeply committed to community service. She is a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for foster youth, provides pro bono legal services to immigrant victims of violence, and served as member of Georgia’s Statewide Human Trafficking Task Force. Darlene holds a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.

Tess Martin serves as Senior Director of Impact Investing at Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina (CCF), where she has led the Foundation’s Place-Based Impact Investing (PBII) strategy for the past eight years. She oversees the design and execution of investment approaches that intentionally pair concessionary financial returns with measurable community impact, advancing economic mobility, nonprofit sustainability, and affordable housing across coastal South Carolina.

Working across a nine‑county region, Tess partners with nonprofits, mission-driven developers, CDFIs, and local intermediaries to structure and deploy catalytic capital into community-centered projects, particularly in historically underserved and under-resourced communities. Her work strengthens local capital ecosystems by expanding access to flexible, values‑aligned financing and by coordinating philanthropic, public, and private resources to support long-term economic resilience.

Under her leadership, CCF has more than doubled its impact investing assets and significantly expanded its pipeline of investable opportunities. Through the PBII strategy, she has helped shape regional approaches to affordable housing and community development by bringing together capital providers, partners, and community priorities. She has also played a pivotal role in launching a new collaborative housing impact fund designed to address structural barriers to opportunity, expand access to flexible capital, and preserve long-term affordability across the region.

Andy Mermans has served as President of The Merancas Foundation since 2014. For more than 35 years, the Foundation has supported nonprofits across the community, with a focus on education, housing, and wellbeing.

Under Andy’s leadership, Merancas continues its values-driven philanthropy, providing direct grants to over 120 nonprofits annually, funding postsecondary scholarships, and advancing affordable housing through land banking initiatives. By partnering closely with community organizations, the Foundation ensures its resources create lasting impact.

Before joining Merancas full-time in 2018, Andy spent over 20 years in supply chain management with Flex, Inc. and Solectron, Inc. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech, along with an MBA and an M.S. in Engineering from the University of Washington.

Andy and his wife, Robin are the proud parents of five children and two puppies.

Sara Manning serves as a Senior Vice President and Head of Operations and Special Programs at Truist Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Truist Financial Corporation. She has oversight over the financials, investments and special programs such as the Program Related Investment (PRI) fund, teammate relief fund, disaster relief and recovery, scholarship program, matching gifts, and the Truist Foundation Inspire Awards. She brings 20 years of experience working with the management of private foundations, donor advised funds and other charitable strategies.

Most recently Sara served as a Senior Philanthropic Specialist in the Wells Fargo Philanthropic Services group for four years, and prior to that she was with SunTrust Foundations and Endowments Specialty Practice for over 10 years.

Sara holds a bachelor’s degree from Clemson University and earned her Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy designation from the American College.

David J. Maurrasse, Ph.D. is the Founder and President of Marga Incorporated, a consulting firm founded in 2000 providing strategic advice and research to philanthropic initiatives and community partnerships.  Marga coordinates and leads the Race and Equity in Philanthropy Group (REPG), which is a network of foundations addressing policies and practices on racial equity and various aspects of equity and inclusion. Marga also coordinates and leads the Anchor Institutions Task Force, an action-oriented learning community promoting the role of anchor institutions in mutually transformative community partnerships.  

Between 2000 and 2023, Dr. Maurrasse held numerous faculty and research positions at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, Climate School, and others.  During the mid to late 1990’s, Dr. Maurrasse was an Assistant Professor of Sociology and African American Studies at Yale University.  In the late 1990’s, he was a Senior Program Advisor at the Rockefeller Foundation in the Building Community grantmaking portfolio. Dr. Maurrasse has published numerous books, including Strategic Community Partnerships (2021), Philanthropy and Society (2020) and Beyond the Campus: How Colleges and Universities Form Partnerships with Their Communities (2001) among others.  He has spoken at many events on how philanthropy and anchor institutions harness their resources through mutually transformative collaboration to strengthen communities and solve pressing societal issues. He is an Emeritus Trustee at Bucknell University and on the Board of SBH Health System. Dr. Maurrasse and Marga Inc. are members of the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers.  He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds a Doctorate in Sociology from Northwestern University.

Erin Dale Mcclellan (she/her) is the executive director of The Partnership Funds, a c3/c4 funder collaborative that has defined the practice of grantmaking to advance community and independent political power held at the Assets Under Management. The Partnership Funds core values are wholeness, belonging and cooperation and its focus is on basebuilding, organizing and income generation to secure community power. It has invested over $17 Million into power building organizations across the country since 2014. She is the former Executive Director of Blueprint NC where she served for 12 years, leading the charge to develop and coordinate integrated voter engagement programs at the state level. She is a founding member owner and the President of the Fertile Ground Food Cooperative in Southeast Raleigh. This cooperative effort has grown from 8 owners and $800.00 to over 1,035 owners and $5 Million secured for store development. She also serves on the boards of Advance NC, Imagine NC First and Southern Partners Fund.  

Erin brings over 25 years of experience in successful coalition work on campaigns including increasing the minimum wage, public financing of judicial campaigns and same-day voter registration. She is a mother, healer, community activist, political strategist and cultural worker in Raleigh, North Carolina. She was raised in a military family with deep roots in the south.  

She is a proud mother of two sons. She is a fashionista who loves comedy, reading and gardening. She has a degree in Sociology from the College of William and Mary.  

Sarah McKinney began serving the Athens Area Community Foundation as President | CEO in March 2017. When she accepted the position, she was the Director of Development for the Georgia 4-H Foundation at the University of Georgia. Prior to her work with Georgia 4-H, Sarah served the Athens Community Council on Aging for fifteen years, beginning as an intern in college, and leaving having successfully created and filled the first position of Director of Development.

Sarah graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Social Work degree. She continued her education with a Certificate of Gerontology from Kennesaw State University, a Certificate of Leadership from the University of Dayton, and Certificates of Basic and Advanced Nonprofit Financial Management from Duquesne University’s Nonprofit Leadership Institute.

Today, as a professional working in philanthropy, Sarah’s role is centered on helping convene the interest of donors, nonprofits, and community institutions to build, distribute, and preserve philanthropic assets that will enhance quality of life in the Athens area for generations to come.

Sarah is a proud member of the Jackson EMC Board of Directors, First American Bank & Trust Board, Jackson County School System Foundation Board, Georgia Grantmakers Alliance Steering Committee, Philanthropy Southeast Community Foundation Committee, Rotary Club of Athens Foundation, 2017-2018 LEAD Athens class, Leadership Jackson 2025, and Leadership Georgia Class of 2019.

Sarah and her husband of 24 years, John, are parents to Nathan and Anna.

Rohit Menezes is a partner in Bridgespan’s San Francisco office. Through his work, he hopes to help build a vibrant civil society reinforced by dynamic leaders, community-led nonprofits, and justice-oriented philanthropists.

Over the last 17+ years at Bridgespan, Rohit has served as an advisor to a wide range of nonprofits/NGOs and foundations in the United States and India on strategy and operations. Rohit has often led client and knowledge-generating work on topics related to community, including on place-based change, peer-driven change, and effective community-based multi-service organizations. Select clients include Harlem Children’s Zone, UpTogether, St. Anthony’s Foundation, The Bail Project, Skoll Foundation, and Tata Trusts. Rohit has a particular interest in and commitment to supporting Native American sovereignty and has led much of Bridgespan’s work with Native-serving and Native-led organizations.

Prior to Bridgespan, Rohit had experience as a corporate management consultant at Boston Consulting Group, a telecommunications consultant, and a crisis communicator. He also co-founded a telecommunications start-up.

Rohit has a B.A. from Williams College and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He has nonprofit board experience with Native Forward Scholars Fund, Safe Horizon, Rachel Women's Center, and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee and for-profit board experience with Avaya Global Connect.

Sarah relocated to Charlotte after spending 15 years in Brooklyn, New York. She received her MSW from New York University and has spent her career working at the intersection of LGBTQ community and youth. Prior to coming to Time Out Youth, Sarah worked at A Way Home America, a national initiative focused on ending homelessness for LGBTQ youth and youth of color, and at The LGBT Community Center in New York.

As Chief Executive Officer, Sarah helps the team bring their visions for creating safe space for LGBTQ youth to life. As a social worker, she’s spent her career working with LGBTQ youth, fighting for access to safe housing, supportive families, and their right to exist fully as they are. She is passionate about this work and wants to use any opportunity she has to remove obstacles for our vibrant queer and trans youth.

Yara Quezada Miller joined the North Carolina Network of Grantmakers as the Strategic Initiatives Coordinator in July 2023 and was promoted to Collaboration and Partnerships Manager in 2025. Prior to joining NCNG, she worked as a fellow at The Duke Endowment. There, she helped oversee the Summer Literacy Initiative, a partnership with rural congregations to combat learning loss in their communities. She has a B.A. from Davidson College in Public Health. Yara enjoys traveling to new places, listening to audiobooks, and hanging out with her husband and their two kitties, Bucky and Curly.  

Susan Mims, MD, MPH, FAAP, with over 20 years of experience in clinical and healthcare leadership in North Carolina, currently serves as the President and CEO of the Dogwood Health Trust, a $1.7 billion private foundation, where she leads a team of public health-oriented philanthropists using creative and innovative investments to change the factors that influence health beyond health care services focusing in four strategic priority areas, housing, education, economic opportunity, and health and wellness, grounded in equitable opportunity for all.  

Prior to joining Dogwood Health Trust, Dr. Mims worked with the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) as the Chair of a new Department of Community and Public Health at UNC Health Sciences leading the Asheville campus of the UNC Gillings School of Public Health in collaboration with UNC Asheville, community health outreach programs, rural and minority health professions workforce development.  

Through 14 years with Mission Health System, Dr. Mims held several roles working to meet the healthcare needs of the people and families of western NC, including Vice President for Children’s Services, Chief of Pediatrics, and Vice Chief of Staff. Arriving in western NC in 2000, Dr. Mims served as medical director at the Buncombe County Health Department for six years, leading all aspects of public health and the largest community health primary care clinic in the county.  

Dr. Mims attended college at the University of Georgia on an athletic scholarship. After college she volunteered in Guatemala for a year in community development before returning to UNC in Chapel Hill to earn a Master of Public Health and MD degrees. She continued her medical training at UNC Hospitals in Pediatrics, Internal Medicine and Preventive Medicine and Public Health and attained board certification in all three disciplines.  

Dr. Mims is active in national, state and WNC regional community organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, NC Pediatric Society (Past President), and the Buncombe County Commission on Early Childhood Education. Spending her early years living in a variety of towns and cities in the US, she is grateful to call Western North Carolina home for nearly 25 years now and loves spending time with her family in these majestic mountains.

Georgia Mjartan is President and CEO of Central Carolina Community Foundation, which advances philanthropy, strengthens nonprofits and leads collaborative community initiatives across South Carolina. An executive leader with experience spanning philanthropy, government, and the nonprofit sector, Georgia focuses on growing philanthropic investment, building strategic partnerships, and driving innovation.

Under her leadership, the Foundation has expanded its community leadership role, attracted national philanthropic investment, and embraced emerging technologies, including launching a $1.1 million statewide AI Opportunity Accelerator supported by Google.org.

Previously, Georgia led South Carolina First Steps, a statewide public agency and nonprofit organization with 46 local affiliates, where she more than doubled the reach of early childhood programs and pioneered technology innovations that transformed access to public services. She also established an innovation lab that is helping other states and communities replicate these approaches, extending their reach and impact nationwide. 

Georgia's experience also includes consulting engagements with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation on rural development and the U.S. Administration for Children and Families on anti-poverty initiatives and program evaluation. She spent 12 years as Executive Director of Our House, an award-winning nonprofit supporting families experiencing homelessness, where she led a major organizational turnaround and expansion.

Named a Southerner of the Year by Southern Living and an Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow, Georgia's work has been featured on NBC News, USA Today, and PBS. Her honors also include Nonprofit Executive of the Year in Arkansas and Advocate of the Year in South Carolina. She serves on the national boards of Parents as Teachers and Listen4Good.  

Georgia holds a master’s degree from Ulster University in Northern Ireland, where she studied as a George Mitchell Scholar, and undergraduate degrees from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She is also a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government program.
 

Rosie Molinary is a facilitator, activist, and creative who creates experiences and art that promote/support gentle self-awareness, radical self-acceptance, a deep sense of well-being, and a kinetic moment of connection. 

The author of Beautiful You: A Daily Guide to Radical Self Acceptance (Seal Press) and Hijas Americanas: Beauty, Body Image, and Growing Up Latina (Seal Press), Rosie offers workshops, keynotes, and retreats on self-acceptance, self-care, burnout prevention, and intentional living around the country. She earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College and a BA in African-American Studies and Urban Education Issues from Davidson College.

A committed activist, Rosie founded Circle de Luz, a Charlotte, North Carolina based non-profit that radically empowers young Latinas by supporting their transformation through extensive mentoring, holistic programming and scholarship funds for further education. 

Kellan has been the second President and CEO of the John Rex Endowment for 10 years. She leads the overall management and strategic direction for the Endowment, in partnership with five team members and 16 directors. The Endowment’s mission to strengthen organizations that center racial equity and justice to improve the social-emotional health of children living in Wake County (Raleigh, NC).

Kellan has over 35+ years’ experience in the philanthropic sector, as a fundraiser, grant maker, advocate, and consultant.  Prior to the John Rex Endowment, she was the founding executive director of Care Share Health Alliance, served as program officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, was supervisor of corporate giving at Progress Energy, and executive director of the Foundation of Hope.

Her proudest accomplishment is working with her board, staff, community, and other funders to re-imagine and transform philanthropy, grantmaking and advocacy by centering racial equity in all that they do. They are 7 years into their journey, there is still much to do, and our commitment is for the long haul.

Kellan has deep ties to her family, friends, and community. She and her partner, Mike Cayse, split time between Raleigh and Asheville. She serves as a founding board member for the new Foundation for the Asheville Fire Department and has enjoyed renovating three historical homes in Raleigh over the past decade. She loves traveling, audio books, music, movies, and spending time with their four-legged baby, Oliver.

Sutton Mora is the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis. After graduating from Webster University, she began working in underserved neighborhoods in Chicago, which led her to pursue a Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning at The University of Memphis. Prior to joining the Community Foundation, she led several non-profits focusing on issues as diverse as neighborhood development, environmental justice, and education reform. In her current position, she oversees the day-to-day operations of the Foundation, including the Philanthropic Services, Community Impact, Finance, and Marketing & Communications teams. In March 2020, she led the creation of the Mid-South COVID-19 Regional Response Fund and its subsequent implementation in partnership with the City of Memphis, Shelby County Government, United Way of the Mid-South, and the Mid-South Philanthropy Forum. In 2023, she worked with her staff and a community-voiced, community-led volunteer committee to create a new grant program focused on reforming the housing and justice systems in Memphis and Shelby County.

Bob moved to Greenville in December of 1999 to become President of the Community Foundation of Greenville. Bob attended Wake Forest University, earned his JD/MBA in 1986, and became a member of the North Carolina Bar. He began his career in Trust Banking before joining the Foundation For The Carolinas as its Vice President for Development in 1996.

Bob is a member of the Greenville Downtown Rotary Club, the Greenville Estate Planning Council, and is a Paul Harris Fellow. He is a volunteer for the OnTrack Greenville Middle Grades Success Initiative, Triune Mercy Center, and the CEO Build Task Force for Habitat for Humanity. Bob is a graduate of Leadership Greenville and the Diversity Leadership Institute. He has been recognized in the Upstate Business Journal’s “Who’s Who” of Greenville.

Letha Muhammad is the Co-Executive Director of the Education Justice Alliance (EJA), a Raleigh, North Carolina–based organization working to dismantle the school-to-prison and school-to-deportation pipelines and advance educational equity for Black, Brown, immigrant, LGBTQ+, and other historically marginalized students. A longtime community organizer and education justice advocate, Muhammad leads statewide efforts focused on equitable school funding, ending harmful school discipline practices, protecting immigrant students, and building parent and youth power across North Carolina.

Her work centers the leadership of directly impacted families, students, and communities through organizing, advocacy, and leadership development. Muhammad serves on the Coordinating Committee of the Dignity in Schools Campaign and has helped lead coalitions such as Every Child NC. Under her leadership, EJA has become a leading voice in resisting attacks on inclusive public education and advancing policies that support safe, supportive, and fully funded public schools.

Kate Mullins is Associate Director of OutcomesAI at Project Evident, a national nonprofit helping organizations in the social and education sectors use evidence, data, and innovation to improve outcomes. Her work focuses on helping mission-driven organizations develop the strategies, systems, and capacity needed to strengthen their effectiveness, including the practical and responsible adoption of artificial intelligence.

Kate brings extensive executive leadership experience in education and organizational transformation. She founded and led a public charter school serving a diverse community and has worked with Teach For America and TNTP, a national education nonprofit, to strengthen educational organizations and support continuous improvement. At Project Evident, she helps translate emerging technologies into practical approaches that nonprofit and philanthropic leaders can use to improve organizational performance and advance their missions.

In 2025, Kate was recognized as Colorado's Charter Leader of the Year, honoring her leadership and contributions to public education. Kate holds a doctoral degree from the University of Colorado Denver and is a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executive Fellows program. Her combination of executive leadership and hands-on experience with organizational improvement informs her approach to helping nonprofits and funders navigate AI adoption.
 

Jessica Muroff began her tenure as the third president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County in January 2026, adding another distinguished leadership role to her career as a nonprofit executive.

This marks the fourth nonprofit Muroff has led as CEO, generating game-changing results at every stop. Prior to joining the Community Foundation, Muroff spent six years leading United Way Suncoast, one of the state’s largest local United Ways, serving a five-county footprint that includes Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto, Hillsborough, and Pinellas counties.

Muroff has been recognized by Florida Trend as one of Florida’s 500 most influential leaders for three consecutive years and has been a driving force for philanthropic innovation at the local, state, and national levels. Since 2019, she has prioritized community impact through modernized, data-informed grantmaking, collaborative initiatives, and programmatic partnerships. During her tenure at United Way, she stewarded $51 million in fiscal assets, including a landmark unsolicited $20 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Earlier in her career, Muroff served as CEO of Girl Scouts of West Central Florida and Frameworks, a Tampa Bay–based nonprofit advancing social and emotional learning for children.

Muroff holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of South Florida and a graduate certificate in strategic foresight from the University of Houston. She is a member of USF’s Women in Leadership and Philanthropy and the CEO Council of Tampa Bay, and is a graduate of Leadership Florida.

I am on a mission to leave the world a little better than it was when I arrived. As Chief Impact Officer at the Humana Foundation, I bring over a decade of leadership at the intersection of corporate philanthropy, social impact strategy, and communications. My work focuses on advancing health equity through data-driven evaluations, impact measurement, and strategic partnerships in nutrition and mental health. Collaborating with the CEO and board of directors, I ensure that our investments deliver measurable, sustainable change. I also lead publication strategies that amplify our mission, influence ideas and advance knowledge about solutions to health equity.  

Previously, I managed a $25M grant portfolio at Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, driving measurable progress for racial equity in education, criminal justice, health, and economic mobility. During my nearly ten years at Lilly, I worked cross-functionally and globally to advance health and worked with executives from VPs to the CEO to design effective communications. I am known for influence, strategic clarity and empathy. 

Outside of work, I find joy in roasting and drinking coffee as well as writing poetry and fiction. I am the co-founder of Uncharted Coffee Supply and the author of Modern Psalms of This Woman’s Walk, a poetry collection on grief, healing, and spiritual discovery. At the heart of all I do is a simple goal: to create lasting, positive change, and to empower the people I work with and institutions I work for to do the same.

Victoria Novak is the Executive Director of Greenville Literacy Association, where she leads community-driven efforts to strengthen adult literacy, expand educational opportunities, and improve employability across the Upstate, South Carolina. Her work focuses on building learners’ confidence, creating pathways to economic mobility, and connecting partners to address education and workforce needs. With a career spanning workforce development, higher education, and collaborative program design, Victoria has partnered with employers to develop training programs that prepare individuals for in-demand careers. She previously held leadership roles at Spartanburg Methodist College and Metropolitan Community College, with a focus on technology integration, workforce innovation, and community partnerships. Victoria is a graduate of the Launch Carolinas Leadership Accelerator, Leadership Spartanburg, and Leadership Greenville’s Legacy Class 50. She serves on the board of Greater Good Greenville and represents adult education on the Greenville County Workforce Development Board Committee. An active member of the Rotary Club of Greenville, she also volunteers as a second-grade reading mentor at Alexander Elementary School, sharing her love of literacy with young learners. Victoria holds a bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies with a concentration in women’s studies and a certificate in gerontology from the University of Nebraska Omaha, along with a master’s degree in public administration nonprofit management from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She is also a certified online instructor and leadership facilitator. Victoria and her husband, Troy, enjoy country living with her mother, their doodle, Sable, and their chickens. They also enjoy visiting their three grown children.

Ashley Olayinka is a nationally recognized nonprofit executive, strategist, and healing justice advocate advancing survivor-led solutions to gender-based violence and economic injustice. She is the Founder and CEO of The Hive Community Circle, South Carolina’s culturally specific peer advocacy organization serving survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking.

Under Ashley’s leadership, The Hive has grown into a $1.3 million organization supporting more than 3,000 survivors through culturally responsive programming that advances safety, healing, and economic mobility. Her work centers Black, Indigenous, and people of color as well as individuals and communities most impacted by systemic inequities.

Ashley has advised the Biden Administration on gender-based violence and currently serves on the South Carolina Victim Services Coordinating Council appointed by the Office of the Attorney General. She is also the founder of Ashley & Co., a consulting boutique firm supporting individuals and organizations navigating transition, healing, and transformative leadership.

A 2022 Aspen SOAR Global Fellow, Ashley is a graduate of Leadership Columbia and an Alum of Launch Carolinas Leadership Accelerator of The Duke Endowment. She has received numerous honors for her public service, including The State Newspaper’s 20 Under 40, the Jefferson Award for Public Service, and recognition as a 2025 Girl Scouts Mountains to Midlands Honoree. Ashley was also a featured guest panelist and facilitator at the 2022 Essence Festival, where she shared insights on survivor leadership and community healing.

Her work is rooted in advancing social justice, dignity, and healing for communities often pushed to the margins.

A leader for immigration and Latino equity in Georgia and the region with over 20 years of experience in the areas of general management, strategy, operations, marketing and fund development in both for-profit and nonprofit spaces. She is a recognized advocate and sought after speaker deeply engaged across the state. She is the recipient of numerous awards and sits on the board of Resilient Georgia and the advisory board of the Atlanta Speech School. She was raised in Lima, Peru and has lived in Asian and Europe.

Jamilla Pinder, Director of Community Engagement and Impact, joined the Foundation in June 2022. This role deepens our ability to hear and respond operationally to historically marginalized communities and grantees more effectively. Jamilla brings over twenty years of experience with Cone Health to the Foundation. Throughout her career, she has taken on ever-growing responsibilities and demonstrated a fierce commitment to community change. She graduated from North Carolina A&T State University with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Environmental Systems – Agribusiness Management. Recently, she completed the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Culture of Health Leaders program, which prepares leaders to address health equity in their communities by providing transformative leadership.

Dr. Gabriela Plasencia is a board-certified Family Medicine physician and health policy researcher whose work bridges clinical practice, community engagement, and systems-level policy innovation. At RAND, she leads and contributes to mixed-methods and community-engaged research focused on improving health care delivery and access and strengthening value-based payment and delivery models.

Her research portfolio spans projects for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Institute of Minority Health Disparities (NIMHD), philanthropic partners such as the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, and congressionally-chartered organizations such as the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA). Dr. Plasencia’s work has informed federal and state strategies on Medicaid expansion, disability measurement in payment models, nutrition and health behavior integration in value-based care, and community health worker–led outreach to uninsured populations.

As co-Principal Investigator of a community-based study in North Carolina, she leads efforts to train community health workers to improve health literacy and enrollment among eligible but uninsured individuals following Medicaid expansion. Her approach integrates qualitative, mixed-methods, and implementation methodologies to translate community insights into actionable policy recommendations.

Dr. Katrina Polk leads the DC Villages Collaborative. Over her career, she has led public and private-sector organizations focused on serving older adults, including developing programs for aging in community at the Community Preservation and Development Corp.; building strategic alliances for affordable housing at Enterprise Community Partners; and, overseeing community and aging services for the city of District Heights, Maryland. Dr. Katt also founded Dynamic Solutions for the Aging, a social enterprise firm focused on solutions for the health and housing industries, with a focus on aging and community development. She was appointed co-chair of the Housing Domain for Age-Friendly DC and sits on the AARP DC Executive Council.

Phil Purcell currently serves as Territory Director of Planned Giving for the Central Territory of The Salvation Army. In this role, he is the directional leader of thirty planned giving staff who close $80 million in planned gifts annually. 

Phil is counsel for the National Community Foundation Legal Help Desk, Philanthropy Southeast, Indiana Philanthropy Alliance, and Philanthropy Ohio. He has served as independent counsel for over one hundred community foundations throughout the U.S. He served as Director of Gift Planning for the Central Indiana Community Foundation, consultant for Kansas Association of Community Foundations, consultant for the Florida Philanthropic Network, and a legal and peer reviewer for the Community Foundations National Standards Board, Council of Foundations.

Phil teaches courses on law and philanthropy, nonprofit organization law and planned giving as adjunct faculty for the Indiana University Maurer School of Law (Bloomington, IN) and Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and Fundraising School (Indianapolis, IN). He is a senior consultant for the Heaton Smith Group, a national legacy planning consulting firm. Phil serves as editor for Planned Giving Today, a national monthly publication, as well as a content editor for Giving USA.

Phil is an attorney and member of the Indiana and American Bar Association.  He serves as Vice Chair of the Charitable Giving and Organizations Committee of the Real Property, Trust, and Estate section of the American Bar Association. He is president of the American Council on Gift Annuities board of directors, and formerly served on the boards of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (secretary), Indiana Charitable Gift Planners (president), AFP – Indiana (president), and was AFP-Indiana Fundraiser of the Year.

Phil received his B.A. degree from Wabash College (magna cum laude) and his J.D. and M.P.A. degrees (with honors) from Indiana University.  He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Alpha Alpha as well as a Truman Scholar.

Craig A. Robinson is the Institutional Investment Director for Truist Wealth. He is based in the Greater Washington area and leads the Institutional Investment Managers and Analysts team that specializes in serving institutional clients. 

Craig’s role is to lead the team that provides Investment Advisory and Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) roles for clients. He advises on developing and implementing investment approaches to help clients meet their short- and long-term goals. He follows a disciplined process of assessing an organization’s  financial situation, forming and executing an appropriate investment plan, and performing ongoing  portfolio maintenance to obtain measurable results.  

Craig has over 25 years of investment management experience with expertise in cash management, short-term fixed income, and multi-asset class investment strategies for operating funds, reserve funds, bond proceeds, retiree benefit funds, and endowment and foundations. Before joining Truist, Craig was an investment advisor at PFM Asset Management LLC, and program administrator for local government investment pools - Virginia State Non-Arbitrage Program (VASNAP)  and the North Carolina Investment Pool (NCIP). 

Craig is a gubernatorial appointee to the Virginia College Building Authority Board. He is the Founder of the Association of Public Finance Professionals of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Craig is a Founding Board of Trustee and past Treasurer of the Sojourner Truth Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. Craig is the founder of Financial Literacy publisher Nolyne Publishing and three-time children's picture book author. He is a member of the Washington Association of Money Managers and Halcyon advisory board member. 

Craig holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Masters of Business Administration from Duke University Fuqua School of Business.

Tracy Russ serves as senior vice president, strategy + impact, with the Robinson Center for Civic Leadership at Foundation For The Carolinas. In his role, he leads development and implementation of strategies to advance the foundation’s civic leadership mission; builds relationships, partnerships and collaborative opportunities; and creates pathways for people, organizations and institutions in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region to empower collaboration, move forward on shared aspirations, and to meet challenges and opportunities together.  

Tracy brings more than 25 years of experience and deep joy to the work of advancing FFTC’s philanthropic mission and its role as a trusted civic convenor, facilitator of shared solutions, resource for meeting complex challenges, and an institution recognized for innovation in civic and public sector leadership. Tracy previously served as managing director of Solid, a strategic communications, civic engagement and social brand consultancy serving Fortune 100 companies, national foundations, NGOs and governments. He has worked within and alongside FFTC and community partners to develop, support and lead key FFTC civic leadership initiatives since 1995, including regionally based Voices & Choices, United Agenda for Children, Crossroads Charlotte, Project LIFT, E4E, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force and Beyond Open. 

Tracy has a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in political science from Guilford College. He is a native Charlottean and is engaged to be married to his longtime partner Ian Leonard. Tracy and Ian live in Charlotte with their beloved pets and family members, Toby and Max. 
 

Allison Safford is deeply committed to fostering a just and inclusive community. In her role as Senior Community Investments Officer at Hollingsworth Funds in Greenville, SC, she leads efforts to build and sustain relationships with community partners and stakeholders, supports the organization’s grantmaking processes, and represents the Funds at community events and forums - all in service to advancing its philanthropic mission to increase economic mobility in Greenville County. Her portfolio is focused on strengthening the systems and conditions that contribute to economic mobility, with particular responsibility for the Funds’ workforce and economic development priorities, as well as its investments in childcare and leadership capacity. Through this work, Allison partners with organizations and community leaders to identify opportunities for greater alignment, collaboration, and systems-level impact. Prior to joining Hollingsworth Funds, Allison held roles in community engagement and development at The Family Effect in Greenville and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. She earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) and a Master of Public Administration from Grand Valley State University. Outside of work, Allison enjoys a busy and joyful life with her husband, Kyle, their two spirited children - Declan (8) and Keira (5) - and their rambunctious Black Lab mix, Desi.

Brittany Schulman is an enrolled citizen of the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe and grew up in rural North Carolina. As a traditional storyteller, Brittany’s perspective is grounded in her experience growing up with her mother, siblings and grandparents on their family farm and her Waccamaw Siouan community. She has been an active citizen since she was a child and continues to attend council meetings and provide opportunities for her people.  

Brittany has led many initiatives in her community including the Waccamaw Siouan Cultural Day Camp and the Waccamaw Youth Ambassadors. Brittany has served in many leadership roles including Rockwood Fellow and American Express Leadership Academy 2.0 Fellow and mayoral appointee to Albuquerque Commission of American Indian/Alaskan Native Affairs.  

Brittany has started several initiatives including the Native Leadership Collective of Albuquerque, a space for Native Executive to organize around urban Indian issues, Wrong NDN podcast, which was a pop culture commentary and interview show, and Good Relatives Book Club, a Indigenous children's book of the month online community. She is also a published author through the Scholastic "Our Voices" series.  

Brittany has held many positions over the years including teacher at Fairmont High School, Director of Indigenous Leadership Initiatives at Americans for Indian Opportunity and currently, Chief Programs Officer at Native Americans in Philanthropy.  

Brittany is married to a wonderfully supportive husband, Joseph (Leech Lake Ojibwe) and they have two children - Corrina Nakoma and Jerod Wakita.

JoKeitha M. Seabrook is the Founder of 3FG Consulting, a firm that helps nonprofit organizations build stronger boards, leadership, and community partnerships. She currently serves as Director of Partnership and Place at College Unbound and as a Community Trustee for the Jolley Foundation. JoKeitha brings more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit and community impact work, including a decade at United Way of Greenville County, where she served as Associate Vice President of Community Impact and led strategy for a multi-million dollar community investment portfolio. She began her career in community services for the City of Spartanburg. JoKeitha holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of South Carolina Upstate.

Daniel Shore is a Senior VP and Senior Institutional Investment Advisor for Truist Wealth. He serves on the Institutional Investment & Advisory Services team, which specializes in serving the unique and complex needs of institutional clients. The team delivers comprehensive Investment Advisory and Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) services including portfolio management, administration, planned giving, custody, trust and fiduciary services.  

Daniel offers clients more than 26 years of investment management experience and is a Certified Investment Management Analyst® professional and a Certified Trust Financial Advisor. He is a graduate of The University of Tennessee College of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and The University of Tennessee Graduate School of Economics. He also completed the Executive Program in Operations Management from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

As an Investment Advisor, Daniel advises on the development and implementation of investment strategies to help clients meet their investment goals. He follows a disciplined process of assessing an organization’s financial situation, determining risk tolerance, forming and executing an appropriate investment strategy with regular portfolio rebalancing and reporting in order to obtain measurable results. Daniel has a diverse background with over 39 years of experience in investment management, commercial real estate, and technology venture development with the most recent 26 years spent directly in the investment field. He worked with Sequoia Capital in Silicon Valley and his career in high tech ventures included executive management positions with IBM, EloTouchsystems, Philips Consumer Electronics, WebTV, VA Research, VA Linux Systems and SourceForge.

In addition to his business interests, Daniel has a special interest in serving orphans and at-risk youth worldwide. He has served as a Board Trustee and Investment Committee Chairman for the United Methodist Holston Home for Children and currently supports orphans in Mexico and Uganda.

Mike Skordeles is head of U.S. economics and a senior vice president at Truist Advisory Services, Inc. He is responsible for analyzing the U.S. and global economies and financial markets, as well as helping develop, communicate, and publish investment strategy for advisors and their clients.

Mike is based in Atlanta and is part of the firm’s Investment Advisory Group. His goal is to make complex topics understandable by focusing on the data that matter most. A sought-after speaker, he regularly shares his insights with investor and industry groups, as well as C-suite executives. He’s been quoted in Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and CNN.com, and has appeared on CNBC and Cheddar TV, among other media outlets.

Mike joined Truist predecessor SunTrust in 2012 and has more than 30 years of investment experience. He previously spent over five years at Morgan Keegan (now part of Raymond James) as a managing director and market strategist, writing extensively on the markets and economy. He was a member of the firm’s investment strategy committee and helped manage approximately $1.6 billion as portfolio manager for the group’s tactical portfolio.

From 1999 to 2007, he held similar strategist and analyst roles at McDonald Investments in Cleveland, Ohio, where he served on the investment policy and other steering committees. Earlier in his career, he worked at KeyCorp and Prudential.

Sabrina Slade has spent nearly 30 years working in the nonprofit sector — working with nonprofit and philanthropic organizations striving to make a deeper, more lasting impact in communities they serve. Her career spans across some amazing organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, the United Way of Forsyth County, the YWCA of Winston-Salem, and The Winston-Salem Foundation, each shaping her understanding of what it really takes for communities to thrive.

Sabrina joined John Rex Endowment in 2019 and currently serves as Vice President, where she leads work at the intersection of philanthropy, racial equity, and systems thinking. She's guided by a core belief: that people most proximate to challenges in our communities are the true experts, and the most powerful impact happens when solutions are community-driven.

Sabrina recently completed six years on the board of the NC Center for Nonprofits, including a term as Vice Chair. She holds a BA in Industrial Psychology, an MBA, and is a Certified Systems Thinking Associate - a combination that shapes how she approaches complex social challenges with both heart and rigor.

A proud Winston-Salem native, Sabrina finds renewal outside of work through travel, gardening, time with family and friends, and cheering on track and field athletes and college basketball teams.

Fred Smith joined the Community Foundation in July 2016. He holds an associate of science degree from Southern Union Community College, a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and a master’s degree in public administration from Jacksonville State University with concentrations in business administration and education counseling. Fred is also a graduate of the Alabama Association of Not-for-Profit Executive Leadership certificate program. He completed Essential Skills & Strategies for New Grantmakers in 2016.  He was a guest facilitator and speaker at the Philanthropy Southeast Essentials training in 2018 and 2025.

Fred earned his accreditation as a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® from The American College in December 2021. The Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) program equips professionals with broad knowledge and skills to assist donors in achieving their financial and philanthropic goals. The American College awards the designation to those who fulfill the rigorous educational, experience, and ethical requirements. 

Fred developed the implementation of the E2 program model. This model focuses on best practices for reframing poverty. This model was adopted and implemented in partnership with community leaders, participants, and CFNEA. Fred led the regional partnership to honor the 100^th anniversary of Susie Parker Stringfellow by creating 18 Open Spaces Sacred Places™ throughout our nine-county region. Fred currently serves on the board of Nature Sacred. A national organization whose goal is to provide an opportunity for a deeper human experience by inspiring and supporting the creation of public green spaces that offer a temporary sanctuary, encourage reflection, provide solace, and engender peace and well-being. In addition to his inspiring work with Nature Sacred, he leads a coalition of leaders and leading organizations to produce the annual Out of the Shadows Summit, which focuses on mental health advocacy and the destigmatization of mental health treatment.

Fred is an expert in grants, partnerships, and fund development. He speaks from experience in training not-for-profit organizations and working with donors to achieve their charitable dreams and plans.   

Fred served on the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama Roundtable, a group that allows young civic and business leaders to study issues and government policy in Alabama. On a national level, he has participated in Foundations on the Hill, an annual event held in Washington, D.C., that brings together community foundation leaders and advocates from the Southeast to Capitol Hill to advocate for philanthropy and the not-for-profit sector in the Southeast. Before joining the Community Foundation, Fred was an instructor at Gadsden State Community College. Later, he served as the Director of Jacksonville State University’s Community Wellness Program. A program recognized locally and statewide for its successful example of being an impactful community wellness program.

Fred met his lovely wife, Rochelle, while attending Jacksonville State University. They have two daughters, Eden and Zion, and reside in Jacksonville, AL.

Seasoned recruiter and business executive Crystal Stephens is passionate about her clients and helping them reach their goals. She knows that finding the right leader means the difference between success and mediocrity. Crystal has led mission-critical searches for clients such as Year Up, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Communities in Schools and the Anti-Defamation League.

Crystal excels in understanding the unique aspects of her clients and takes their mission into the market to attract leaders who otherwise might not be interested. She has a track record of recruiting civic-minded business leaders into nonprofit roles and an impressive track record of repeat assignments with national clients. With each well-executed search, Crystal knows we affect not just the client served, but the community.

Crystal joined BoardWalk in 2012 after extensive experience working with top-tier organizations in sales, marketing and recruiting. She spent the majority of her corporate career with IBM in senior sales and marketing positions which included leading an emerging channel of 1,000 inside sales and e-commerce teams, as a Director of ibm.com, and subsequently as a Vice President, leading a national sales and client coverage team.

As Executive Vice President at Monster.com, she managed a global sales team. She has received several leadership and sales awards throughout her career. Crystal moved into executive recruiting with Russell Reynolds Associates, where she led an expansive search portfolio in the technology sector.

After taking time off to start a family, Crystal returned to recruiting in a space where she combines her passion for serving the community along with her client-serving skills.

Crystal is an active volunteer and currently serves as Vice Chair of BreakThrough Atlanta. She has served on the board of a Georgia-based chapter of the Boys and Girls Club, and a division of the Woodruff Arts Center. Crystal was also the Board Chair of Elite Women of Excellence for over four years.

As a media contributor, Crystal hosted a technology segment on TV for a former education program, Kids These Days, and has appeared on the local NBC news affiliate as an expert on emerging technology.

Crystal grew up in St. Louis and went to college in Chicago where she received her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and MBA from Emory University.

Above all, family is most important to Crystal. Traveling together is especially memorable with favorite destinations including sailing in the Caribbean, and adventures in Africa and Canada.
 

Trusted executive, thought leader, and expert. I sit at the intersection of taxes, policy and philanthropy, and leverage my savvy, coalition building expertise, and deep industry knowledge to build solutions and progress for those I work with. I am also the founder of Integer, a women-owned government relations firm.

As for my experience, I have demonstrated expertise in collaborating with both major political parties to accomplish clients goals.  My expertise comes from years on Capitol Hill working for and advising seasoned Members of Congress and leading government relations teams for companies and clients in the private sector.

As for community service, I serve as a Member of the Board of Governors of the Lilly School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, Member of the Board of the Children’s Scholarship Fund, Member of the Philanthropy Editorial Board of a national publication, a Member of an Advisory Committee for the Dean of the George Washington University Law School, and an Advisory Council Member of Engage, a bipartisan women’s organization that promotes economic security for all American women. 

I am also a frequent speaker, author and media commentator, providing insightful analysis of breaking economic issues and policy trends to watch for in Washington.

Andrew serves as an Investment Advisor for Zenith Wealth Partners, assisting institutional partners such as Nonprofits and Foundations align their capital with their values. Prior to joining Zenith, Andrew founded and operated Alchemist Wealth, a fee-only financial planning and investment management firm. In his community volunteer efforts, he noticed a lack of quality service and alignment for organizations that serve women and diverse communities. This sparked a passion to help institutions better invest for impact and achieve their missions.

Andrew has a unique blend of investment expertise and a charitable giving skillset. He holds his CFP, received his Chartered Advisor of Philanthropy designation, and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Wittenberg University. Andrew was awarded the prestigious NextGen Financial Services Professional Award from The American College of Financial Services and named 50 under 50 by the Association of African American Advisors.

Andrew lives in Charlotte, NC with his wife Lauren. He enjoys collecting vinyl records, cooking with fresh ingredients, and exploring the world one country at a time.

John Tyler has been general counsel and corporate secretary for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation since 1999 and its first chief ethics officer since 2004. In these roles for the Foundation and its affiliated entities, Tyler combines his ability to understand and develop theory with his capacity to execute on and translate that theory into practice while complying with the law across the Foundation’s strategic priorities, administration, and investments.

Tyler also serves the Foundation as a liaison to national philanthropy and advocates for philanthropy more generally as a scholar, author, and speaker on topics that include: roles and responsibilities of philanthropy and foundations in society, notions that foundation and charity assets are ‘public money’, transparency and accountability of foundations, governance and compliance, public-private partnerships, private benefit, social entrepreneurship/enterprise, social purpose business forms, business ethics and fiduciary duty, and ‘impact’ investing.

Tyler has also published, spoken, and otherwise engaged on other substantive topics such as reforming U.S. policy regarding high-skilled immigration and improving university technology transfer. Many of Tyler’s more than two dozen academic articles, book chapters, and op-eds have been cited more than 250 times.

Tyler serves or has served on numerous national boards including the Philanthropy Roundtable, the Philanthropic Collaborative, NYU law school’s National Center on Philanthropy and the Law, Independent Sector’s public policy committee, Columbia Law School’s charities regulator project, several Urban Institute projects, among others. His Kansas City-based board service and leadership positions include the school boards for the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph, Genesis School, and Archbishop O’Hara High School as well as boards of the Center for Management Assistance, Science Pioneers, and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City, among others. He has had active roles in starting three schools: the Kauffman School, Cristo Rey Kansas City, and St. Michael the Archangel Catholic High School.

Tyler also has designed and is teaching two courses for Columbia University’s Master of Science in Nonprofit Management: one on foundations and the other on social purposes business. In 2018, Missouri Lawyers Media recognized him as an inaugural “Top Legal Innovator” in the State.

Before joining the Kauffman Foundation, Tyler was a partner with one of Kansas City’s oldest and largest law firms, Lathrop and Gage, where his practice focused on commercial litigation, personal injury litigation for railroads, and employment law. His undergraduate and law degrees are both from the University of Notre Dame.

Kristine Locklear Urrutia is the inaugural Executive Director of the Catawba Nation Foundation, where she leads the organization’s vision, strategy, and philanthropic investments to advance sustainable growth and community impact. In this role, she works in close partnership with the Catawba Nation of South and North Carolina, Cleveland County, NC and Tribal Nations and American Indian organizations across North Carolina to support transformative initiatives grounded in sovereignty, equity and community impact.

A seasoned leader with more than two decades of experience in global, community, and foundation philanthropy, Kristine has built a career centered on social impact. She is known for advancing capacity-building efforts, cultivating inclusive organizational cultures, and implementing equitable systems that accelerate meaningful change in communities and institutions.

In addition to her leadership at the Foundation, Kristine is a Co-Founder of The JAN Collaborative, where she continues to consult with non-profits on advancement strategy and organizational development. 

Kristine is a member of the Leadership Cleveland County 2025–2026 cohort and was selected for the NC Grows 2026 Indigenous Women in Business Cohort, programs that support emerging leaders and Native women entrepreneurs nationwide.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science from Bowling Green State University, with a focus on English/Native American Literature and Political Science. Kristine is a proud citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

Liz Ward is owner and principal of Give Impact, an advisory services company founded in 2020 to help bring more participants and creative solutions forward to address the affordable housing need in the Charlotte MSA. Give Impact exclusively works with developers and funders who desire to make a difference in equity outcomes through strategic investments in real estate.  Liz’s team helps clients clearly identify the impact they want to make, ways to creatively maximize their resources and development plans, and ultimately guide them to a strategy (and investment opportunities) that will make a lasting impact on their community.  Clients include non-profits, foundations, municipalities, private companies, and market rate developers.  Give Impact is advising in the placement of over $22MM+ in private capital and helped negotiate the city’s first formal Community Benefits Agreement with the West Boulevard Coalition.  Give Impact is registered as a MWSBE firm through NC’s Historical Underutilized Business Program.

Liz brings a unique perspective to her clients with over 15 years in the commercial real estate industry spanning across corporate, small business and non-profit companies. She has worked in many capacities, including both lending, ground up development, property acquisition and capital advisory work.  She has underwritten more than 6,500 multifamily units and has helped secure various types of capital including traditional equity, construction debt, permanent debt, municipal debt, tax credit equity, grant capital and private/corporate participations. 

Prior to starting Give Impact, Liz was an affordable housing developer for DreamKey Partners (previously The Housing Partnership) and a relationship manager for Wells Fargo providing construction lending to local private real estate developers in the Carolinas

Liz is a Charlotte native and proud mother of two.

Ms. Wenger is a past board president of Rapp at Home, a 10-year old virtual senior village in rural Rappahannock County, VA. During her 7-year tenure, she worked to increase membership from 200 to 700 members; increased the variety and number of services provided, primarily through volunteers; and increased donor participation and grant funding (including a Federal government grant related to healthcare) to exceed Rapp at Home’s 2025 operating expenses of $365,000.

Ms. Wenger is a founding member of the advisory board of the Virginia Villages Collective, which seeks to increase the number of villages in Virginia. She participates in the Rappahannock Mental Health Roundtable and in Aging Together activities, and was a member of the Rappahannock Rapidan Community Services Aging Services Advisory Council. 

She retired from Booz Allen Hamilton in 2009 after 40 years in consulting and in technology research in private sector profit and nonprofit, government, and academic organizations. Since retiring she participates in the Master Naturalist program, the Rappahannock Association for the Arts and Community, the Rappahannock County Schools Pathway Program to support students, the Rappahannock Garden Club, the Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection, and previously was on the boards of the Child Care and Learning Center (vice chair) and the Virginia Native Plant Society (grants manager).
 

Sarah Mann Willcox joined NCNG in 2014, and was named executive director in 2022. Prior to joining NCNG, Sarah served as the director of sustainability - primarily a development role - at the N.C. Center for Nonprofits. She is a graphic facilitator and spends a lot of time studying and thinking about how adults learn best. Sarah serves as a board member of the United Philanthropy Forum and has also volunteered on several local nonprofit boards including the Durham Symphony Orchestra and the Triangle Youth Philharmonic. She has a master’s degree in public administration from N.C. State and has a B.S. from Appalachian State. Sarah is a classically trained violinist and Irish fiddle player and is something of a hobby collector. Lately, she's been into tap dancing and sewing.

Ereka R. Williams, PhD, is Dogwood Health Trust’s Vice President – Education, bringing more than 20 years of teaching, scholarship and leadership to the organization. Her work is grounded in the belief that philanthropy has the power to responsibly address systemic issues with root causes intricately tied to history. She strives to leverage resources and build collaborations that accelerate educational opportunity, especially for those generationally pushed to the margins or underserved.

Prior to Dogwood, Dr. Williams served as Associate Provost for Academic Strategy and Institutional Effectiveness at Winston-Salem State University. Earlier still, as Associate Dean of Education, Quality Assurance and Community Engagement and Associate Dean of Education at Fayetteville State University (FSU), she led curriculum revisions, resource restructuring, created teacher residency models and initiated regional and national partnerships that strengthened quality assurance systems for teacher education programs. Today, Dr. Williams’ work ensures philanthropic investments and partnerships that are relevant, responsive, effective, fair and equitable for the people of Western North Carolina.

Dr. Williams has served as a coach, speaker, researcher, board member and reviewer for rural and urban schools across the midwest, northeast and southeastern US. Her research, publications and presentations focus on equity, diversity, assessment, accreditation and leadership. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Dr. Kenita T. Williams joined the Southern Education Foundation in 2017 and serves as the vice president and chief operating officer. Kenita is responsible for the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of the organization, as well as the implementation of SEF’s programmatic priorities. Additionally, Kenita represents SEF’s values and efforts to key external partners and serves as a thought partner to the president and CEO—helping to create the organizational systems, processes, and culture that ensure that SEF is as catalytic and impactful as possible.

Kenita brings a wide range of knowledge and critical experience to SEF, having held positions in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She has served as the partnerships manager for Atlanta Public Schools and as senior program manager for Public Policy at the Southeastern Council of Foundations. She spent several years as a consultant for JFM Consulting Group and worked on Capitol Hill as a Legislative Correspondent for then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama. Kenita is also a Teach for America alumna and spent three years teaching third grade in Atlanta.

Kenita earned her bachelor’s in political science and history from Yale University, her Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, a teaching certificate from Georgia State University, and her doctorate of education degree from Johns Hopkins University.

Rochelle Williams is the Chief Strategy Officer and Vice President of Community Impact at the Mary Black Foundation, where she leads the Foundation’s grantmaking and community impact strategies and manages the community impact team.

Rochelle has over 30 years of experience working in the social sector, in roles that have included policy analyst, management consultant, and nonprofit executive director. Before joining the team at the Mary Black Foundation, she served as the Executive Director of the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities Foundation

Tamika Williams is the Director of Child and Family Well-Being at The Duke Endowment.  She joined the Endowment in 2011 after working professionally as a Master’s Level Social Worker in child welfare for 13 years. Tamika’s experience has included direct child practice, county supervision, state policy development and administration, and national training and technical assistance to states, tribes and U.S. territories. She is the Endowment’s program lead for Launch Carolinas.

Tiki Windley is a Senior Program Manager at the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, where she helps drive the planning and execution of cross-functional initiatives that advance health and community impact across the state. Drawing on prior experience in program management and stakeholder engagement, she works closely with diverse partners to move strategy into action, with a focus on meeting community needs and supporting measurable, sustainable outcomes. Tiki takes a proactive approach to turning ideas into practical steps, strengthening processes, and navigating challenges. Known for her collaborative and thoughtful style, she is committed to fostering partnerships and contributing to meaningful, mission-driven work. 

She holds a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Elizabeth City State University. 
 

Mike Woodward is an educator, mentor, and philanthropist. He currently serves as the Director of Education and Civic Engagement at the Schott Foundation for Public Education. In this role he works closely with grantees and external stakeholders to cultivate and support effective campaigns focused on building systems to provide all students an opportunity to learn and thrive.

Mike comes to the Schott Foundation from College Track, where he served as the Site Director and the Regional Executive Director in New Orleans, and most recently the Chief Program Officer, working to support twelve centers and more than 3,000 first-generation college students nationwide from 9th grade through bachelor’s degree and beyond.

Prior to College Track, Mike was a high school math teacher and department chair at Lake Area New Tech Early College High School in New Orleans. Mike began his career in education as director of special projects at Urban League College Track.

Among his awards and acknowledgments, Mike has been selected as an ABFE Connecting Leaders Fellow, Grantmakers for Southern Progress Fellow, Gates Millennium Scholar, Ron Brown Scholar, an Emerging Philanthropist of New Orleans, and a W.K. Kellogg Foundation Fellow. He currently serves as a Trustee for both Philanthropy Southeast and the Institute of Mental Hygiene, co-chairs the Education Action Table for the Greater New Orleans Funders Network (GNOFN), and as a board member for College Beyond. Mike holds an MPH with a concentration in Epidemiology from Tulane University and a BS in Bioengineering from Stanford University.

Based in New Orleans, Louisiana, Mike is a self-proclaimed foodie and enjoys playing basketball, tennis, and chess.

Aaron Zeiler (he/him) is the director of partner strategies for the Center for Public Interest Communications. In this role, Aaron maintains existing projects with internal and external partners as well as steward and engage new relationships with potential partners.

Aaron’s background has centered on building the communication capacity of organizations and foundations working on issues ranging from public interest technology, prison abolition and public health. He has helped build social media and media relations strategy, facilitated trainings and coachings on storytelling and strategic communication, and led the communication efforts of a national non-profit. 

Cindy Zeldin serves as Vice President of Health Policy and Government Affairs at the Initiative. With more than 25 years of experience in health policy and advocacy, Cindy brings strategic expertise, deep knowledge of Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and coverage and access issues, as well as a proven ability to translate complex policy into actionable solutions. She excels at connecting partners, bridging sectors, and advancing initiatives that center people and communities while driving long-term impact.

Cindy previously served as the founding executive director of Georgians for a Healthy Future (GHF), where she built organizational capacity for policy development, coalition-building, communications, and advocacy. She later served as a Senior Consultant for Health Management Associates, a national research and consulting firm focused on publicly financed health care and has held a variety of roles in state government, national think tanks, and nonprofit advocacy—gaining broad insight across health policy and advocacy.

Cindy earned her Masters in Public Health in Health Policy and Management from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, a Master of Arts from The George Washington University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Emory University. Cindy’s education, paired with her professional experience, enables her to navigate complex policy landscapes while keeping the needs of people and communities central.