Resources

Mark Larimer is co-founder, VP of Client Services, and leads the Marketing and Client Services teams at Foundant Technologies. His past careers with Extended Systems and RightNow Technologies gives him the experience to understand technology... his compassion allows him to see how technology can be used to make people's lives easier and the philanthropic sector better and more efficient. During the winter months, Mark can usually be found on the ski hill... when he's not in the office making jokes and finding ways to help our philanthropic clients. Mark is highly involved with the Discovery Ski Education Foundation as a board member, former president, and youth coach. He is also actively involved in Youth Philanthropy Connect and was a driving force behind the recent Youth Giving Project in Bozeman, Montana.

Nadia Alia is the director of operations of The Tow Foundation. She joined the Foundation in 2013. Prior to joining the Foundation, Nadia was the manager of member services at Philanthropy New York. Nadia is responsible for creating and managing the operating systems, processes, and activities that enable the Foundation’s current board and next generation family members, staff and grantees to achieve the highest level of impact. Nadia is also the system administrator for the Foundation’s online grantmaking database.

Nadia serves on the advisory board of Rattlestick Playwrights Theater. She is an active member of Connecticut Council for Philanthropy, Exponent Philanthropy, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, Peak Grantmaking and Philanthropy New York. Nadia earned a B.A. in Political Science from Pace University.

Chuck Kaylor joined the John M. Belk Endowment in October 2017 as Chief of Staff. Chuck provides high-level support with an emphasis on implementation of the CEO’s goals and key activities, including organizational effectiveness, strategic impact, and thought leadership. Honored to be a contributing member of the John M. Belk Endowment team, Chuck’s professional experiences have been firmly rooted in providing opportunity through the vehicles of both individual and community development. Chuck graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Sarah Kelley is Senior Program Officer at the Island Foundation, a family foundation based in Marion, MA. She manages the Foundation’s Environment program area, which includes grantmaking in the areas of sustainable agriculture and food systems; climate change and alternative energy; land and water conservation; and marine mammal conservation. Before coming to the Foundation in 2009, she served for 5 years as Executive Director of Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP), a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and expanding sustainable farming and access to local food. Sarah also has extensive research and work experience in the area of sustainable textiles and fibers as a part of regional agricultural systems. She holds an M.S. in Plant and Soil Sciences from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a B.A. in History with a concentration on the Irish linen industry from Yale University.

Sarah currently serves as a Board member of New England Grassroots Environment Fund, as a guest lecturer on sustainability in apparel production at Rhode Island School of Design, and on the Membership Committee of Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders (SAFSF). She is the author of the 2017 report “Common Threads: U.S. Foundation Opportunities in Sustainable Fiber and Textiles,” published by SAFSF.

As a New England Grassroots Environment Fund Board member, Sarah is honored to help build on the Island Foundation’s long connection with the Grassroots Fund, going back to its founding, and to contribute to its innovative new approaches to values-driven and participatory grantmaking.

Bart Westdijk comes to the Grassroots Fund from the Netherlands. His interest in local solutions and grassroots initiatives comes from his world travels and thesis study focus on multinational corporations' potential to help alleviate poverty (yes, possible, especially if there is a real focus on local engagement and transfer of knowledge). The first 20 years of his life Bart spent in Zwijndrecht, a town just south of multi-cultural Rotterdam. His international travels began when he was 7. During summer holidays he and his family traveled to many different countries seeding his interest in different cultures and customs. Before coming to Vermont, Bart spent a semester in New Zealand and lived a year in China (2004-2005) working as an English and Business teacher. Seeing the conditions in which large parts of the population lived further fueled his interest in development and true local problem-solving.

Bart lives on the shore of Lake Champlain in Burlington with his wife Sabrina, son Liam, step-daughter Olivia and Emma the dog. He works from the Grassroots Fund's satellite location in Burlington (VT) and shares office space with the Center for Whole Communities right on Lake Champlain. As Director of Operations, Bart focuses on a variety of tasks ranging from strategic program development to fundraising, and from Grow grant program review to Local Food-related research and network participation. His main focus has been on the participatory process, ensuring protocols and practices throughout the organization center equity. 

Bart has served as president on the board of the VT Community Garden Network from 2007 to 2012. He is currently involved with a start-up collaborative brew pub and is engaging in conversations to launch permablitzes with a particular focus on class, privilege and equity around Chittenden County.

Usoon Woo joined the John M. Belk Endowment in November 2013 as executive assistant. Past professional roles include executive assistant and community outreach coordinator at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, as well as many years of freelance work as an artist and assistant in New York City and New England. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications from University of Michigan at Flint.