Contributor

Alexa Cortes Culwell has decades of experience building, managing, and advising philanthropic initiatives, as both a foundation CEO and a partner to donors shaping their strategy, implementation, learning, and legacy. As Co-founder and CEO of Open Impact, she leads an innovative team with a distinctive and holistic approach to working alongside clients at every step in their giving journey. Alexa’s… Read More

As a co-founder of the Laughing Gull Foundation, Meg was honored to take the lead on launching the organization in 2013. In setting up LGF’s first grantmaking programs, operations, and strategies, Meg drew on fifteen years of leadership experience with innovative organizations including the Merck Family Fund, Resource Generation, Bolder Giving, The Food Project, The Farm School and Waltham Fields Community Farm. She was supported and inspired by… Read More

Founded in 2019, the Next Gen Giving Circle’s mission is to cultivate the next generation of philanthropists in the greater Washington D.C. region. The Giving Circle is comprised of members contributing monthly donations that get pooled together for impactful grants to community causes. Members convene throughout the year to connect and engage with the local community. The Giving Circle’s funds… Read More

Jan Lane currently serves as Development Officer and has worked for the Community Foundation since 2013. Jan works in conjunction with the Vice President of Development and other development staff to support charitable planning for community-minded individuals, families and companies. Jan is primarily responsible for cultivating and facilitating the Community Foundation’s legacy planning program. In 2015, Jan completed a Legacy… Read More

Colleen McCarthy Blair is the Interim Chief Philanthropy Officer at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. Colleen, joined GCF in 2017 as the Senior Philanthropic Advisor, received her Executive Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of South Dakota and her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Visual Communication design from the University of Dayton. Before joining GCF, she served as… Read More

Marie D’Costa is Chief Development & Marketing Officer at the New York Community Trust. Marie works with donors to create personalized philanthropic legacies. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Philanthropy Planning Group of Greater New York, and the Advancement Network. She has a B.A. in public relations and advertising and an M.A. in international relations,… Read More

Adam Vizard is the Data Systems Manager at the Central Indiana Community Foundation. Adam joined CICF in 2019… Read More

Heather Pruess is the Donor Relations Officer at the Oregon Community Foundation. Heather works with advised fund holders to reach their charitable goals by connecting them to resources at OCF, in their communities, and beyond. She is a trained and certified 21/64 practitioner. Prior to OCF, Heather worked to recruit and train older adult volunteer mentors at Metropolitan Family Service and… Read More

Katy Rees is the Foundation Leadership at The Moniker Foundation: a private, family foundation based in Colorado Springs. Katy is a third-generation family member involved with the Foundation, and she was the Foundation’s first hired staff… Read More

Christopher G. Oechsli is President and CEO of The Atlantic Philanthropies and serves on the Board of Directors. He has led Atlantic’s grantmaking through its four program areas and Founding Chairman grants. His responsibilities include working with the Board to complete all of Atlantic’s active grantmaking by 2016 and conclude all operations by 2020. Mr. Oechsli has over 35 years of… Read More