Contributor

Monica M. Merante, CAP© began her career in the not-for-profit sector in 2002 after graduating from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She headed up the annual giving and scholarship programs at Le Moyne College and Onondaga Community College before joining the Central New York Community Foundation in 2012. Her work at the Community Foundation allows… Read More

Tamara Lewis serves as Chief People Officer of The Sobrato Organization (TSO). In her role, Tamara leads TSO’s people, operations, and communications functions (including Real Estate and Development, Sobrato Capital, and Sobrato Philanthropies) and provides overall leadership and accountability across the entire suite of people functions. This includes culture, organizational development, talent management, diversity, equity, and inclusion, people operations, total… Read More

Tom Griffith is Vice President of Development and has worked for the Community Foundation since 2013. Tom is responsible for the creation and implementation of a comprehensive development program to accomplish the goals set forth in the Community Foundation’s strategic plan. In September 2017, Tom received the designation of Accredited Estate Planner (AEP®) from the National Association of Estate Planners… Read More

Christine Chen is a co-Founder and Executive Director of Asian Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote), one of the most trusted national, nonpartisan organizations. APIAVote’s mission is to work with local and state community based organizations (CBOs) to mobilize Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in electoral and civic engagement. Since 2007, APIAVote has been building power in AAPI communities… Read More

Henriët Hendriks provides evaluation, learning leadership, and support for the Minneapolis Foundation’s grant programs and strategic framework. She aims to bring in new and creative evaluation approaches that center equity, community voice, and collaborative learning. Before joining the Foundation, Henriët co-directed a statewide initiative at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs to support innovative, multigenerational approaches in human services. Henriët… Read More

Kimberlee Salmond is the Director, Research and Learning, at the Oregon Community Foundation, which is proud to have one of the largest internal research teams among community foundations nationwide. The team’s work informs OCF priorities, activities, and operations through evaluations that help understand the impact of grantmaking and other philanthropic efforts; internal reflection on foundation practices and policies; and original… Read More

Katy Pelissier is responsible for developing and implementing programs and conferences at Southern California Grantmakers (SCG), and supports peer networking and collaboration. Prior to joining SCG, Katy spent eight years in the Pacific Northwest working in the nonprofit sector on local food and agriculture issues, including business development for regenerative farmers and ranchers and increasing local food procurement in school… Read More

John A. Lanier is the Executive Director of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, a Georgia-based private family foundation honoring the legacy of the late Ray C. Anderson. Lanier joined the organization in May 2013 to lead the Foundation that bears his grandfather’s name. Ray was a globally recognized industrialist and pioneer for environmentalism, and Lanier continues his legacy today through… Read More

Theo Avery is Vice President of the Durfee Foundation, a Los-Angeles-based family foundation named in honor of Theo’s grandmother.  Theo obtained a B.A. in Philosophy from University of Redlands in Redlands, California in 2010 and a law degree from University of California, Los Angeles in 2014.  Theo has spent his career working as an attorney in private practice, and he… Read More

Christina West-Bieg was born and raised in the Silicon Valley and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and a minor in Art History & Archaeology from Washington University in St. Louis. She is a Program Manager at Meta and has over a decade of previous experience in the tech and financial services industries. With a lifelong interest in music, arts… Read More