2019 CF Gathering Speakers

Mike has been at the helm of The Erie Community Foundation since 1990 when he was selected as the first executive director. He was named president in 1995. Under his management, assets have increased from $20 million to over $220 million. This market value puts The Erie Community Foundation within the top 10% of community foundations in the nation. Named endowment funds have grown from 53 to 760. Annual grantmaking has dramatically increased with over $13 million distributed in 2016.

Under Mike’s leadership, The Erie Community Foundation received national recognition for expanding access to opportunity. He founded the Nonprofit Partnership, a membership-based capacity building nonprofit. He also established regional affiliate foundations serving Corry, Union City, North East and Findley Lake.

He is a two-time president of Pennsylvania Association of Community Foundations and a national elected leader of the Council of Foundations. He also served on the National Governing Council. He consults for community foundations across the country and is a well-known instructor for the Center for Community Foundation Excellence in Washington, D.C. He earned both a Bachelor of Science (cum laude) in Journalism (1977) and a Master of Arts in Public Policy Analysis (1980) from Kent State University.

He began a career in higher education by serving as Kent State admissions counselor. He then served as Director of Annual Giving at Hiram College, Director of Planning and Development at Villa Maria College and Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Gannon University.

Christopher Baxter is the founding editor of Spotlight PA and oversees all aspects of the newsroom. His work as an investigative reporter and editor has regularly prompted meaningful change in the form of new laws and regulations, criminal investigations, resignations, legislative hearings and more.

Most recently, he was the editor for data and investigations at NJ Advance Media (NJ.com & The Star-Ledger), where he led the newsroom’s highest-level investigative projects with a digital-first approach and an emphasis on journalism that gets results. Previously, he was the Mike Wallace Fellow in Investigative Reporting with the Knight-Wallace Fellowships at the University of Michigan and, before that, worked for four years as a statehouse investigative reporter in The Star-Ledger’s Trenton Bureau. He began his career as a local reporter for The Morning Call in Allentown, Pa.

His work has garnered numerous state and national awards, including the 2014 Livingston Award in Local Reporting and the 2018 Investigative Reporters & Editors Freedom of Information Award.

Janice joined TFEC in September of 1994. Prior to joining TFEC, Janice worked as executive director of Edgewater Psychiatric Center. Janice holds a Bachelor of Science in nursing from George Mason University. Janice has served on many boards within the community including the Arc of Cumberland & Perry Counties Foundation, Delta Dental of Pennsylvania, Elizabethtown College, Gretna Theatre, Open Stage of Harrisburg, Rotary Club of Harrisburg, and UPMC Pinnacle Foundation. Additionally, she served as district governor of rotary district 7390 in 2006-2007. When Janice arrived at TFEC, the assets totaled approximately $5 million. As of October 2017, TFEC assets totaled more than $93 million.

Adam Bratton is a non-profit executive with a nearly 20 year track record of diverse experience in non-profit management. Adam began his career in Washington where he served a higher education membership organization as well as a public service advocacy group. Regionally, Adam has worked in the public affairs office at Allegheny College, served as Executive Director of the Robert H. Jackson Center out of Jamestown, NY, and has served in Erie in fundraising capacities with both the Barber National Institute and the Achievement Center. Adam serves as the Executive Director of The Nonprofit Partnership, a member-based organization with a mission to build the capacity of nonprofit organizations.

Adam is proficient in creating governance models and has worked with Boards and has served on a number of Boards. He has managed administrative functions in the non-profit realm including finance, facility and personnel. Adam has considerable experience developing communications and marketing initiatives including utilizing online and social media for fundraising and outreach. He has led a number of organizations in building fundraising programs from the ground up including developing annual fund programs, leadership giving programs, event fundraising and capital campaign efforts. Additionally, Adam has significant experience in managing local, regional and national events and programs.

Adam resides in Westfield, NY with his wife Carissa and their three children, Isabella, Daniel and John.

Stephanie Chernay is the Chief Operating Officer at Neighborhood Allies. In this role, Stephanie will serve as a key member of the executive team that is directly responsible for the day-to-day responsibility of planning, implementing, and managing operational and financial-related activities of the organization. Stephanie will ensure that organizational systems are aligned to ensure to provide the best-in-class measurements and outcomes.

Stephanie is a locally recognized community and economic development professional that brings a diverse skill set to the organization. Over the last 15 years, Stephanie has held several leadership roles in the non-profit sector with a focus on leveraging economic resources to create meaningful prosperity in disadvantaged communities. Stephanie also possesses a strong knowledge of financial management, real estate, and capacity-building, along with experience in marketing, business development, and consulting.

Prior to joining Neighborhood Allies, Stephanie briefly worked for UPMC as a proposal manager/writer and quality assurance manager. Prior to that, Stephanie served as the Deputy Director of Economic Development South (EDS), the first multi-municipal economic development corporation in Allegheny County. Stephanie was directly responsible for operational and financial oversight in direct partnership with the executive director through shared impact projects and initiatives in the South Pittsburgh/South Hills communities of Brentwood, Baldwin, Whitehall, Mt. Oliver, Jefferson Hills, Pleasant Hills, Bethel Park, Castle Shannon, the City of Clairton, and the City of Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Carrick, Overbrook, Knoxville and Brookline. During her tenure at EDS, Stephanie helped secure over $22 million in grants.

Prior to joining EDS, she worked as a Community Development Consultant for the South Pittsburgh Neighborhoods of Beechview and Brookline working on projects related to community and economic development. Concurrently, Stephanie worked as the Business Development Director/Main Street Manager and Elm Street Manager for the Northside Leadership Conference for three business districts in the Northside neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

Stephanie’s expertise is focused on project management, community and economic development and analysis, business and market development, complex analysis and trend mapping, partnership architecture, relationship building, managed fundraising strategies and development, entrepreneurship training, marketing and communications, and group process and collaboration.

Stephanie holds a master’s degree in business administration from Hood College and a bachelor’s degree in urban studies and comparative urbanism from the University of Pittsburgh. Stephanie recently obtained her Economic Development Finance Professional certification from the National Development Council. In addition to her professional efforts,. Stephanie lives with her husband Michael and her step-daughter “bonus” daughter, Morgan in the South Hills.  

Lisa manages Adams County Community Foundation’s grantmaking focused on affordable housing, transportation and economic development. She also oversees Adams County’s largest one day giving event.

Prior to joining the Community Foundation in 2016, Lisa held positions with nonprofits focused on programs for girls, the arts, local history, first offenders, elder care, poverty issues, and community planning and development.

Lisa holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and Community Planning from the University of Maryland at Baltimore.

Phil Koch has been working to strengthen communities for over 15 years.  He started his career as an elementary and middle school teacher in the Chicago Public Schools and the Pittsburgh Public Schools.  In 2005, Phil left the classroom and began working in the non-profit sector as the Pittsburgh Director for MGR Youth Empowerment, a direct service non-profit focused on youth development.  As the National Executive Director, Phil grew the organization to five metropolitan cities, impacting over 50,000 youth during his tenure. 

Currently, Phil serves as the Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Westmoreland County whose mission is to encourage local residents to become philanthropists, to provide grants that support a wide variety of non-profit organizations, and serve as a community leader.  Phil obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from Wittenberg University and his Master’s Degree in Professional Leadership and Non-Profit Management from Carlow University. 

Since 2014, Kate has cultivated relationships with donors and their trusted advisors to accomplish the donor’s philanthropic objectives through current and legacy gifts that benefit nonprofits in the greater Pittsburgh region. Kate is also trained in the 21/64 methodology for facilitating multigenerational meetings with families to define and implement their philanthropic goals. She has spoken at numerous national and regional conferences about innovative methods for bringing professional advisors and clients together to develop charitable giving strategies. Before joining the Foundation, Kate worked in higher education for nine years. She spent five of those years raising major gifts, specifically endowed scholarships. She earned her doctorate in 2012 in information systems and communications. Her research explored fundraisers’ perceptions of social and professional media for prospect research purposes. In 2014 she was named a Fast Tracker by the "Pittsburgh Business Times." She has an MS in organizational leadership from Robert Morris University and a BA is in Public Relations from Westminster College. Kate is a graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh, Inc.’s Leadership Development Initiative Class XXIII, serves on the PNC YMCA Board of Advisors, and is a member of the Advisory Committee on Community Based Organizations (ACCBO) for the City of Pittsburgh. She is also a member of the Estate Planning Council of Pittsburgh. She is a life-long athlete, a three-time marathoner and a mom.

Amy works with professional advisors and their clients to establish new and deferred funds that represent their charitable giving intentions. She is thrilled to aid the organizations and individuals behind positive change in our community and to help create meaningful ways for people to experience the rewards of charitable giving. Philanthropy has always been part of her life, beginning in early childhood when her father explained the importance of helping others and extending throughout her career. Prior to joining The Pittsburgh Foundation, Amy managed charitable giving portfolios as an associate major gift officer in major and planned giving for the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation. She also created and implemented strategic fund-raising plans as a member of that foundation’s Annual Giving Department, where she was promoted to as an associate director after serving as development coordinator and development associate. Amy earned a bachelor’s degree in rhetoric and communication from the University of Pittsburgh and began her career as an account executive at Pittsburgh’s ESPN Radio affiliate, WEAE, before moving onto Clear Channel Radio (currently iHeart Media). She resides in Stanton Heights. In her free time, she enjoys traveling both in the United States and internationally, spending time with friends and visiting family in Cleveland.

In her role as the Community Foundation’s Health and Human Services Program Officer, Monica manages the grant distribution process for a growing portfolio of charitable funds that promote public health and help those in need in our community. She is also coordinator of the Berks County Task Force for Oral Health.

Prior to her employment with the foundation, Monica worked for State Senator Judy Schwank’s office, where she specialized in health and human service issues, coordinating with local, state, and federal agencies. In this role, she participated in community boards and social change initiatives in Pennsylvania’s 11th senatorial district. Monica also maintains a supervisory position with a national research company.

She earned a Bachelor’s degree of arts in Political Science with a minor in French from Kutztown University. She also earned a Public Administration Master’s Degree from West Chester University.

Ralph is the President and CEO of the Adams County Community Foundation in Gettysburg, PA where he and his team are responsible for encouraging the community to invest in ACCF's vision for Adams County.
Prior to joining ACCF, Ralph was Vice President of Philanthropy at the Baltimore Community Foundation where he oversaw BCF's successful $100 million Campaign for Baltimore. He was previously the Executive Vice President of the Princeton Area Community Foundation, and directed professional advisor outreach for Community Foundation Silicon Valley. Before entering the community foundation field, Ralph was with Wells Fargo Bank in California and Chase Manhattan in New York.
Ralph founded the Unrestricted Asset Development Peer Group in 2007, leading 15 community foundation executives through an extensive peer learning and asset building discussion to uncover and put in place successful strategies to raise unrestricted assets. Over time, the group has grown to include over 125 community foundations from across the country.
Ralph is on the boards of York City (PA) General Authority and Boston (MA) Youth Marching Arts. He is a former member of the Maryland Community Foundation Association Steering Committee, past president of the Gift Planning Council of New Jersey and the York City (PA) Human Relations Commission. He is a Certified Fund Raising Executive and member of the Gettysburg Rotary.

Frances M. Sheehan is the first President of Delaware County’s largest philanthropy, The Foundation for Delaware County, an independent public foundation formed from the sale of the Crozer-Keystone Health System on July 1, 2016. She came to the foundation in January, 2017, after serving as the founding President and CEO of the Brandywine Health Foundation in Coatesville, Chester County for 15 years.  With 58 staff operating in four offices in Delaware County, The Foundation for Delaware County runs high quality, evidence-based public health programs such as Healthy Start and WIC, will make grants to launch new initiatives and support non-profits improving the health of Delaware County, and is already on track to meet all 26 of the Council on Foundation’s “National Standard for U.S. Community Foundations.”  Prior to her work at the Brandywine Health Foundation, Ms. Sheehan ran Planned Parenthood of Chester County, and has served on a variety of boards of directors including the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry and as president of the Philanthropy Network of Greater Philadelphia.  She is currently on the board of directors of Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) and is a new member of the Rotary Club of Media.  With an MBA from Temple University and a BA from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, she has won several awards over the years including the March of Dimes Woman of Achievement in the Field of Health and the Chester County Chamber of Commerce’s Robert J. Thompson Citizen of the Year Award. A resident of Swarthmore for 27 years, Ms. Sheehan is the previous President of Congregation Ohev Shalom in Wallingford, is married to Dr. Ricardo Gelman, an emergency physician at Penn Medicine – Chester County Hospital, and has two grown children and a new son-in-law.

Barbara Sieck Taylor’s background includes experience as a grantmaker, foundation trustee, development officer and nonprofit executive.  She served as a program officer for the DeWitt Wallace Fund (now part of Wallace Foundation) and the Greenwall Foundation, both in New York City.  As a development officer, she was Director of Development for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and subsequently directed fundraising for the cultural programming division of NPR for eight years.  From 2005 to 2016, Barbara served on the board of directors of New Field Foundation, a San Francisco-based foundation that supports and empowers rural west African women. 

Aaron is an award-winning string-strummer, storyteller, and high harmony hitter hailing from his transplanted home of Lancaster, PA. Originally from Mechanicsburg, and after studying Political Science at Temple University, Aaron divides his Lancaster life between working at the Communications Manager for the Lancaster County Community Foundation, traveling the region performing with his band, and advocating for community change with the Global Shapers Lancaster hub, among other grassroots organizations. Aaron strives to be an ever-improving ally, and believes in the power of being an ear to the community, rather than its voice. He is passionate building platforms for Lancaster to tell its story in new and creative ways.

In her role as donor services officer, Christy manages and executes the process that ensures the Foundation’s donors are receiving the best possible service and are provided opportunities to become more involved in their funds. She also connects donors to the Center for Philanthropy, where they can work with skilled staff to clarify their philanthropic values, gain insight into critical issues and community needs, and identify organizations and opportunities that align with their giving priorities. Christy also engages families across multiple generations to make them more effective in executing their philanthropic missions. Before joining the Foundation, Christy led volunteer engagement efforts at the United Way of Allegheny County. She has additional work experience in nonprofit administration, family therapy and marketing. Christy has a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh and a B.A. in Speech Communication from the University of Illinois.  Outside of work, she volunteers with Higher Achievement, a skills-building and mentoring program for fifth to eighth graders. Christy is also a member of the Board of Directors of Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures.

Betsie is the President & CEO of the Washington County Community Foundation, a position created by the Board of Trustees in December of 2010. Previously, Trew was the Executive Director of the Foundation, a position she has held since late 1998. Under her leadership, the assets of the Foundation have grown from less than $250,000 to more than $35 million, with over $10 million in grants and scholarships awarded.

During her tenure, the Washington County Community Foundation was one of the first community foundations in the country to be approved for the National Standards for Community Foundations.

Immediately prior to her position at the Community Foundation, she was the Vice President, Community Services for the United Way of Washington County, where she was responsible for the distribution of approximately $1 million annually to local health and human services organizations. Previously, she was employed at US Steel in both Washington and Pittsburgh, where she held positions in human resources, sales, and accounting. Trew is a Past President of the Rotary Club of Washington and the President-Elect of the Rotary Club of Monongahela. She has also served on the Washington County Tourism and Promotion Agency Grants Committee and the Community Connections Grant Committee for Washington County. In 2009, she received the ATHENA Award from the Washington County Chamber of Commerce which in part, recognized her efforts to support disadvantaged women and children through the Foundation’s Mother’s Fund.

Trew is a magna cum laude graduate of California University of PA, where she earned a degree in Business Administration and Management. She is also a graduate of the Executive Leadership Program at the University of Michigan and was selected from a nationwide pool of applicants to attend the premier Community Foundation Course at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. She serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh, PA. Trew frequently provides guidance to area charities on the creation and execution of coordinated development plans which include such strategies as annual appeals, fundraising events, and capital campaigns. Her expertise extends to non-cash gifts such as securities, life insurance and retirement assets, as well as planned giving strategies including bequests, charitable gift annuities, and charitable remainder trusts

Michelle Walker, MA, CAP©, is the founder and principal of Walker Philanthropic Consulting. Michelle brings a unique mix of experience and knowledge to client needs by focusing on leveraging the intellectual capital assets of the client to support organizational strategy and achieve mission-oriented goals. Most recently as a consultant, Ms. Walker’s intellectual capital framework has been used to by an emerging network of organizations, implement new fundraising programs, reframe governance processes and strategy planning for boards, and to assess organizational IP to create potential revenue streams. She has presented papers on nonprofit boards, intellectual property, and social enterprise at ISIRC 2016 in Glasgow, Scotland, ISTR 2018 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and ARNOVA 2018 in Austin, Texas. 

Russ Walker joined PA Post in 2019 as executive editor. He previously worked at KING 5 News, the NBC-affiliated TV station serving Seattle and Western Washington. At KING, Russ oversaw the award-winning investigative unit and managed the newsroom’s daily operations. His background includes stints as an editor for POLITICO, washingtonpost.com, FreedomChannel.com, American Health Line and U.N. Wire. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. Russ and his wife, journalist and cookbook author Kim O’Donnel, live in Lancaster.

David P. Weber has 30 years of community development experience, including work in the areas of community organizing, organizational development and strategic planning, human services, grant writing and grant management, and program planning and evaluation.  He currently serves as a Policy Analyst at PHADA (the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association) in Washington, D.C. and as an independent consultant.  He previously served as the Chief Operations Officer of the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) where he was responsible for operation of the Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Programs, as well as oversight of the HACP’s Moving To Work Program and other special initiatives.  

In over 20 years at HACP, David worked in multiple areas including resident services, finance, grants and contracts, inter-governmental communications, and regulatory and legislative analysis.  He has served on various boards and committees, including the City of Pittsburgh Affordable Housing Task Force and the national MTW Performance Assessment Tool Committee. He currently serves on the board of Neighborworks of Western Pennsylvania.  Prior to joining HACP Mr. Weber established an Office of Resident Programs at the New Rochelle (N.Y.) Municipal Housing Authority and worked as a public and assisted housing tenant organizer for the Greater New Haven Coalition for People.  He is a graduate of Wesleyan University.
 

Through the Foundation’s Center for Philanthropy, Jennie works closely with professional advisors to create lasting philanthropic legacies and tax advantages for their clients. Before joining the Development and Donor Services team, Jennie worked as a marriage and family therapist specializing in the use of Bowen Family Systems Theory to enhance individual functioning in the context of families, organizations and communities. She is also a certified 21/64 philanthropic consultant trained to guide multigenerational families as they manage family foundations, donor-advised funds, and other family enterprises during times of generational transition. Jennie is a graduate of Westminster College, in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, and a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Seton Hill University’s Master’s Program.