Over the course of the next 12 months, this cohort will use the
United Philanthropy Forum’s 10 Principles for Rural Philanthropic Engagement to identify learning priorities, connect with community leaders, and present information to NCNG Members at the 2024 Annual Meeting and Conference.
“We’re thrilled to offer this new leadership forum as a keystone part of our commitment to connect, equip and inspire grantmakers,” said Sarah Mann Willcox, Executive Director of NCNG. “These dedicated individuals will help to build the capacity of our entire network of 114 private, family, community, and public foundations. We hope that their work will catalyze more effective philanthropic investment in rural communities – particularly in those regions historically disadvantaged by racial, geographic, and economic inequities.”
The work of this year’s forum is supported by the United Philanthropy Forum as a part of a multi-year initiative with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. NCNG was one of four philanthropy supporting organizations selected as a part of this national effort.
The 2023-2024 Community Champions Leadership Forum class includes foundations of all types and sizes from across the N.C. grantmakers community. The selected individuals are:
Dick Baker, Executive Director/CEO, Healthcare Foundation of Cleveland County
Russ Campbell, Senior Communications Officer, Director of Science Communications, Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Marilyn Chism, Director of Programs, Golden LEAF
Sarah Guidi, Director of Community Engagement, Triangle Community Foundation
Michaela Loucks, Analyst, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Thermo Fischer Scientific
Heather Murphy, Executive Director, The Health Foundation
Mindy Oakley, Executive Director, Edward J. Armfield, Sr. Foundation
Cheryl Parquet, Director Community Engagement and Marketing Activation, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC
Kristen Richardson Frick, Associate Director Rural Church, The Duke Endowment
Eniris Riddick, Program Officer-Social & Economic Justice, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation
Betsey Russell, Senior Director, Community Engagement, Dogwood Health Trust
Tara Scholtz, Senior Program Officer, The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina
Jenn Wages, Assistant Director, The Health Foundation
Ebony West, Program Associate, Democracy Fund
Tiki Windley, Program Officer - Community-Based Strategies, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation
The North Carolina Network of Grantmakers is a membership network serving a diverse community of grantmaking organizations that are committed to learning and working together. For questions regarding the leadership forum or other work, please email info@ncgrantmakers.org.