Certified Community Heart & Soul Coaches

As President/CEO of the Legacy Foundation, Kelly Anoe seeks to build relationships and collaborations with nonprofit organizations, businesses, local government, and the community. She has over 20 years’ experience working with nonprofit organizations and their boards. Kelly has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Master’s in Business Administration from Purdue Northwest, and is a Certified Fundraising Executive. She gave a TedX talk on nonprofit leadership, serves on the Public Policy Committee for the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance and the Crossroads Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. She is a graduate of Leadership Northwest Indiana, the Center for Community Progress Community Revitalization Fellowship, an inductee into the Northwest Indiana Society of Innovators, and was awarded as a Northwest Indiana Woman on the Rise.

As a Lake County resident, Kelly is passionate about Lake County communities and people. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends (and her dog), reading, photography, hiking and backpacking, community events, and DIY home improvement projects.

Allee is an economic development specialist dedicated to advancing opportunities in rural communities. She is currently with Associated Electric Cooperative, where she supports transmission and distribution cooperatives through strategic advisement, target industry research, development resources, and more. Her work helps bridge the gaps rural communities often face by empowering them to be involved and comfortable with economic development conversations, helping them access funding, education, and partnerships that will strengthen long-term economic growth.

Previously, Allee managed business retention and expansion efforts in central Missouri for the Missouri Department of Economic Development. In this role, she gained extensive experience in project management, incentive packages, and rural economic development strategies.

Allee is a Missouri Certified Economic Developer and has held leadership roles with the Missouri Economic Development Council, including a term on the board of directors. She also engages with regional and national economic development organizations.

Passionate about community empowerment, entrepreneurship, and rural vitality, Allee believes economic development is about more than numbers—it’s about community support, fostering collaboration, and creating sustainable opportunities in rural places.

Maranda Engquist is the Grants and Partnerships Director at Legacy Foundation, Lake County’s community foundation. In her position, Maranda manages Legacy Foundation’s grantmaking, strategic partnerships, community impact, and programming. Through her work, she strengthens community relationships and cultivates opportunities for residents to become changemakers.

Prior to her current role, Maranda held various roles at the community foundation, including Community Engagement Coordinator and Marketing and Communications Manager. During her time in these roles, she led several foundation community program initiatives, including Rise NWI, On the Table, and the 2020 Census Campaign.

Maranda earned her B.S. in Hospitality and Tourism Management and M.B.A from Purdue University Northwest. In her free time she enjoys traveling with her husband to visit innovative farmers markets and artisan festivals.

Melissa Fox is the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation Strategic Engagement Fellow at the Community Foundation of Monroe County (CFMC), bringing experience in community engagement, philanthropy, and public safety. Most recently, she led Driving Skills for Life at Ford Motor Company, partnering with nonprofits and industry leaders to advance education, prevention, and community-focused initiatives.

In her role at CFMC, Melissa is thrilled to work directly with communities across rural Monroe County, listening to local voices and building meaningful relationships to support projects that make a tangible impact.

Melissa and her husband, Patrick, live in Southeast Michigan with their four children—Jack, Brady, Micah, and Nellie. She enjoys baking, volunteering, supporting school PTO efforts, and staying actively involved in her community.

“I’m so excited to finally do work that makes a real difference in my own community, especially in the rural areas I care so deeply about.”

Michelle has spent more than 35 years in the nonprofit sector. She loves empowering local people to dream big and turn their ideas into action. A native Iowan, Michelle spends her free time tending to her historic farm with her two dogs, growing heirloom vegetables and native plants, and soaking up as much time outdoors as possible. She is a graduate of the University of Iowa and holds a master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati. On warm summer nights, you can often find her on the porch with a glass of wine, watching lightning bugs sparkle across the corn and soybean fields.

Annie Halle is the Vice President of Operations at the Barry Community Foundation (BCF). Annie’s strong sense of community and desire to provide opportunity has made her role at the Foundation a perfect fit. Before coming to the Foundation, Annie held positions in marketing research and public relations. Annie is also a mother of three boys. Annie’s focus has always been on creating opportunity, maximizing potential, and making the place she calls home a little better. As the Vice President of Operations at the Foundation, Annie provides financial access to Barry County students seeking post-secondary educational opportunities.

In addition to her role as scholarship administrator, Annie also manages the Barry Community Enrichment Center, which is home to 11 not-for-profit groups. By creating Barry County’s only nonprofit center, BCF saves area nonprofits a combined total of over $190,000 per year in rent, which in turn allows them to invest these dollars back into the community in programs and services.

Annie has taken an active role in building community throughout Barry County. Her role as affiliate liaison for two neighboring foundations allows her to hear the voices, concerns, and strengths of these communities and facilitate positive action.

Jackie is originally from Lapeer where she grew up showing horses and sheep. Her love for horses took her to the University of Findlay to earn an associate degree in equine studies but training horses as a career wasn’t as appealing in the long-run so she transferred to Michigan State University to earn her bachelor’s degree. While interning in college she was introduced to the world of banking, specifically wealth management.

Her career began there, earning her Certified Trust and Financial Advisor designation, then her Juris Doctor, while administering trusts and estates and working with high-net-worth clients. It was during that time that she got to know the St. Claire Community Foundation first as an advisor for the Youth Advisory Council (YAC), then as a volunteer on the grants committee and eventually as a Board member. Jackie then joined the Foundation as staff in the spring of 2015. She specializes in connecting donor’s passions with meaningful giving through charitable planning, advanced giving strategies and planned giving.

In her free time, Jackie enjoys traveling with her young family, doing CrossFit, and participating in many of the local 5K races that benefit charitable causes.

Pursuing opportunities that bring her joy, Natacha solidified her passion for serving others while she was the Downtown Development Authority Director for the City of Port Huron. She was honored to be involved in many community-focused projects, including creating parks, organizing events, and launching initiatives that enriched the Downtown and supported the greater good.

Now working in philanthropy, she is a Program Officer for Community Impact with the Community Foundation of St. Clair County. She is most passionate about connecting with the County’s unique communities and serving as a facilitator to help bring their visions of a vibrant community to life.

In her spare time, she loves traveling and boating. She is fascinated with the different cultures around the world and aspires to learn more languages. Although she supposedly speaks three, she admits she is most fluent in “Por-Span-Glish.”

Collin is the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation Rural Philanthropy Fellow at the Community Foundation for St. Clair County. A graduate of Western Michigan University with a degree in Public and Nonprofit Administration, Collin merges a robust background in municipal finance and budget analysis with his passion for impact in rural communities and the nonprofit sector. Originally from a small town in Michigan’s St. Clair County, he is dedicated to leveraging his expertise to drive impactful, sustainable growth in the many rural communities that raised him. Outside of his professional life, Collin is an avid backpacker and hiking enthusiast who enjoys exploring trails across the Midwest and beyond.

As a relationship builder with a strategic mindset, Matt currently serves as Executive Director for the Village of Ortonville, MI Downtown Development Authority (DDA), a Nationally Accredited Main Street Oakland County Select Level community. He first acquired the “Main Street” and economic development bug while serving as a volunteer for the Highland Township DDA for 7 years. Matt’s experience includes over 20 years in marketing, planning, fund development, communications and community development in municipal, non-profit and financial services industries. His career has centered on strategic planning, board leadership, creating growth initiatives and building high-functioning teams. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Northwood University and a Certificate in Fund Raising Management from Indiana University’s Center of Philanthropy. Matt also dedicates his volunteer time to local non-profit organizations including the Huron Valley Educational Foundation and Brandon Groveland Youth Assistance. Matt and his wife Korey live a fast-paced family focused life in White Lake, MI thanks to their 3 (adult) daughters: Erika, Taylor, and Emma.

Jason is the Community Development Officer at the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque (CFGD). He works with rural communities in the CFGD seven-county region to provide coaching, technical assistance, and planning support for Community Heart & Soul projects. Originally from Dubuque, Neises has spent most of his career in adult education and working with non-profits, including Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Chicago Architecture Foundation, and the Peace Corps. He volunteers in the community with the Dubuque County Historic Preservation Commission, Scouting America, Dubuque Museum of Art, the Dubuque Winter Farmer’s Market, and the Heritage Works. Neises has an education degree from the University of Northern Iowa. He lives on a small farm north of Dubuque with his wife and two boys.

Brittany Novak connects big systems to real people. After graduating from the University of Toledo, she moved to Los Angeles, where she managed global broadcast operations for NBCUniversal, coordinating across legal, sales, marketing, and technical teams to ensure programming reached audiences around the world.

Volunteering at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles reshaped her sense of purpose and sparked a shift from media to mission-driven work. That clarity eventually brought her back to Michigan, where she saw firsthand how stretched nonprofits and working families could be. She recognized that the same coordination, communication, and systems-building skills she used in global media could strengthen her own hometown.

Today, as Director of Community Impact and Engagement at the Community Foundation of Monroe County, Brittany leads strategies that build nonprofit capacity, elevate resident voice, and foster cross-sector partnerships across a county of 155,000. She deepened that work through a Certificate in Fund Raising Management from Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Danielle is a native to Ohio and loves all parts of her home state, especially rural downtowns. She has a passion for historic preservation and learned to write municipal and other grants to support preservation of historic commercial structures. She lives in Toledo with her husband, son and two feline fur-babies but can be found anywhere between Lake Erie and the Ohio River on any given week day. She works with dozens of communities throughout Ohio and northern Kentucky doing whatever it takes to make projects happen: planning, consensus building, funding, phasing, and finding whatever other resources are necessary to make dreams real.

Brian is the President & CEO of the Foundation. In this role, he provides leadership and direction in fulfilling and advancing the mission of the Findlay Hancock County Community Foundation. The CEO is responsible for leading the Foundation in the achievement of its operational and strategic goals including the success of the Foundation’s fund and donor development, fiscal management, grants and program operations, board relations, human capital management, community leadership and administrative matters.

Prior to this role, Brian served as Program Director for Community and Organizational Development and Evaluation at The Community Foundation, where he coached both McComb and Mt. Blanchard in their Community Heart & Soul projects. Before coming to the Foundation, he was the Assistant Dean of Students at the University of Findlay for many years.

Brian has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in education and a doctorate in organizational leadership. Brian has been recognized for his achievements locally and regionally and has served on a variety of nonprofit boards in the community.

Cassie is the Community Engagement Officer for The Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation. Her responsibilities include supporting nonprofit organizations through Organizational Strengthening, grant making, and facilitating the Community Heart and Soul process for Hancock County. This includes managing the process for villages applying for foundation support for Community Heart & Soul, coaching the current village awarded the grants, and supporting past Community Heart & Soul villages in Hancock County.

Cassie is a graduate of the University of Findlay with a Bachelor of Science and earned her Master of Science in Human and Community Resource Development from The Ohio State University. She served as a 4-H Youth Development Educator for 15 years prior to coming to the Foundation. Specializing in teen leadership development. She is also a certified Real Colors Facilitator. Cassie is the current President of the Kiwanis Club of Findlay and lives in rural Hancock County.

Garrett Tyson is an Economic Development Specialist with Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc., where he provides expert guidance to local communities on strategies for growth and resilience. He brings more than a decade of leadership in community development, city planning, and public policy, having served as Planning and Development Director for the City of Nixa and Community Development Director for the City of Republic. In these roles, Garrett led comprehensive planning efforts, regulatory reforms, board trainings, and major cross-departmental projects that emphasized collaboration and trust-building.

Beyond his municipal leadership, Garrett has experience as a consultant and educator, serving as adjunct faculty at Missouri State University, teaching courses on citizenship, federalism, and economic development for state and local governments.

With expertise in strategic planning, economic gardening, and community engagement, Garrett is deeply committed to helping communities uncover their own strengths and chart practical, incremental paths forward.

Allison Whalen is a Community and Business Development Specialist with Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA), where she partners with small towns in rural Minnesota to advance local economic growth, community engagement, and strategic planning. With more than 15 years of experience spanning banking, chamber leadership, and nonprofit management, Allison brings strong skills in facilitation, inclusive outreach, and stakeholder collaboration.

Prior to joining CEDA, she served as Executive Director of the Harmony Area Chamber of Commerce, leading community events, tourism promotion, and business support initiatives. She also worked in community banking for 14 years, where she gained extensive experience in customer engagement, staff development, and marketing. Allison is deeply rooted in rural Minnesota, drawing on her background as the daughter of small business owners to advocate for the vitality and resilience of small communities.

She has completed Coaching Skills for Leading Change training through the Minnesota Department of Health and the Leadership Development Series at Rochester Community and Technical College. Passionate about youth leadership and civic participation, she has co-directed the Miss Harmony Scholarship Program since 2010. Allison is committed to helping communities uncover their unique stories and shape strategies that honor local voices and aspirations.

Erin joined the Rochester Area Community Foundation as vice president of community programs in August 2022. In her role at the Community Foundation, Erin advances RACF’s strategic priorities focused on community leadership and fostering a more equitable and vibrant region. She oversees a diverse community impact portfolio and leads a 14-person team that manages discretionary grantmaking, scholarships, and community leadership initiatives, aligning charitable funds and resources with the critical needs of our eight-county Finger Lakes region.

Erin brings 17 years of experience in nonprofit management and administration, with deep expertise in the health, human services, and higher education sectors. Before joining the Foundation, she was the inaugural director of the Institute for Civic and Community Engagement at St. John Fisher University, where she managed Community-Engaged Learning, scholarship programs, and civic leadership initiatives. Earlier in her career, Erin focused on healthcare delivery and system redesign, emphasizing social determinants of health and rural health partnerships at the University of Rochester Medical Center. This work sparked her commitment to equitable service delivery and access, along with a nuanced understanding of the strengths and challenges of the region’s rural communities.

MarcAnthony serves as the Director of Rural Initiatives & Regional Partnerships, where he leads collaborative efforts to strengthen rural communities through strategic engagement, cross-sector partnerships, and innovative program development. Known for his relational leadership style and commitment to equity, MarcAnthony works closely with local leaders, community organizations, and regional stakeholders to elevate rural voices and advance sustainable, community-driven solutions.

With a focus on improving quality of life, expanding access to opportunity, and amplifying regional assets, MarcAnthony brings both vision and practicality to his work. He is passionate about supporting rural communities in achieving long-term resilience and believes deeply in the power of partnership to create meaningful change.

MarcAnthony is dedicated to fostering strong relationships, building shared strategies, and promoting inclusive regional development that honors the unique character and strengths of rural places.

Sara is the Director of Rural Community Impact at Rochester Area Community Foundation in the Community Programs Department, where she spearheads the Foundation’s regional strategy to ensure equitable grantmaking across all eight counties that the Foundation serves in Western New York. Sara particularly focuses on ensuring support for the more rural communities that the Foundation serves. Sara works with the Foundation’s geographic affiliates and oversees the Community Programs competitive grantmaking committees. She led the Mission Related Investing Oversight Committee towards the Foundation’s first MRI loans, and interfaces with the Foundation’s community partners and donors across the region. Sara is a co-facilitator for the Foundation’s DEI-focused employee resource group and serves on the Foundation’s emergency response team.

Before joining the Foundation, she worked in economic development, nonprofit management, and real estate. Sara grew up in New Jersey and has a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies, Rhetoric and Cultural Criticism.

Sara enjoys the outdoors, live music, and exploring the Finger Lakes. She lives in Fairport with her USMC Veteran-turned-entrepreneur husband (J.C.), 4 year-old-son (Wesley), and rescue dog (Georgia).

Robin is an elected State Representative for Connecticut’s 102nd district since 2018. Serving her Town of Branford, CT she has worked tirelessly addressing issues facing her community and all Connecticut residents, from advocating for health policies that improve access to care, to working on early education issues that support the quality of education for young children. As a grassroots non-profit leader, she led a 10-year initiative to improve outcomes for children from birth through age 8 in her town. She and her team engaged in a collaborative, data-informed process with partners and families through an inclusive community building process that focused on the diverse needs of the town. This work culminated in a Blueprint for Children that guided future investments. Robin has led support groups, professional development, and chaired various workgroups and task forces, that were focused on disabilities, healthcare, and education. She believes that effective leaders bring all stakeholders to the table to develop mutual understanding, find common ground, and build the solutions together. She was inducted into the 2019 Branford Education Hall of Fame for her efforts in improving education in Branford. Robin is married and is mother to a high schooler and a college student.

Jen Danifo is senior program officer at the Pennsylvania Humanities Council and works closely with grantees to provide capacity-building support for program development, learning and evaluation. A large part of her work is overseeing the search and selection of Pennsylvania Heart & Soul communities, supporting external coaches working with communities in the field and managing the development of training and assessments for communities. Jen is a Level 2 certified Heart & Soul coach. She is working directly with three communities in PA: Cameron County, Upper Chichester, and Dillsburg and overseeing the growing network of PA Heart & Soul towns. Her work is rooted in the belief that the humanities inspire individuals to uncover and claim their own stories – and the stories of the communities in which they live – as a way to build understanding, foster resilience and inspire action. Jen has an M.F.A in creative writing from Rosemont College and a certificate in organizational development and leadership from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM).

Laura Dawidowicz is the Director of Client Relations at the Community Foundation. In this role, Laura is dedicated to working with clients, understanding their philanthropic intentions and assisting them with their charitable giving. Laura’s extensive experience in fundraising enables her to identify and align philanthropic opportunities and to facilitate the advancement of each client’s unique charitable goals.

Prior to joining the Community Foundation, Laura served in various roles at the State University of New York at Buffalo, most recently as the Associate Director of Advancement, where she was responsible for managing a portfolio of clients as well as researching, developing, implementing and evaluating client relation services, programs and events to engage clients and deliver assistance for their planned giving.

Laura received her B.A in Psychology and Social Sciences Interdisciplinary and her M. Ed. in Higher Education Administration from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and Past President, Association of Fundraising Professionals WNY Chapter.

As the Community Manager at the Community Foundation of South Jersey (CFSJ), Erik is responsible for the execution of CFSJ’s latest community leadership initiative, Transform South Jersey, which aims to strengthen the social, cultural and economic vibrancy of South Jersey communities by activating residents to shape the future of their towns based on what matters most to them. Prior to joining CFSJ, Erik served in a variety of roles with multiple national program offices of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). Most recently, he helped launch Forward Promise, a national program office established to promote the health and well-being of boys and young men of color. Based out of the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, Erik developed and implemented the program’s grantmaking and technical assistance strategies. Before that, he managed research and evaluation initiatives of RWJF’s statewide grantmaking program, New Jersey Health Initiatives (NJHI). In addition to studying the feasibility and impact of NJHI’s field building efforts, he worked closely with their youth-focused and capacity building programs as well. Erik’s introduction to philanthropy came by way of National Urban Fellows, a rigorous leadership development and graduate degree program in which he earned a Master of Public Administration from Bernard M. Baruch College in New York, while completing a nine-month fellowship with RWJF. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley.

Meet Mika Fields, a successful advocate and dynamic innovator. Since her graduation from Kean University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology she has inspired positive change and empowered others. Mika has made a significant impact in the social services sector for over two decades.

As an innovator, Mika has consistently sought out creative solutions to address various challenges. She has spearheaded “Muse Fusion LLC,” a therapeutic painting and wellness experience. Through her custom curriculum, Muse Fusion LLC provides individuals with coping skills and the therapeutic benefits of painting during Covid 19.

Mika currently serves as the Project Coordinator for the Willingboro Community Development Corporation’s Heart & Soul effort. In her role, she manages “Willingboro HandS”, a community engagement initiative, shining a light on the stories of the unheard in her hometown. Mika’s commitment to her community has been recognized through securing over $20K in non-profit grants to raise awareness of The Futuro House in Willingboro, New Jersey. Mika Fields’ remarkable journey is a testament to her unwavering dedication to advocacy, mental health support, and community empowerment and her achievements make her a true force for positive change in Willingboro, New Jersey, and beyond.

Adele has facilitated the choreography of placemaking across the United States.

Projects have ranged from federal to local, rural to urban, and coastal to inland.

Often the creator of unusual partnerships, projects have included creating one of the nation’s first sidewalk vending ordinances, skate parks, museum exhibits, grant-funded community solar installations, traffic calming, cultural and natural landscape preservation, Berkshire Synergy Project (BSP), and teaching. The project through line always connects people to people, places, and information.

Adele holds a BA in Botany and Art History (and unofficially Dance) from Connecticut College and a Master of Landscape Architecture from University of California, Berkeley.

Judith Hull has worked for Community Heart & Soul since 2021 as a coach and market development consultant. Judith notes: “I really believe in Community Heart & Soul as an effective tool for long-lasting change because it is a resident-driven process that emphasizes the positive. Stories that residents contribute about why they love their communities builds new relationships, trust, and a strong foundation for long-term planning.”

Her experience with community work is long-standing and she considers facilitation, listening, critical thinking, and teamwork important strengths. She is a member of both the Northern New England and the Massachusetts Chapters of the APA.

Judith taught for several decades in professional schools of architecture where attention to urban planning and community development are fundamental to the curriculum and where she honed her skills as a facilitator in leading classroom discussions. She received a B.A. from Binghamton University, an M.A. from UMASS Amherst, and holds a PhD in the history of architecture from Columbia University.

Catherine is proud to be a multi-generational Mainer who has worked hard to remain in the state that she loves. Her involvement with Community Heart & Soul began when she served as the project coordinator for the Mahoousc Heart & Soul project in Western Maine (2016 – 2019). In 2020 she started Coaching several Maine communities and is a Level 2 Certified Coach. She founded CEI Consultants LLC, to focus on rural community building in Maine. Cat has an MLS in Environmental Law and Policy from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, a Bachelor of Arts in Planning and Policy from the University of Maine Farmington, a certification in Nonprofit Management, and was a member of the 3rd Cohort of the Community Practitioner’s Network with the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. She and her family live on a hobby farm in Northern Maine.

Tory has served as Executive Director for the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation since October 2017. She leads a dynamic team of nine employees who collectively oversee a $160 million endowment portfolio that annually invests nearly $6 million in the Chautauqua region through grants and scholarships. She is committed to building a future for her hometown that honors its past and embraces inclusive opportunities for growth and renaissance.

Tory previously served as Executive Director for the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County. Her tenure saw positive fundraising trends and a transition toward outcome-based funding. She has worked in both county government and not-for-profits, securing and managing state and federal grants for the health and human service sector. She is a past member of the Gebbie Foundation Board of Directors.

Tory grew up in Jamestown and graduated from the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. She and her husband have two school-aged daughters that keep them very busy. She is active in her church, in the Rotary Club of Jamestown, and serves on New York Funders Alliance Board of Directors.

With 20 years of experience in the nonprofit and small business sectors, Elizabeth serves as the Community Impact Officer at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation. She leads the Foundation’s competitive grantmaking efforts—distributing more than $1.5 million annually to local organizations—alongside $1.3 million in donor-directed grantmaking.

Since 2018, she has led Give Big CHQ, a 24-hour online fundraising event, that has helped to raise $2 million for over 175 local nonprofits. Additionally, she provides strategic leadership and support for TheCapacityLab.org, a collaborative initiative across five local funders with support from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to strengthen the capacity of nonprofits in Chautauqua County.

Her work at the Foundation is informed by deep knowledge of community needs and strong relationships across nonprofit and civic leadership. She has actively contributed to cross-sector initiatives such as the Chautauqua County Crisis Response Fund, Healthy at Home CHQ, I.D.E.A. Coalition, and workforce readiness taskforces.

She holds an MBA with honors from Southern New Hampshire University, where her capstone business plan focused on building a social enterprise to advance the economic mobility of women living in poverty.

Jane Lafleur retired from Community Heart & Soul as Director of Market Development in January 2023 and continues to Coach communities upon request. She is the owner of Jane Lafleur Consultants and a Community Heart & Soul Coach working with small cities and towns across the US. Jane Lafleur Consultants provides community development, planning, citizen engagement and civic leadership training and educational programs throughout Maine and the US. Her work includes community facilitation, town planning, walkability and place-making training and audits. Before her work on staff with Community Heart & Soul, she served for 13 years as the Executive Director of Friends of Midcoast Maine, a regional smart growth organization. Lafleur was named Professional Planner of the Year by the Maine Association of Planners and the Northern New England Chapter of APA. She graduated from the University of Maine and holds a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from Harvard University.

Paige serves as the Rural Community Impact Associate at the Rochester Area Community Foundation (RACF). Her role is instrumental in supporting RACF’s regional strategy to ensure equitable grantmaking across the eight counties they serve in Western New York. She also works closely with their geographic affiliates and oversee the Community Program department’s competitive grantmaking committees.

Prior to joining RACF, Paige was a student in Binghamton University’s 4+1 Master of Public Administration program. She has also contributed to the Rochester Education Foundation as a graduate intern and operations assistant. Her background includes significant experience in civic engagement, program development, and data-driven change.

Colin Perry is a Senior Program Officer at the Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo. In this role, he works as a member of the Community Impact Team working to promote the goals of advancing racial/ethnic equity, education, the environment and arts and architecture. Colin assists with various grantmaking processes and philanthropic services relationships as well as special projects and initiatives. He also supports the Community Foundation’s grant management system and its efforts to seek funding to further advance its leadership initiatives.

After graduating from the University of Colorado with a degree in journalism she began a long career as a reporter with newspapers in Boulder, Colorado and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She then transitioned to a full-time freelance writer, becoming a top contributor to the official website of the U.S. Olympics and Paralympics and author of seven children’s sports books. Sharing news of the humanities in action is now central to her work both as a communications specialist with C.C. Mellor Memorial Library and a content writer and storyteller with PA Humanities.

Karen currently serves on the advisory board of the Swim Up Hill Foundation, founded by Paralympic swimmer Jamal Hill to teach children and adults in low- and middle-income communities how to swim. She lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and three cats, and loves music, reading, traveling and the outdoors.

Cara is a Program Officer at the Community Foundation, where she manages a portfolio of grantmaking programs focused on strengthening community well-being. She develops strategic funding recommendations and partners with grantees to ensure meaningful, lasting impact. With more than 20 years of experience in healthcare, Cara began her career as a caregiver, grounding her work in a deep commitment to patients, families, and access to care. She later served as System and Data Governance Administrator for Medical Affairs at Array Behavioral Care, a national provider of tele-behavioral and mental health services, where she strengthened data integrity and operational effectiveness to better support clinical teams and the communities they serve.

Raised in Vermont, Cara developed a firsthand understanding of the strengths and challenges facing small, geographically dispersed communities and is especially passionate about advancing equitable opportunities in rural areas. She holds a B.S. in Health and Wellness from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a Master of Health Care Administration from Utica College.

Cara lives in Western New York with her young family and they enjoy camping, live music, and spending time outdoors.

Berta Rivera is a seasoned community catalyst currently serving as Director of Community Programs at the Rochester Area Community Foundation. With over 15 years of experience guiding collaborative initiatives, she excels at helping communities identify and achieve their shared aspirations. Her proven track record includes leading an equity-focused redesign that transformed scholarship accessibility and spearheading a $50 million multi-foundation environmental initiative.

As the former CASH Director at Empire Justice Center, Rivera demonstrated her ability to mobilize and guide large teams, coordinating 30 employees and 300+ volunteers while scaling services to benefit over 61,000 low-income residents. Her talent for bringing people together is further exemplified through co-founding the Monroe County Language Access Coalition, which she grew from 8 to 34 member organizations to serve 14,000+ Limited English Proficient residents.

A graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester’s Simon School of Business, Rivera combines data-driven strategy with genuine community engagement. Her experience in building cross-sector partnerships, facilitating collective impact initiatives, and fostering inclusive decision-making makes her an ideal guide for communities seeking to discover and act on what matters most.

Alice is a registered landscape architect with over 35 years of civic engagement experience and is a Level 2 Certified Community Heart & Soul coach. She served as project coordinator for Heart of Williamsport and currently works as a Market Development Coach with Community Heart & Soul and PA Humanities, supporting towns across Pennsylvania. She specializes in helping communities strengthen social capacity and build relationships to foster effective planning for the future. Alice holds a B.S. in Landscape Architecture from Penn State University and enjoys cooking, gardening and outdoor activities in north central Pennsylvania.

Ira Weissman is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with 45+ years of experience in project/program management, quality and training. He has 30+ years of experience in high-level volunteer positions. He has also been a volunteer coordinator for a non-profit agency. Ira combined his Lean Six Sigma knowledge and his passion for non-profits by writing the chapter “Operational Excellence in Non-Profits” for the book Driving Operation Excellence. Ira is a Level 2 Certified Heart & Soul Coach.

Ira’s background includes being: • The first college student board member of the Jewish Federation of Worcester, MA • The Curator-Director of the Air Victory Museum • A member of the Tuskegee Airmen’s strategic planning committee • A board member of the Non-Profit Development Center of Southern NJ (NPDCSNJ) • A member of the Diocese of Camden’s Community Relations Advisory Board • Co-Founder/Chairperson of the Camden Youth Aviation Program (CYAP) dba South Jersey Youth Aviation Program (SJYAP).

Ira and CYAP were recognized along with the NJ Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and Camden City’s Department of Human Resources for the 2018 Best Non-Profit Collaboration by the NPDCSNJ for forming the Camden Cadet Squadron of CAP. Ira and CYAP also worked with the FAA and Hopeworks-N’-Camden to create Hopeworks’ drone training program.

Ira’s firm Idea Innovations, LLC helps businesses, government agencies and non-profits become more effective, efficient and successful.

Carrie is a seasoned facilitator with a passion for community engagement. With more than a decade of experience helping local leaders, organizations, and residents shape meaningful futures, she brings a mix of strategic thinking, curiosity, and deep respect for local voices. She believes the strongest plans begin with authentic connection, shared stories, and the courage to imagine new possibilities together. Alongside her community development work, Carrie is a Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths Coach and an experienced leadership development facilitator. She loves creating spaces where groups feel comfortable bringing their full selves to the table. Her work is rooted in a simple belief: when people feel heard and connected, meaningful progress follows.

Cecile Carson has 30 years of experience in community improvement volunteer and project management, including municipal government level supervision of economic development, planning, and code enforcement divisions and director at local, state, national nonprofits. As a consultant, Cecile guides nonprofits and government entities in developing innovative programs and conducting research relating to zero waste, litter, recycling, and community engagement. In addition, she is a skilled and engaging trainer and presenter at hundreds of local, national, and international conferences. Cecile received a doctorate in Learning and Organizational Change at Baylor University, focusing on litter and blight issues in rural America. Cecile established Keep Denton Beautiful, served as the Affiliate Director for Keep Texas Beautiful, and Vice President of Litter and Affiliate Relations for Keep America Beautiful. While at Keep America Beautiful, she guided the formation of over 100 affiliates, created the National Youth Advisory Council, and directed the “Charting the Multiple Meaning of Blight” literature review. She earned the President’s Lifetime Volunteer Service Award and currently serves as the North Central Texas Council of Governments – Resource Conservation Commission Vice-Chair and California Resource Conservation K-12 Technical Committee.

Ramona is a Capacity Development Specialist in the Office of Policy and Strategic Development at VA Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Before coming to DHCD she was a Management Analyst with the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority (CRHA). She is a native of Charlottesville, VA. Ramona has served on nonprofit boards, is a member of the Virginia Parliamentarian Association and loves agriculture. She enjoys volunteering with several urban gardens in the Charlottesville and Richmond, VA areas. Mona holds a Master of Science in Health Administration and minor in Higher Education Administration.

Beverley Coleman is a graduate of Virginia State University with a degree in Business Administration. She started her career in her hometown of Roanoke, Virginia. For over 8 years she served as a Business Development Specialist with the Roanoke Valley Business League. The program was created with funding from the Department of Commerce Office of Minority Business Enterprise (OMBE). The program was started to provide small and minority owners and potential owners with business loans from banks and the Small Business Administration. In 1984, Beverley moved to Petersburg, Virginia to work with the City of Petersburg assisting small businesses as well as serving as the Co-Main Street Manager, the Enterprise Zone Administrator, assisting the non-profit organizations and directing special projects. Since being in the Petersburg area, she has worked for county and state governments. Beverley recently worked with a friend to start Main Street Petersburg, Inc., a not-for- profit organization that plans to seek state designation as an official Main Street Community. She serves on many boards and volunteers at the Historic Farmers Bank as a docent.

Cynthia Curtis joined the Arras Foundation in January 2018 and currently serves as Grantmaking and Community Engagement Director. Her role centers on supporting nonprofit partners in Lancaster and Chester Counties to build a healthy community where all people thrive through grants, community engagement support, shared learning and other resources. During 2018 – 2021, she served as the Kershaw Heart & Soul Coach, and currently is the Coach of Great Falls Heart & Soul. Cynthia lived in El Salvador for 21 years, working in international cooperation for development with Central American countries emerging from wars in their transitions to postwar reconstruction, democratization and development. Her experience includes building partnerships for rural youth and women’s development, training and facilitating intercultural cooperation for development, building opportunities for regional collaboration and learning, grantmaking and fundraising. In 2013, she relocated to the U.S., landing in the former textile town of Chester, SC, where she worked as the City of Chester’s Grants & Community Development Coordinator, and as Development Coordinator with the Chester Downtown Development Association. Currently, she serves on the board of Companion Communities Development Alternatives (https://cocoda.org), and is a member of the Lancaster Breakfast Rotary. She is fluent in Spanish.

Susan Berry Hill is a retired community planner most recently serving as the Director of Planning and Zoning for the Town of Leesburg, Virginia. Her planning career spanned over forty years and included communities in Texas, Kansas, and Virginia. She is passionate about all aspects of community development ranging from land use planning and zoning, redevelopment and revitalization, long-range comprehensive planning and supporting economic development. The best parts of her career involved projects that included community engagement and interaction with residents and businesses. Susan grew up in Iowa and received her bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree in planning and zoning from the University of Iowa. Since retirement she has started volunteering with a local organization developing a food cooperative and spends time gardening, traveling, reading, cooking, and being with family and friends. She has two grown children who reside in the Washington DC metro area and she resides in rural Loudoun County, Virginia with her husband and canine buddy, Charlie.

Holly Larson Lesko is the Director for Community Health at the New River Valley Regional Commission. This work is focused on supporting community wellbeing with public and private entities across the region through education, health and wellness guidance, resource seeking, and collaboration. She is directing the New River Valley Recovery Ecosystem focused on supporting individuals and communities impacted by opioid use disorder. Her past research focus on rural and vulnerable community development through health, art, and collaborative narrative praxis influences her current engagement and practice. She has worked to address policy needs in communities at the local level and to seek partners at the state and federal level to address the needs of her home community in central Appalachia. She supports work throughout Virginia and the U.S. with storytelling, collaborative facilitation, and grant seeking. Ms. Lesko has worked with communities and organizations in the New River Valley region and across the Commonwealth for the past 34 years and her focus in community development is on creating spaces and processes to enhance new ways of viewing and approaching issues and concepts through inclusive and diverse engagement.

Kit has worked with many rural communities and rapidly growing towns in Appalachia, New England and others across the country. She believes that small businesses, entrepreneurs and nonprofits have great potential to improve community wellbeing in partnership with funders and local governments. Her skills in asset-based community development, fundraising, evaluation, and project management apply across many socio-economic opportunity areas. A seasoned facilitator, coach and trainer, she has worked with teams and communities within federal and state government, nonprofit, corporate R&D, and philanthropic sectors. These include Appalachia Funders Network, St. David’s Foundation, SCORE (Small Business Association), The Nature Conservancy, New Mexico Museum of Natural History, and Blackbaud (software). Her federal service encompasses heading a national grant-making agency, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and serving on the National Council on the Humanities. She earned a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania (ecology) and an MBA from the University of Minnesota.

Suzan has worked in the non-profit arena for 45 years and has worn many different hats. Some of the hats include Volunteer Family Coordinator for a local Habitat for Humanity, Home-Based Therapist for a psychiatric hospital, and social worker for a Head Start program. Suzan is a “force to be reckoned with” and uses her positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. She holds two degrees, Associate of Applied Science in Drug and Alcohol Counseling and a Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Science. She has many hours toward a Masters in Psychology but life guided her in a different direction. Upon retiring she started a small business that includes selling vintage items, writing books, and teaching courses. She volunteers in her local community in many ways, as a board member of a non-profit, member of the beautification committee, OSU Master Gardener, and owner of a Little Library in the community garden. Suzan enjoys cooking, canning, gardening, family time, music events, thrift store shopping, and reading. She and her husband live in rural Oklahoma with their dogs and 7 “barn” cats. Her husband was in the Air Force for 28 years. They have one son, three daughters, eight granddaughters, one grandson, and one great-granddaughter (so far). Family is important!

Araina Reaves serves as a Community & Leadership Development Senior Strategist with Georgia Electric Membership Corporation (Georgia EMC), which is the statewide trade association representing Georgia’s 41 electric membership cooperatives (Co-ops). Araina is a dynamic facilitator, a Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths® coach, a Strategic Doing Practitioner, and is certified by the Community Development Council as a Professional Community and Economic Developer (PCED). She specializes in coaching and leadership development. Prior to joining Georgia EMC in 2016, she gained extensive leadership, community, and economic development experience as a chamber of commerce director and director of tourism. Araina lives in Dublin, Georgia, with her husband Michael and their two “who rescued who?” pups.

Jenny serves as Manager of Community Development with Georgia Electric Membership Corporation, which is the statewide trade association for Georgia’s 41 electric membership cooperatives (co-ops). Robbins is an experienced facilitator who specializes in helping communities successfully prepare to grow their local economies through leadership development and strategic planning. Robbins has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Communications from Valdosta State University. She gained local experience as a Main Street Manager for the City of Homerville and with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension as a Family and Consumer Science Agent and an Energy Educator. Robbins is a current member of the Georgia Economic Developers Association, the Georgia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, Georgia Downtown Association, and the National Rural Economic Developers Association. She and her husband Len reside in Homerville, Georgia (population 2,450) with their three children, two cats, and one dog.

Jennifer joined Georgia EMC in 2025 as Senior Strategist on the Community & Leadership Development team, bringing more than a decade of experience in community and economic development. She is passionate about empowering communities through authentic engagement and strategic initiatives.

Jennifer served as Georgia’s first Community Heart & Soul Coordinator. Community Heart & Soul Action Plan continues to be instrumental in decisions being made in Thomaston. The legacy of the non-profit is active in the community and is a liaison between the local government and the citizens.

Jennifer is a graduate of Valdosta State University. She serves as a board member of the Thomaston-Upson Industrial Development Authority, Chairman of Thomaston Upson’s Community Heart & Soul Inc. and is an alumna of Leadership Georgia and the Georgia Academy of Economic Development.

Jennifer has worked for Montana State University Extension Service for over twenty-six years, first as a County Extension Agent and most recently as a Community Vitality Associate Specialist. Jennifer received a master’s degree in community development from Iowa State University and is passionate about helping rural communities maximize their potential for sustainability and vibrancy. She helped launch the MSU Extension Reimagining Rural Project, was a community coach for the Horizons Project, has led various educational programs, and has held leadership roles at the local, regional, and state levels. As a fifth-generation Montanan, Jennifer recognizes the importance of Montana’s rural communities and is committed to helping small towns thrive.

Brent Baker is the founder of Elevate Now Consulting LLC and Executive Director of the Pend Oreille Economic Partnership. After 40 years of entrepreneurship, he retired to a swan song career as a consultant, executive coach, educator, and nonprofit leader.

Having worked his way through college as a union carpenter, he graduated from Sonoma State University in 1975 with a degree in psychology. In 1991 Brent and his wife Laura founded Baker Construction & Development in Sandpoint, Idaho. In 2004 he moved on to do ski resort development in British Columbia. In 2015 he retired and began consulting and coaching, and in 2020 he founded ENC. Brent has consulted and coached well over a hundred companies and has been a tireless business, executive and organizational coach and educator for many hundreds of aspiring managers, students, and entrepreneurs.

Brent and his wife Laura live on a small ranch in North Idaho where they raised their four now-grown daughters, and where they continue to instill work ethic and appreciation of the natural world to their six grandchildren whenever they visit. When not in Idaho, they will likely be found working and exploring from their retreat in the Southwest of France.

Teresa Brooks is the Founder and CEO of Africa Movement LLC, a Spokane-based organization dedicated to self-sustainable community development through youth engagement, sports, and collective action. She recently served as a Community Youth Navigator at the Carl Maxey Center, where she supported families with housing assistance, coordinated wrap-around services, and helped provide legal resources at the Sandy Williams Justice Center.

A first-generation college graduate, Teresa earned her Pre-Law degree from Washington State University, where she was also a student-athlete on the track and field team. Her professional journey has taken her from working in juvenile corrections to collaborating with international non-governmental organizations where she gained valuable experience in global approaches to community development.

Teresa is also a Washington State Certified Peer Counselor, giving her the ability to support individuals and families navigating mental health and substance use challenges. She has facilitated trainings on implicit bias, nonviolent communication, and financial literacy through the Washington State Homebuyers Convent program.

As a writer, world traveler, and activist, Teresa brings a unique blend of lived experience, academic training, and community leadership. Her mission is to leverage these skills to create safe spaces for youth and young adults, helping them build resilience and become productive members of society.

Matt is Director of Research and Community Impact at Innovia Foundation. A longtime Eastern Washington resident, Matt brings a wealth of experience in working collaboratively to identify evidence-based solutions and apply them to large-scale issues that impact wellbeing. Prior to joining the Innovia team, Matt spent 19 years as a faculty member and leader in the Department of Human Development at Washington State University (WSU). He also served on the graduate faculty of WSU’s interdisciplinary Prevention Science doctoral program. At WSU, his most recent research efforts focused on the development and evaluation of programs to support students and their families across the transition to post-secondary education.

Matt holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Elementary Education from Whitworth University and a Ph.D. from Penn State University in Human Development and Family Studies. Away from work, he enjoys spending time with his wife Amy, exploring all that the Inland Northwest has to offer.

DiAnn, Grand County Economic Development Director, is engaged in leading many diverse community and economic development county efforts ranging from identifying an economic resilience and diversification strategy to working with our towns on their creative economy, downtown assessments, business and customer-centric culture development (using The Disney Way Principles) and young entrepreneurship programs. Coached communities in Grand Lake, North Park and currently launching in Kremmling, Colorado.

Born and raised in Maryland, Dig completed a B.A. in Rhetorical Studies from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI and spent a decade living abroad in England and France. An avid outdoor enthusiast, she spent 8 years as the marketing manager for Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Sandpoint, ID prior to her current role as a Rural Engagement Officer for Innovia Foundation in Spokane, WA. She’s the proud mother of four “almost” adult children, is actively involved with the Sandpoint Nordic Club, and serves as a coach for the Sandpoint High School Girls Lacrosse team. Her passions include all things outdoors, reading multiple books at the same time, and trail running. When not at home in North Idaho, you can find Dig traveling to warmer climates to scuba dive, snorkel, and thrash about in the sea as she attempts to master the wing foil.

Taylor joined the Montana Community Foundation in August 2022 as the Program Officer for Local Community Foundations. In this role, she helps local community foundations build their endowments, conduct strategic grantmaking, and address their community’s needs now and in the future. Taylor has a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY. She previously worked as a Program Specialist – Community Development for the Montana Department of Commerce, where she helped small towns across the state navigate their revitalization through the Montana Main Street, Montana Historic Preservation Grant, and Community Development Block Grant Programs. Although she grew up on the South Side of Chicago, she moved to Montana to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA and ever since then has been hooked on “The Last Best Place.”

Gabriel Cruden is all about building and supporting healthy and vibrant communities. With a background in communications, economic and community development, education, grant writing and review, and nonprofit leadership, Gabriel is passionate about making connections and providing tools and resources to enable community members to feel empowered and equipped to make a positive difference in their community.

He currently owns and operates a media company he founded in northeastern Washington, has invested in commercial and residential real estate in his area to provide space for small businesses and housing for local residents, conducts nonprofit trainings on behalf of the Nonprofit Association of Washington, and serves as a part-time community engagement manager for the Innovia Foundation. Gabriel has lived in rural communities for most of his life and seeks to nurture relationships with both the people and the place where he lives. He currently resides outside Kettle Falls, WA, with his family on a small farm by the Columbia River.

Scott is the Associate Director of Grants at Innovia Foundation. Scott is a passionate leader who thrives on mobilizing others to engage their communities to make positive tangible change. He has spent the past 15 years as a leader in both higher education and as a community advocate building bridges between community leaders to cultivate initiatives that support making vibrant communities. Throughout his career, the for-profit and nonprofit organizations he developed in the Pacific Northwest resulted in receiving the 2020 Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement Recognition.

Scott graduated with his undergraduate degree from Warner Pacific University and his master’s degree from Portland State University. He holds an Ed.D. from Concordia University Portland in Educational Leadership and Policy.

Additionally, Scott has been married to his beautiful wife for 15 years and has two wonderful children. He loves spending time with his family outdoors going kayaking, and cycling, and has a strong passion for coffee and conversations.

Nolan knows no stranger and has a great haircut to boot! Nolan has spent over 25 years in marketing and public relations where he continues to meet the incredible people from Lewis County (Idaho) to Columbia County (Washington) up to Latah and Whitman Counties.

Before joining the expert and incredible Innovia Foundation team, Nolan worked for businesses and nonprofits in various business development roles. Nolan’s current role at Innovia Foundation includes fostering a continued mission focus in the work he does “Igniting Generosity.” As a born and raised small town person, he remains involved with many organizations for work and free time. To him, it’s important to be rooted in the community where he lives and works as well as to remain grounded in this great place he calls home.

Camden joined the Montana Community Foundation in January 2025 as the Executive Coordinator. In this role, she provides an expert level of coordination for the President/CEO, the Board of Directors, and Executive staff. She also serves as the liaison to the Board of Directors and MCF’s committee members.

She received a Bachelor of Arts in History from King’s College London in the UK. She started her career in philanthropy as the Development Coordinator at JW3 in London, where she developed a strong foundation in fundraising, grant writing, and donor engagement strategies.

Camden found her passion for rural communities during her year as an Americorps VISTA in Boulder, MT, where she worked on community projects, building stakeholder engagement, and building organizational capacity.

Elisa is the Program Director for the Montana Community Foundation. As the Program Director, Elisa oversees all the Montana Community Foundation’s community programs and works to increase rural community vitality through grantmaking, capacity building, networking, and supporting community projects. Elisa leads Montana Community Foundations community projects including Reimagining Rural and the Foundation’s Disaster Recovery program. She works to develop, maintain, and steward community partnerships to increase the Foundation’s impact across the state and help communities prosper.

Bill is a community development consultant with over 35 years supporting communities, public and private non-profit organizations, and Tribes in the development and management of healthy, compassionate organizations and communities. He is a dedicated listener, organizer, evaluator, partnership builder, and facilitator. He holds a Master of Science degree in Community Systems Planning and Development from Pennsylvania State University and taught from 2007-2018 for the University of Oregon. He is a recipient of a Fulbright Senior Specialist award which enabled him to research and teach in Germany for the Cultural Management Program at the Potsdam Fachhochschule — an applied sciences university in Potsdam, Germany. He is an avid gardener and grew with up with a German mother and an Ozark father. He has worked in every Oregon County, with most federally-recognized Tribes in Oregon, and he lives under a redwood tree in Portland.

Alexis comes to coaching after seven years on staff as a senior trainer at Community Heart & Soul. During this time, she trained and mentored coaches and communities in South Carolina, New Jersey, Colorado, Montana, Texas, Oklahoma, and Michigan in the Heart & Soul model. Alexis also served as a Heart & Soul Champion, and as project coordinator in her own community of the North Fork Valley, Colorado from 2012-2014. Alexis is finishing her master’s degree in Community and Economic Development at Pennsylvania State University where she is learning how Heart & Soul methods and processes fit into our country’s rich legacy of community development. Her work is also informed by her undergraduate degree in natural resource management from the University of Michigan, and prior experiences as a project manager, where she led projects in renewable energy policy and adoption, watershed management, and non-profit publishing. Alexis is a skilled facilitator and is passionate about working with communities, municipalities, and foundations on public engagement strategies and techniques, participatory evaluation (including measuring outcomes of community development), community driven economic development, impact investing, and local climate change adaptation/ long-term community resilience. She currently lives in Denver, CO with her husband, Matthew, two cats (Magic and Percy), and their awesome vegetable garden, which is their pride and joy.

Chelsie is the Community Investment Program Officer at Innovia Foundation. A native of the Yakima Valley, Chelsie grew up in a small rural farming community and carries that deep-rooted appreciation for community into her work today. With more than a decade of experience in youth sports and education, she has built strong public and private partnerships while supporting programs that inspire growth and connection. Chelsie is passionate about helping communities thrive and ensuring they have the tools to look toward a brighter future.

Chelsie holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Eastern Washington University. Away from work, Chelsie enjoys adventuring outdoors including skiing, hiking, running, and camping.

Erin Hueter joined the Health Sciences and Services Authority of Spokane County in January 2023 as Executive Director. She discovered her passion for service at an early age and has been working in human services, public health, and violence prevention for thirty years. While completing an internship serving victims of domestic violence, she developed deep compassion for this population and devoted much of her career to it. She served for over twenty years at Lutheran Community Services Northwest in several leadership roles in trauma recovery programs providing crime victim advocacy, behavioral health and refugee foster care. She proudly concluded her service with nearly five years as the Inland Northwest District Director.

Erin is a graduate of Pacific University and Leadership Spokane, has served on numerous Boards, Commissions and Task Forces. Erin is the grateful recipient of the Arc of Spokane’s Partnership 4 Safety Community Service Award, the Spo-Can Council Award for work with survivors of sexual abuse, a Catholic Charities Volunteer Service Award and a Spokane Community Oriented Policing Services Partnership Award.

Erin loves her community and working to see everyone in it thrive together. Erin and her husband raised their three children in Spokane and live in a renovated former bait shop on a small lake in the west plains. She is thrilled to share her skill and passion for community and economic development to Community Heart & Soul.

Joshua is Director of Community Development at Innovia Foundation. A longtime northwest and inland NW resident, Joshua brings a wealth of experience building public/private partnerships, training teams and individuals, and leading strategic efforts supporting locally driven programs and opportunities. He loves helping people, communities, and organizations thrive. Prior to joining the Innovia team, Joshua spent 15 years as an educator and another 13 years as a business executive and owner with a sports and education company.

Joshua holds a bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga University and a master’s degree from Concordia University. Away from work, Joshua loves spending time with his family and friends enjoying a variety of interests and outdoor adventures.

Tara Mastel is Associate Specialist and Program Lead for Community Development at Montana State University Extension where she works to support rural community vitality and local leaders. She served nearly ten years as a Community and Economic Development Extension Agent in Jefferson County Montana where she led a range of projects including historic building renovations, industrial park development, farmers markets, and local community foundations. Tara grew up in a rural Northeast Montana and has a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning.

Kate has a lifetime of leadership and learning experiences; there is always more to know. For 13 years she was President and CEO of the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce and led the Chamber’s Business Development and Tourism divisions. She was also the Director for the Leadership Sandpoint program.

She received her education from Boston College, Carroll School of Business in Corporate Social Responsibility, and participated on international leadership committees in developing programs for Corporate Citizenship initiatives across the nation. She built a nationally recognized corporate citizenship program and founded a unique internal Employee Foundation for the same corporation. Currently Kate is the owner of Special K’s Consulting and her niche is rural non-profits. Helping people put their passion into action is her favorite work. Her motto is Succeeding Together.

Kate believes in community and being involved. Living in Sandpoint for 32 years she has served, and is currently serving, on multiple local Boards and Commissions. She ran for various public offices and served on City Council for four years and as Council President. When she isn’t volunteering, you can find her enjoying the outdoors, acting in local theater productions, reading, and spending time with friends.

Marci Miller has been a community and economic development professional in the rural Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West since 2019. Marci graduated with both her Bachelor’s and Master’s from the University of Idaho. Her background in natural resource conservation, recreation, and small-scale farming brings a wide range of experiences that speak to the needs and dreams of rural communities in the West. As an experienced community facilitator and strategic thinker, she is thrilled to be a Community Heart & Soul Coach for several communities in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho.

Heidi is the Engagement & Initiatives Officer at the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound. In her role, she leads community-centered initiatives and events that bring people together, including the Foundation’s Give Local campaign, community conversations, and grant programs focused on civic engagement and belonging. Through her work, Heidi strives to nurture spaces where every individual feels valued, respected, and empowered to thrive.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Heidi spent over a decade living and working in Buddhist retreat communities, where she gained nonprofit leadership experience rooted in listening, collaboration, and service. She also trained in co-active coaching and leadership development, deepening her skills in embodied facilitation and community engagement.

A Pacific Northwest native, Heidi is happiest outdoors, moving her body, and connecting with others on anything creative. She is excited to bring her experience and passion for building strong, connected communities to the Community Heart & Soul program.

Kirsten Peterson has been a professional planner since 2006 when she was first introduced to the field when studying Public Administration and Public Policy at CU Denver’s Center for New Direction. In 2011 she was thrilled to help the City of Cortez, Colorado be selected as a pilot town for testing out the Community Heart & Soul methodology for updating their Comprehensive Plan. From that point on, her love of Heart & Soul followed her throughout her career as her passion for effective community engagement has guided all decision-making processes. She has served as the Community Development Director for the cities of Cortez, CO; Ellensburg, WA; and Moses Lake, WA. In 2024 she left the public sector to transition into working as a private planning consultant with SCJ Alliance based out of Lacey, WA. She is excited by the opportunities this affords her to serve more than one community at a time, and to share her passion for effective community planning through use of the Heart & Soul methodology.

Mandie Reed is the Montanan State University Extension Agent serving in Wheatland County, Montana, a position she has held since 2004. She delivers programs to meet the needs of the people in Wheatland County in four program areas: 4-H and Youth Development, Family and Consumer Science, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Community Development. Mandie has also served on the statewide planning committee for Reimagining Rural and Big Sky, Big Leadership. She has offered the BSBL program in Wheatland County for 4 years. What Mandie loves most about her job is the opportunity to work with creative peers and to serve her community.

Mindie is President & CEO of the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound, where she leads efforts to engage communities, mobilize philanthropy, and advance opportunity across Thurston, Mason, and Lewis counties in Washington. Under her leadership, the Foundation has grown its assets to over $50 million while expanding its role in supporting community-led solutions.

Mindie is particularly focused on youth well-being, economic mobility, and building the civic capacity that allows communities to solve problems together. She brings a background in community organizing and grassroots fundraising. As a Community Heart & Soul coach, Mindie is particularly interested in helping communities build the structures, relationships, and confidence needed to shape their own futures.

Mindie lives in Olympia, Washington with her husband, Brock, and their two sons, Dylan and Brodie.

As a fifth-generation Coeur d’Alene, ID local, Kristi’s family legacy spans back to when steamboats ran on Lake Coeur d’Alene, her great great grandfather at the helm. Deep roots and strong ties to community have inspired a career of service and passion for ensuring kids and families have access to resources to help them lead healthy, productive lives.

With 25 years in leadership and fundraising roles with organizations in the youth substance abuse, outdoor ministry, health, and education realms, Kristi brings philanthropic and organizational development expertise to donors and nonprofits as the northern Idaho Regional Engagement Manager.

After two years studying child development at the University of Idaho and a move to Portland, OR, Kristi earned a degree in Child & Family Studies from Portland State University. In 2001 Kristi and husband Aaron moved home to Coeur d’Alene to raise their family.

Big sports fans, Kristi and Aaron spend most of their free time on a cross country course or soccer sidelines cheering for their four children who range in age from elementary school to college. When not on the road chasing athletes, you can find Kristi watching college basketball, hiking Tubbs Hill, playing in the river, snowboarding at Schweitzer, or cooking a big meal to feed anyone who will gather to enjoy it!

Jennifer Stapleton is a highly accomplished executive leader with over three decades of distinguished experience in the nonprofit, foundation, and government sectors. Throughout her career, Jennifer has been deeply committed to community development and operational excellence and has been a highly successful transformational leader,

Drawing upon her extensive expertise in operations, Jennifer has excelled in a multitude of roles, mastering crucial areas such as business strategy, project and contract management, policy development, budget oversight, mentoring leaders and team building. Her leadership is characterized by a proven ability to navigate complex challenges and foster collaboration among diverse stakeholders and organizations. Jennifer has also played a pivotal role in developing and implementing community outreach and transparency initiatives, prioritizing engagement, and inclusivity at every turn.

Jennifer is serving as a consultant to Innovia Foundation and leading the implementation of the Community Heart & Soul Program throughout its 20-county service area in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Prior to taking on this opportunity, she served as the first city administrator for the city of Sandpoint, Idaho (a rural community of 10,000) for eight years.

Titus Tomlinson received his Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Planning from Humboldt State University in 2005. He then dedicated himself to serving rural Oregon via the RARE (Resource Assistance for Rural Environments) AmeriCorps Program, spending a year with the City of Winston and a second year with the City of Creswell (sneaking in a Master of Community and Regional Planning degree from the University of Oregon in between). Not long after he became Program Coordinator for the RARE AmeriCorps Program, where he aided in recruitment, placement, training, and management. Fast forward to today, Titus has been the Program Director for 5 years. He leads an amazing team, fosters and builds relationships with an array of partners and communities, giving his all on a daily basis to make the RARE AmeriCorps Program the best it can be. In his free time, you can catch Titus mountain biking, sharing a beverage with RARE family and other friends, or hanging out with his pup Ginger!

A facilitator at heart, Shyanne brings people together around shared purpose, guiding conversations that help communities move from ideas to action. With a background in economic development and nonprofit leadership — including her previous role as Executive Director of Two Rivers Economic Growth — she has led community workshops, strategic planning sessions, and grantmaking initiatives that center local voices and priorities.

Shyanne is a member of the Leadership Montana Class of 2026 and serves on multiple nonprofit and economic development boards. She believes strong communities are built through trust, listening, and empowering local leaders to recognize the assets they already hold. With a background in economic development and nonprofit leadership — including her previous role as Executive Director of Two Rivers Economic Growth — she has led community workshops, strategic planning sessions, and grantmaking initiatives that center local voices and priorities. She has collaborated with MSU Extension Community Vitality on rural engagement efforts such as Reimagining Rural and regularly supports board development, governance training, and community-led grantmaking processes across Montana.

Shyanne is a member of the Leadership Montana Class of 2026 and serves on multiple nonprofit and economic development boards. She believes strong communities are built through trust, listening, and empowering local leaders to recognize the assets they already hold.

Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Wargo holds the position of Associate Professor at the University of Idaho in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services Educational Leadership division. She has a Doctorate in Education from the University of Montana, a Master’s in teaching from Whitworth University, and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Seattle University. The interrelated aspects of Dr. Wargo’s work embraces a service orientation as she works in partnership with education practitioners, other researchers, and key community stakeholder to design and enact novel solutions that can be sustained in rural context.

Drawing on a co-design approach, Liz mobilizes stakeholders to identify persistent problems of practice in their districts and communities. Together they learn about the root causes of these problems, enact action plans to implement, and study solutions. This outreach work builds the place-conscious adaptive leadership capacity to overcome many wicked challenges in differently resourced rural Idaho communities. The impact of her co-design approach, which leverages long-term collaborations with practitioners, is visible across several projects at the local, state, and national levels.