New trustees join the Philanthropy Ohio board

At the Philanthropy Ohio annual meeting on October 5, members elected five philanthropy leaders to serve an initial three-year term on the Board of Trustees beginning in January. We’re thrilled to welcome these new members to the board. Read their bios below.

Keith Burwell has led the Toledo Community Foundation since 2004, where he oversees an annual grants program averaging $14 million. As a catalyst and convener, he brings the foundation’s voice and resources to critical community issues. Keith has served on Philanthropy Ohio’s Public Policy, Annual Conference and Community Foundation Committees. He has a master’s degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a bachelor’s degree from Campbell University.

Brady Groves has served as president of the Richland County Foundation since 2011 where he has helped create a five-year economic development investment strategy, developed a nonprofit capacity-building academy and worked to change the foundation’s paradigm of responsive grantmaker to a system of social capital and impact. He co-chairs the Member Services Committee and has served on the Annual Conference Committee. Brady earned his MBA from Ashland University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bowling Green State University.

Margaret R. Hulbert serves as vice president, strategic resources & public policy, for United Way of Greater Cincinnati where she directs a team to develop effective funding partnerships for health, human services and community development needs in Southwestern Ohio and Northern Kentucky. She serves on Philanthropy Ohio’s Public Policy and Education Advisory Committees. Margaret holds a bachelor’s degree in English and political science from Macalester College and did postgraduate work in college administration at Indiana University.

Lissy Rand serves as vice president, grantmaking & strategy, for Deaconess Foundation, which she joined in 2014 after nearly 10 years with Foundation Management Services in Cleveland where she served as program officer for five client foundations. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and received a Master of Social Work degree from University of Michigan and a Master of Public Health degree from University of Illinois.

Karen White is the senior vice president and senior program officer, corporate philanthropy, for KeyBank where she manages a grant portfolio of nearly $40 million. In Northeast Ohio, Karen manages strategic grantmaking for the foundation in the areas of arts and culture and community economic impact in addition to leading the bank’s national signature volunteer program and strategic grantmaking in the Great Lakes and Western Pennsylvania regions. She is a graduate of Sawyer College of Business.

Also at the annual meeting, we recognized two outstanding volunteers who are leaving the board this year.

Mary Sobecki, executive director of the Needmor Fund, joined the board in 2008. Bringing her wit and wisdom to the boardroom, Mary over the past 9 years served on many committees, including: annual conference, strategic planning, public policy, diversity, equity and inclusion and numerous affinity groups.

Melissa Kleptz, executive director of the Troy Foundation, has served faithfully on the board since 2009. Melissa has brought her energy and expertise to a variety of areas, with service on governance, executive, public policy, Ohio Philanthropy Award Selection, community foundations and strategic planning committees, and she chaired the board of trustees for two years. She undoubtedly has left her mark on our organization with her steadfast leadership, integrity and insight.

We’re looking forward to 2018 and a new year of leadership, learning, growth and progress.

Jessica Howard