2023 ANNUAL REPORT
People
CMF seeks to foster the growth and development of current and future philanthropy leaders.
Leadership Development & Mentoring Program
We are proud to recognize the emerging and experienced leaders who engaged in our 2023 Leadership Development & Mentoring Program!
This six-month program features one-to-one customized coaching, leadership style and 360-degree leadership assessments and a curriculum that centers on principles of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), exploring topics such as emotional intelligence, personal values and career development. Applications for our next cohort will open this summer. Learn more about the program and meet our 2024 cohort!
2023 Leadership Development & Mentoring Program Cohort Gathering
2023 Leadership Development & Mentoring Program Cohort Gathering
2023 Leadership Development & Mentoring Program Cohort Gathering
2023 Leadership Development & Mentoring Program Cohort Gathering
“Participating in the Leadership Development & Mentoring Program was one of the highlights of my year. My favorite part was building meaningful relationships with others in philanthropy. This larger network of peers and mentors made me feel more confident in my role at the Consumers Energy Foundation.”
Angela Wetherby
Senior Attorney
Consumers Energy/Consumers Energy Foundation and 2023 Emerging Leader.
2023 Emerging Leaders
Aline Batawi
Communications Coordinator,
CMF
Angela Wetherby
Senior Attorney, Consumers Energy/Consumers Energy Foundation
Ashley Johnson
Program Officer,
The Kresge Foundation
Christine Stevens
Content Specialist,
CMF
Erica Vanneste
Client Service and Foundation Specialist, The Connable Office
Gretchen Ward
Foundation Consultant, AAA -
The Auto Club Group Foundation
Jessica Donahue
Director of Communications & Events, Capital Region Community Foundation
Jillian Foster
Director of Community Engagement, Barry Community Foundation
Jordan Duckens
Communications Strategist,
Kresge Arts in Detroit
Lisa Jones
Program Assistant,
Health Initiatives, Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan
Matt Hoerauf
Program Manager, Strategic Initiatives, The Skillman Foundation
Miriam Owsley
Strategic Communications Manager, Rotary Charities of Traverse City
Nathan Murphy
Government Relations and Public Policy Coordinator, CMF
Regina Cardenas
Learning Services Program Coordinator, CMF
Yadah Ramirez
Director of Community Impact,
The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area
2023 Mentors
Alex Dawson
Associate Vice President of Marketing & Communications,
Community Foundation of Greater Flint
George Jacobsen
Program Director, Southeast Michigan Economic and Cultural Vitality,
William Davidson Foundation
Gilda Jacobs
Former President & CEO,
Michigan League for Public Policy
Heidi Reijm
Former Program and Learning Officer, Hudson-Webber Foundation
Holli Seabury
Executive Director,
Delta Dental Foundation and
CMF Trustee
Kathryn Thomas
Vice President, Communications,
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Kathy Reincke
Director of Communications,
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Kelly Froedtert
Office Manager and Executive Assistant, Jackson Community Foundation
Marijata Daniel-Echols
Program Officer,
W. K. Kellogg Foundation
Sharon Mortenson
President and CEO,
Midland Area Community Foundation
Sonia Plata
Foundation Director, Office of Corporate Responsibility, Flagstar Bank
Susan Vanisacker
Director of Community Relations,
La-Z-Boy Foundation
Tory Martin
Director, Communications & Strategic Partnerships,
Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy
Tryphena Clarke
Community Engagement Officer,
Ruth Mott Foundation
Foundation Leaders Cohort
In 2022-2023, CMF launched a pilot effort to bring together a cadre of outstanding foundation leaders who began their role as CEO or Executive Director within the previous 2-5 years, creating opportunities for relationship building among the group and shared equity-centered learning to meet their unique needs. The cohort experience was then strengthened and refined to be an even more impactful offering, available by invitation only and offered exclusively to current CMF members. Learn more about the cohort and meet our 2024 participants!
A virtual gathering of our 2024 Foundation Leaders Cohort
2023 Cohort
Daniel Petersen
Executive Director,
Pokagon Fund
Erica Heminger
Executive Director,
Branch County Community Foundation
Jennifer Nottingham
Executive Director,
Guido A. & Elizabeth H. Binda Foundation
Kathryn Buckner
Executive Director,
Americana Foundation
Kathy Dickens
Executive Director,
Four County Community Foundation
Kimberlee Baczewski
President and CEO,
Strosacker Family Foundation
Sakura Takano
CEO,
Rotary Charities of Traverse City
Shannon Polk
President and CEO,
Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation
Shelly Kasprzycki
CEO,
Fremont Area Community Foundation
Stephanie Calhoun
Executive Director,
Allegan County Community Foundation
Steve Habusta
Executive Director,
Chippewa County Community Foundation
Steve Petty
CEO,
5 Healthy Towns
Zosia Eppensteiner
CEO,
Marquette County Community Foundation
Supporting CEOs, Executive Directors & Trustees
Visit our new online hub featuring resources and supports available for CEOs, executive directors and trustees in our community of philanthropy. You will find customized CMF-developed resources on key topics such as governance, succession planning, executive transitions and more.
In 2023, we released a new series of resources designed to address questions of governance and management of foundations in the field: “What Boards and Executives Need to Know.” Explore our curated resources to access primers on self-dealing, conflicts of interest, executive searches, succession planning and more.
Philanthropy
Award Honorees
Our community of philanthropy celebrated the exceptional service and outstanding leadership of 10 changemakers during the CMF 51st Annual Conference in Detroit in November 2023. Learn more about our philanthropy award honorees here! Our next call for nominations will open in May of 2024.
Reimagining Our Peer Communities
In 2023, we asked for your input to help us strengthen our peer communities, including affinity groups, learning communities and online communities. Thank you for your participation! Together with the CMF member co-chairs of these groups, we used your feedback to inform and shape how CMF peer communities connect, convene and learn together more effectively. Learn more & get connected today!
Youth Philanthropy
Youth Advisory Council (YAC) members and YAC advisors from around the state gathered in June 2023 for the annual Youth Grantmakers Summer Leadership Conference. The theme was Rooted: Growth and Connection. Through three days of engaging and powerful programming, YAC members explored how to stay involved in philanthropy throughout their lives, generated community impact ideas, created a safe space to discuss mental health, and learned how to effectively engage in informed conversations to bridge divides in their own communities.
Patti Wheater
Senior Communications Officer
Fremont Area Community Foundation
Learning to Give
Learning to Give (LTG) serves youth leaders, philanthropic organizations, educators, families and other partners to educate, equip and empower all Michigan youth with philanthropy knowledge, skills and experience. View LTG’s Resources.
LTG’s History of U.S. Philanthropy Timeline features stories of diverse individuals and organizations who have used their time, voice, connections and resources to make an impact in the world. Young people, who are capable changemakers, can examine this history to question and explore the ways philanthropy has created lasting change and changed itself. By sharing stories of the past, we equip and empower youth to shape the story of philanthropy today and in the future. Youth voice and action are part of this story.
Celebrating Our CMF Community
Explore CMF’s timeline, launched in 2023 in honor of our 50th anniversary, to learn about the people, practices and policies that have shaped where we are now and how we will continue to lead, strengthen and support Michigan philanthropy in the decades to come.