Lynn Coriano is Director of Community Investment at Social Venture Partners.  SVP seeks to advance the common good by engaging and connecting a community of philanthropic leaders, strengthening nonprofits, and catalyzing efforts to accelerate system change.  Lynn oversees SVP’s grantee portfolio where she builds and manages relationships with executive directors, volunteers and consultants to advance multi-year capacity building projects.  She manages SVP’s annual refunding process and works closely with program staff and volunteers to align grantmaking strategies. Prior to joining SVP, Lynn was Associate Director of Communities In Schools of Washington.

Lynn is a graduate of the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs where she received a Master in Public Administration.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from Syracuse University. In her spare time Lynn enjoys photography, design and - when the sun cooperates – nurturing her organic garden.

Susan Dobkins is the Jane’s Fund Program Manager at the Russell Family Foundation in Gig Harbor, Washington. Jane’s Fund encompasses the Jane’s Fellowship Program for grassroots community leaders in the area as well as a small legacy grants program. The Fellowship recruits diverse leaders doing many kinds of community benefit work and mixes them in a two year experiential learning cohort. Before Susan arrived at the Foundation in 2008, she worked for her local church developing and leading its social justice ministry, which focused on economic development, workers’ rights, and peace issues. She was selected as a Jane’s Fellow in Class 2 of the program from 2006-2008.

Susan is originally from Oklahoma (where the wind comes sweeping down the plain……), is married and has an 11 year old daughter named for a dear friend in Nicaragua. She and her husband love to bicycle and recently completed a fundraiser ride of 130 miles over two days.

Jennifer Downing is the Garfield Foundation’s Program Assistant and Administration Manager, and has been working for the Foundation since it opened its doors in 2001.  She also manages the New Bedford Fund, a small portfolio of grants under the umbrella of the Foundation’s Community Revitalization program specifically supporting economic development and urban revitalization projects in Greater New Bedford, Massachusetts. In addition, she represents the Garfield Foundation as a member of the New Bedford Area Funders Group and serves on its advisory committee.  Jennifer’s past work experience includes Assistant Director for Brick by Brick, a local nonprofit organization providing support services to at-risk youth.

Jennifer loves practicing and teaching yoga; she is a certified instructor and in her free time teaches classes locally.  She holds a BFA from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City.

Edward S. Egnatios is Program Director, Neighborhoods at the Skillman Foundation and is responsible for coordination of the Foundation’s Good Neighborhoods work.  Prior to his joining the team at the Skillman Foundation, he held executive management positions in both the for-profit and the nonprofit sectors, serving most recently as the President/CEO of EK & Associates LLC, a consulting firm. Egnatios has also held leadership positions with O/E Learning Inc. as National Executive Director of the UAW-Ford Family Service and Learning Centers; with United Way Community Services in Detroit as Vice President, Volunteer Services, Communications & Marketing; with United Community Services of Metropolitan Detroit as Executive Vice President.  

Edward received his BA from John Carroll University in Cleveland and his MSW in Community Practice from the University of Michigan. Born and raised in Detroit, he is the son of Arab American and Latino immigrants, married and the father of four daughters.

Bridget McDermott Flood currently serves as the executive director of the Incarnate Word Foundation, a conversion foundation sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio.  In addition to overseeing the Foundation’s $1 million grant making budget, Bridget also works collaboratively with other funders to address community issues, such as youth empowerment, foster care, and collective impact. Under Bridget’s leadership, the Foundation has piloted micro-lending projects to empower women in low-income communities. Currently, the Foundation is targeting its resources toward projects in North St. Louis, an urban core area with a primarily African-American population.

Bridget graduated from St. Louis University with a Master of Arts in Urban Affairs. Her B.A. is from Saint Louis University in English and Political Science. Bridget is a life-long South St. Louisan and in her spare time is a potter at Carondelet Pottery, her studio. She is also a beekeeper.

Sarah Gillespie currently serves in the Office for International and Philanthropic Innovation within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  In this role, she coordinates the office’s philanthropic research and initiatives in collaboration with a wide range of HUD program and field offices and a network of philanthropic partners. Sarah’s work includes facilitating strategic processes for engaging with other funders and lifting up cross-sector innovations and best practices to inform HUD’s goals. Sarah recently completed a full-time rotation with The Annie E. Casey Foundation in the Social Investments Program.

Sarah received a Master of Public Administration from American University’s School of Public Affairs and currently serves as a Presidential Management Fellow.  Sarah also holds Bachelor degrees in Human and Organizational Development and Communication Studies from Vanderbilt University where she was named Most Outstanding Graduate in Community Leadership and Development.

Beth Herz is Senior Associate for Programs and Strategy at the Surdna Foundation, a New York-based family foundation. The Surdna Foundation seeks to foster just and sustainable communities in the United States – communities guided by principles of social justice and distinguished by healthy environments, strong local economies, and thriving cultures. In her role, Beth supports foundation-wide strategy development and collaboration, in concert with all three of the foundation's programs. She was previously in Surdna's Sustainable Environments program, where she worked with a portfolio of about 80 grantees in climate change, green economy, transportation, and smart growth and conducted research on food systems funding and strategies.

Beth received a B.A. from Wesleyan University in science and technology studies and an M.S. from the University of Michigan in natural resources and environment.

Monica Lyle is an associate program officer for Healthy Living at the Colorado Health Foundation. She works to implement one of Healthy Living’s key funding strategies, Healthy Communities, which focuses on the built environment and access to physical activity and healthy food, and community education to promote healthy eating and active living. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2008, she worked as a research assistant at the Henry Ford Health System in Michigan and University of Michigan School of Public Health. She also served for two years as an AmeriCorps member with Metro Community Provider Network, a group of federally-qualified health centers serving metropolitan Denver.

Monica earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Biology from Stanford University and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

Meisha McDaniel joined the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation in July 2011 as the 2011-2013 Fellow. Meisha brings her breadth and depth of experiences with social change nonprofits to the Foundation. Most recently, through Climate Corps Bay Area, an innovative AmeriCorps pilot program, she researched community-scale energy efficiency and renewable generation projects with the Marin Community Foundation in Novato, CA. Before going to the San Francisco Bay Area, she was awarded a Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship, which allowed her to work with two nonprofits in the DC area (the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and DC Hunger Solutions), crafting local and national policy analysis and recommendations concerning the impacts of climate change on communities of color and food security among older adults.

Meisha graduated with honors from Guilford College with a Bachelor's degree in Community and Justice Studies and a concentration in Nonprofit Management.

Bina Patel is Managing Director for the Grand Victoria Foundation. Prior to joining the foundation, Bina served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Chicago Mayor Daley, where she was responsible for overseeing programs and policies for Human Infrastructure. Her professional experience includes serving as a Policy Associate at the National Conferences of State Legislatures in Denver, providing strategic policy and capacity building services to a diverse array of clients as an independent consultant, working with low-income populations on asset building, and working on human rights efforts in India and the Middle East. 

Bina earned an M.S. in Social Protection Finance (Public Finance & Social Policy) from University of Maastricht, the Netherlands, where her concentration was on Economic and Community Development. In addition, she earned an M.A. from University of Denver in International Studies with a concentration on Sustainable Development and Poverty Alleviation. Bina was born and raised in Chicago.  Surfing, exploring the outdoors, and traveling are among her favorite activities.  

Kirsten W. Scobie is the Program Director for the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. The Tilllotson Fund is a place-based donor advise fund focused on building a sustainable community and economy in northern NH and surrounding communities in Vermont and Quebec. Previously Kirsten worked as an independent organization development consultant, a case manager for TANF recipients, and an ESL teacher and a volunteer farm hand in Chile.

Kirsten graduated with an M.A. in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago in 1999 and has taken additional coursework in evaluation. Kirsten cherishes time to cook, travel, garden, run and play with her family and friends. She lives in northern NH with her husband and two children, ages 7 and 10.

Sheena E. Solomon is entering her fifth year as a Program Officer and was recently promoted to Director of Neighborhood Initiatives at The Gifford Foundation, a private foundation serving Central New York. Sheena serves as the Foundation’s representative in their community engagement work and recently created and implemented Gifford’s new city-wide initiative, the “What If...” Mini Grants, which provides a resource in fostering growth in neighborhoods and strengthening the capacity of residents. Prior to joining the Foundation Sheena spent six years working at Home Headquarters where she developed a defined housing background and awareness of community needs.

Sheena has a passion for helping others and the patience and understanding that many in today’s society need.  She truly believes the “teaching people how to fish” concept is the best way to building strong vibrant communities.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and treasuring every moment because tomorrow is promised to no one.

Eric Stoller joined The Heinz Endowments in 2011 as a program officer for Civic Design and Community Revitalization. His grants portfolio seeks to advance community development in targeted Pittsburgh neighborhoods in a comprehensive fashion, in part by empowering community members and developing leaders who can advocate for ambitious revitalization strategies. Eric is also a member of the African American Men Boys Task Force and the lead staff for the Civic Design Task Force, both internal working groups at the Endowments. Before coming to the Endowments, Eric practiced Urban Planning in both the government and non-profit sectors.

A native of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Eric earned a bachelors degree in urban studies and psychology from the University of Wisconsin—Green Bay and a master's degree from the University of Illinois.

Terri Thao is a program officer for Nexus Community Partners. Prior to joining Nexus in 2005, she worked at the Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute. Her work at the Wilkins Center involved an evaluation of after school programs, managing a leadership development program and assisting with teaching courses on public policy and race.

Terri grew up in the Frogtown area of St. Paul as a member of St. Paul’s Hmong community. She now lives with her husband and daughter on the East Side of St. Paul. Terri is an active community volunteer, serving as a board member for Neighborhood House, the Asian Pacific Endowment of SpectrumTrust at the St. Paul Foundation and the Asian Economic Development Association. She has a B.A. in International Relations and Russian and a Masters of Public Policy, both obtained from the University of Minnesota.