BY Patricia L. Smith, TFN President & CEO

I’m excited to share the election of our 2022-2024 slate of TFN’s Board of Directors, which includes four new additions to our phenomenal board.

This year’s election was conducted via electronic ballot, with the results shared at TFN’s Annual Meeting during our recent Annual Conference: Seize the Moment in San Diego.

At our meeting, we also celebrated the election of our new TFN board officers and bid a fond farewell to those board members who concluded their service in March.

I want to offer my deepest gratitude to these board members for their service over the years: Neelima Shah of the Bullitt Foundation (and most recent TFN board treasurer), Eric Muschler, of the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund; and Kellie Terry of the Surdna Foundation.

While he remains on TFN’s board, I also want to share my heartfelt thanks to Craig Martinez of The California Endowment, who concluded his two-year term as board chairperson in March — a tour of duty that coincided with the the most severe period of the coronavirus pandemic.

As chair, Craig — along with the rest of the board — helped guide TFN through this challenging period as our team navigated the impacts of the pandemic and how best to be of service to the broader TFN community.

I’m excited to share that Don Hickman of the Initiative Foundation has been elected as the new chairperson of TFN’s Board of Directors. Don has been an invaluable member of TFN’s funder community for many years, and currently sits on the PPREP Steering Committee. (You can learn more about Don and the Initiative Foundation in this TFN Know Your Network blog post.)

I’m also thrilled to note that our board now includes six TFN PLACES alums, the most we’ve ever had! We are so proud of the cadre of philanthropic leaders that make up the PLACES Alumni Network, and are grateful for their continued support of TFN’s mission. (You can read about the newly announced 2022 PLACES Cohort here.)

Join me in congratulating these new and returning board members, as well as our newly elected board officers.
During our virtual election, which concluded March 7, TFN members elected the Board of Directors class of 2022 – 2024. Please note that the first four candidates are being elected to a first term of office. The remainder are current directors who are renewing a term of office.

TFN Board of Directors Class of 2022 – 202

Chan Brown
Program Officer
Kansas Health Foundation and TFN PLACES Alum
(First term, 2022 – 2024)

Janel M. Hines
Vice President, Community Impact
Greater Milwaukee Foundation and TFN PLACES Alum
(First term, 2022 – 2024)

Kaying Hang
Senior Vice President of Programs and Partnerships
Sierra Health Foundation
(First term, 2022 – 2024)

Surabhi Pandit
Director, Human Services Initiatives
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and TFN PLACES Alum
(First term, 2022 – 2024)

Michael Coffey
Director, Racial Justice Fund
Greater Cincinnati Foundation and TFN PLACES Alum
(Second term, 2022 – 2024)

Karla Twedt-Ball
Senior Vice President, Programs and Community Investment
Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation
(Second term, 2022 – 2024)

Jessica Boehland
Senior Program Officer, Environment
The Kresge Foundation
(Third term, 2022 – 2024)

Don Hickman
Vice President for Community and Workforce Development
Initiative Foundation
(Third term, 2022 – 2024)

Elizabeth Love
Chief Executive Officer
Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation
(Third term, 2022 – 2024)

Shawn Escoffery
Executive Director
Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation
(Fourth term, 2022 – 2024)

Additional Board Members

In addition to the directors just elected to a new term, there are four directors who are in the middle of serving a two-year term as part of the 2021 – 2023 class.

Michelle Knapik
Craig Martinez
Program Manager
The California Endowment and and TFN PLACES Alum
Sheena Solomon
Executive Director 
The Gifford Foundation
and TFN PLACES Alum
Scot Spencer
Associate Director, Local Policy
Annie E. Casey Foundation

Election of Officers

TFN is pleased to announce that at its January 2022 meeting, the TFN Board of Directors elected the following individuals to serve as its officers. Officers are elected for a one-year term, except the chairperson, which has a two-year term.

Chairperson
(2022-2024)

Don Hickman
Vice President for Community and Workforce Development
Initiative Foundation

Vice Chairperson
(2022-2023)

Sheena Solomon
Executive Director 
The Gifford Foundation
and TFN PLACES Alum

Treasurer
(2022-2023)

Michael Coffey
Director, Racial Justice Fund
Greater Cincinnati Foundation
and TFN PLACES Alum

Secretary
(2022-2023)
Elizabeth Love
Chief Executive Officer
Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation