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NATIONAL & REGIONAL RECOGNITION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

STAFF

HISTORY

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

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Richard Melching, President
For Mission and Activities of the Foundation

Rick Melching retired in 2005 after 31 years in public education, serving his last 21 years as the Superintendent of the Evergreen Public Schools. There he oversaw a district whose high quality educational programs resulted in numerous prestigious grants and awards. He has worked as a consultant in the areas of executive coaching, board development, strategic planning, and project management. Additionally, he serves on one private sector board and on a number of nonprofit boards including the Clark County Early Learning Fund and the Evergreen School District Foundation. Previously, he served as Chair of the Coalition of East Vancouver Communities, as a Board member of the Community Foundation and the Columbia River Economic Development Council and as a member of the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce and the Vancouver Police Chief’s Advisory Committee.

Rick and his wife, Sarah, have been honored by the Clark County Early Learning Fund, and Rick is also the recipient of the Gerald Bader Award, both honors recognizing commitment to the success of children.

Sarah Nevue, Vice President of Development
For Contributions and Estate plans

Sarah Nevue, Vice President of Development, has spent over 22 years in the philanthropic field, serving donors for some of our region’s leading institutions.

Sarah was raised in Roseburg, Oregon and received her B.A. degree from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Following graduation, Sarah worked in New York City at the Whitney Museum of American Art and Christie’s Auction House. In 1986, she returned to the Northwest and launched her career in philanthropy, serving in leadership positions for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Oregon Symphony, and Lewis & Clark Law School. Most recently, she worked for Jordan Schnitzer, supporting his philanthropy and Board work in the community.

Mary Pringle, Chief Financial Officer
For Financial and Investment Information

Mary Pringle, the Foundation’s Chief Financial Officer since 2002, is a certified public accountant and has 20 years of experience working with unique charitable planning needs.

Her broad range of experience in public accounting, from auditor to tax consultant, allows her to bring a wealth of expertise to Community Foundation donors. Her familiarity of working directly for charitable organizations as well as her volunteer Board activities has given her a well-rounded and comprehensive perspective on the issues that matter to nonprofits. Originally from Texas, Mary has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from the University of Texas at El Paso, where she graduated with honors. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Oregon Society of Certified Public Accountants, and Technical Assistance for Community Services.

Anne Digenis, Donor Services and Grants Officer
For Granting

Anne Digenis, Program Officer for the Foundation since 1997, provides ongoing assistance to donors, matching their charitable goals with community need. Anne also manages the Foundation’s grant-making programs, which provide funding to local nonprofit organizations, school districts, and government entities. In addition, she oversees the scholarship program, which provides tuition assistance for students wishing to continue their post high school education.

Raised in Portland and a graduate of Clark College, Anne continues to assist school districts in managing successful levy and bond campaigns and enjoys volunteering throughout the community.

Shirley Gross, Donor and Nonprofit Services Officer

For Granting

Shirley Gross, Donor and Nonprofit Services Officer, has spent more than 14 years in the nonprofit sector working for a variety of social service, health care and arts organizations in southwest Washington.

Shirley was raised in Mount Vernon, Washington, and attended the University of Washington. She received her B.A. degree from the University of Illinois in Chicago. Following graduation, Shirley and her family lived internationally for several years.

Shirley’s expertise is in development, grants management, donor relationships and nonprofit programming. Shirley joined the staff in March 2010 and focuses on the Donor, Organization, Corporate and Scholarship funds and manages the suite of services to nonprofits.

Erin Althoff, Marketing and Communications Officer

Erin Althoff grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and earned a B.A. in English and Women’s Studies from the University of Iowa. She brings to the Community Foundation a broad knowledge of fundraising theory in several core areas, including donor cultivation and acquisition, planned giving marketing and major gift lead generation.  Erin worked directly with a wide variety of organizations, including colleges and universities, hospitals, public broadcasting stations, fraternities and sororities, religious groups and cultural organizations through her previous position at RuffaloCODY. Additionally, she utilized a wide range of media, including e-solicitations, telephone appeals and direct mail.  Erin joined the Community Foundation in November 2009.

Delores Gasper, Executive Assistant

Delores supports Rick and Sarah in the organization’s development work. She brings a broad background to the organization, having lived and worked in Washington, Delaware, Oregon, California, Wisconsin and New York. Delores holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire.  She joined the Community Foundation in November 2007.

Michele Madasz, Administrative Assistant

Michele serves as primary support staff for the Community Foundation President, Richard Melching. Originally from Ohio, Michele earned a B.A. degree in Political Science from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio. She lived in Washington, DC and worked for Congress and the nonprofit sector for six years before moving to Vancouver in 2005. After working in the financial services industry, Michele joined the staff at Community Foundation in October 2009.