The Steering Committee of the Appalachia Funders Network is the main governing body and is responsible for the growth, development and well-being of the Network. It consists of a set group of influential local, state, regional, international, federal, public, and private grantmakers who are working collectively to guide the overarching roles, activities, and impacts of the Network. They attend monthly conference calls and serve on at least one working group or ad-hoc committee.

Co-Chairs of the Appalachia Funders Network Steering Committee

Michelle Foster
President and CEO at the The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation 

Lora Smith
Fund Manager at Appalachian Impact Fund

2020 Steering Committee Members

Bonnie Blankenship
Regional Outreach Manager at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Mary Hunt
Program Director at the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation

Terri Donlin Huesman
President at Osteopathic Heritage Foundations 

Jeff Mansour
Program Officer at Thompson Charitable Foundation

Heather Pontonio
Senior Program Director at Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation 

Laura Nixon

Senior Program Officer at the Educational Foundation of America

Gerry Roll
Executive Director at Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky 

Hannah Vargason

Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Natural Capital Investment Fund

Cynthia Brown

Chairman of the Board at the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation

Stephanie Randolph

Program Officer at Cassiopeia, Representative of Invest Appalachia

Trudy Hughes

Vice President for Regional Advancement at East Tennessee Foundation