Why did you get involved with serving nonprofit organizations?
From a young age, I was an advocate for underdogs—I had an innate desire to simply make life better for people in general. Even though I went to an engineering school and started my career there, my heart wasn’t in it—loved the work, but it wasn’t fulfilling. The day before 9/11/01, my husband and I finished a bicycle ride from Montreal to Portland Maine, raising money for AIDS Vaccines. When 9/11 occurred, it made me rethink my priorities and where I was spending my time. A year later, I left the engineering world and entered the nonprofit event space (for the same company who produced the AIDS Rides) and never looked back!
Why did you join Benefactor Group?
Benefactor Group is the perfect blend of doing great work for organizations doing good in the world, while tapping into my love for the business. The frustration while leading nonprofits over the past 13 years was never having enough resources to dig into the work that could confidently propel the org forward. I’m thrilled with the idea that I can help orgs make those critical decisions and chart a positive path forward. I spent a lot of time with various members of the team through the interviewing process, and they were huge selling points for Benefactor Group in terms of vision, culture, intellect, and “humanness.”
What inspires you to serve the common good?
The belief that everyone should have access to the same opportunities, be treated equitably, and ultimately live a prosperous and joyous life.
We are living in rapidly changing times—which extend to the philanthropic landscape. What gives you hope for the future of philanthropy over the next five years?
What gives me hope is the sector’s resilience—its ability to adapt, evolve, respond to change, and endure. We’re living in a time of rapid transformation, and that includes the philanthropic landscape. In fact, I’m not even sure the word philanthropy fully captures what this work is becoming. What’s especially encouraging is the energy of the next generation: activists and changemakers who both support and challenge the sector to do better. Their engagement signals a shift toward deeper investment and broader participation, which can only strengthen the sector moving forward.
What influences how you give, volunteer, or advocate?
The organization must go beyond lip service—I need financial transparency, the ability to volunteer or be engaged in some meaningful way, and to see real metrics and hear real stories about the impact they are making. Before I offer any type of support, I do a lot of investigation into the organization and their leadership.
If you could make a $1 million gift to any organization, where would you direct your contributions and why?
I would keep all my donations local to make as much of an impact on the Southeast Michigan community as possible, and I would pose all donations as matching gifts. In terms of who I would give it to…there’s so many worthy organizations like Samaritas (incredible refugee resettlement, foster care, mental health and addiction support as well as affordable housing work), the ACLU of Michigan, the Huron Valley Humane Society, DAPCEP (creates a path to a STEM career for historically underrepresented students in Detroit), First Step (provides support for domestic & sexual violence survivors), Ruth Ellis (provides trauma-informed services and safe community spaces for LGBTQ+ youth) and so many more…I wish I was Mackenzie Scott! $1 million isn’t enough.
Where can someone find you when you’re not at work?
Somewhere with my family and our 8-year-old rescue dog, Molly. Hockey and gymnastics competition seasons are in full swing, so you’ll often find us in a barn or a gym. I am an avid Peloton fan and love morning workouts. We have Michigan football season tickets and go to games as much as we can…which isn’t as many as we would like! We also love to travel and volunteer.
What are you currently reading, or what do you recommend?
I’m currently reading The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife and Brene Brown’s new book, Strong Ground.
I am also in a family book club—we are currently reading The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. They always choose something seasonal and something I would normally never read so I love it so much!
The Midwife of Berlin and The Let Them Theory are my top books for 2025 so far.
