The Community Foundation's Speaker's Bureau
Within The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee there is a dedicated and passionate group of people working tirelessly to connect generosity with need. This team of experts is available to speak about a variety of topics. Speakers can share their knowledge about how The Community Foundation supports hundreds of charities in Middle Tennessee and beyond, and how The Foundation helps donors accomplish a variety of charitable, tax, and estate planning goals.
Presentations are suitable for community and civic clubs, charitable organizations, senior groups, and others.
To schedule a speaker for your club or organization, call Rebecca Finley or Kallie Bienvenu at 615-321-4939.
Speakers Include:
Ellen E. Lehman, President
mail@cfmt.org
Ellen has served The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee as president since it began in 1991, and has seen it grow to become a philanthropic force in a forty-county area in Middle Tennessee. With a background in sociology and business, Ellen directs The Foundation's efforts to promote and facilitate charitable giving and endowment building, thereby giving donors choices, convenience, cost-effectiveness and security, as they make their charitable dreams a reality.
Lani Wilkeson Rossmann, Vice President (ext. 102)
lwilkeson@cfmt.org
Lani came to The Foundation in 2003 with extensive experience in nonprofit agency management as well as foundation and grants management through service to The Frist Foundation, CASA, and the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville. As Chief Operating Officer, Lani works to manage the phenomenal growth The Foundation has enjoyed. Her considerable experience is invaluable as we continuously seek new and interesting ways to make a difference in Middle Tennessee.
Pat Cole, Scholarship/TIP Coordinator (ext. 116)
pcole@cfmt.org
Cole, who has extensive experience as a teacher and guidance counselor, oversees and implements the Tapping Individual Potential program, which matches Metro school students who have demonstrated talent or outstanding potential with appropriate enrichment opportunities. She works with school counselors to identify students in grades K through 8 who would benefit from the program. Cole also coordinates and leads all scholarship programs and other education-related services administered by The Community Foundation. Previously, Cole oversaw the guidance counselor program for Nashville’s Metro Public Schools.
Belinda Dinwiddie, Director of Donor Education (ext. 103)
bdinwiddie@cfmt.org
Belinda is the director of donor education, responsible for establishing and expanding The Foundation’s ability to invite people from the community to participate in meaningful giving. Belinda most recently served as chief development and community relations officer at the Adventure Science Center for eight years. She has extensive experience in the nonprofit field and has been involved with a variety of civic organizations throughout her career including Center for Nonprofit Management, Rotary, CABLE, the Nashville Chamber of Commerce's Prosperity Project, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals, among others.
Rebecca Howerton Finley, Communications Director (ext. 114)
rfinley@cfmt.org
Rebecca oversees public relations and media relations efforts for the organization. Previously, Rebecca served as a state communications/marketing director for the American Cancer Society where she managed all marketing and media relations efforts for the organization in the state of Arkansas. Prior to that, Rebecca worked in TV news, serving as a reporter in Illinois and Kentucky. Rebecca was recently named a Hull Fellow, a program which nurtures and strengthens the Southeast’s emerging leaders in philanthropy.
Laundrea Lewis, Grants Coordinator (ext. 107)
grants@cfmt.org
Laundrea joined the staff of The Community Foundation as its first employee in 1993. She currently serves as the Grants Coordinator of The Community Foundation. Laundrea manages the operation of the grant programs which include Discretionary Grants, Donor-Advised Grants, two state-funded grant programs – Arts Build Communities and Student Ticket Subsidy and The Foundation’s Scholarship program, which includes more than 50 different scholarships. Laundrea conducts grant writing workshops for nonprofit organizations throughout Middle Tennessee and she has also served as a grant panelist for the Tennessee Arts Commission. Laundrea works closely with the Board of Directors of The Community Foundation and its many committees and assists donors with fund administration.
Amy McDaniel, GivingMatters.com Director (ext. 105)
amcdaniel@cfmt.org
Amy works to increase charitable giving by connecting contributors to the needs in the community, while encouraging more strategic giving from the philanthropic community through The Community Foundation's online resource, GivingMatters.com. Amy holds a masters degree in Community Health & Urban Development from the Jane Addams School of Social Work at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Previously, she gained nonprofit experience from her volunteer work with the United Way of Chicago and with the Field Foundation of Illinois, where she interned as a program officer reviewing grant proposals for nonprofit and arts organizations in the Chicago area. She also taught post secondary education skills at Roosevelt High in Albany Park in conjunction with her work as a counselor for homeless teens at Alternatives, Inc.
Michael McDaniel, Nonprofit and Endowment Liaison (ext. 101)
mmc@cfmt.org
Michael joined the staff of the Community Foundation in March 2000. Currently as Nonprofit Liaison he represents the Foundation in the 43 counties of Middle Tennessee it serves. He assists non-profit organizations in their philanthropic and charitable goals as well as assisting in their infrastructure and endowment building. Prior to The Foundation, he served as the Director of Community Arts Development for the Tennessee Arts Commission, State Arts Agency where he developed and sustained partnerships with other state agencies and nonprofit organizations. He has served as a panelist and consultant for local, regional and out of state organizations and served as a board member of the Tennessee Festival Events Association. Michael is a graduate of Leadership Donelson Hermitage, class of 2006.
Jennifer Schwartzenberg, NowPlayingNashville.com Director (ext.129)
jschwartzenberg@cfmt.org
Jennifer leads NowPlayingNashville.com , Middle Tennessee’s newest online events calendar featuring information about music, theater, dance, sports, kids and family activities, and other entertainment options. Previously, Jennifer served as the director of special events for the March of Dimes in New York City. She also served as a public relations coordinator for the New York Rangers Hockey Team.
Tracey Williams, Donor Services Coordinator (ext. 135)
twilliams@cfmt.org
Tracey supports The Community Foundation’s efforts to promote philanthropic opportunities for donors and nonprofit organizations throughout the counties it serves. By strengthening the ability of donors to fulfill their charitable goals, Williams continues The Foundation’s mission to improve the lives of those who reside in 40 Middle Tennessee and three Kentucky counties. She also serves as staff liaison for The Foundation’s affiliate funds. Previously, Tracey served as the President and CEO of the Hopkinsville-Christian County, KY Chamber of Commerce where she supervised the development of new programs and oversaw programs, including military affairs with Fort Campbell. While heading the Hopkinsville-Christian County Chamber, Tracey also spearheaded the formation of The Community Foundation of Christian, Trigg and Todd Counties, an affiliate of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
