A Legacy Built to Last
For Women. For Generations.
In 1994, a group of visionary women and men came together with a shared belief: when women and girls thrive, our entire community benefits.
Looking beyond the needs of the moment, the vision was to create a permanent source of philanthropic support dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls. Each founding donor contributed $5,000 to establish The Women’s Fund, the first and only endowed fund in Middle Tennessee dedicated exclusively to women and girls.
More than 30 years later, that vision continues.
The Women’s Fund advances long-term solutions that improve the lives of women and girls through strategic grantmaking, intentional partnerships, and educational opportunities that help our community better understand the challenges facing women and girls, bring people together around shared solutions, and invest in organizations addressing those needs.
Our Grantmaking Focuses on Four Priority Areas:
- Women’s Health – maternal health, mental health, reproductive health, addiction recovery, and access to care.
- Women’s Economic Sustainability – workforce development, credentials/education, entrepreneurship, childcare and transportation supports, and other pathways to long-term financial stability.
- Women’s Safety – domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, stalking, prevention, intervention, and survivor support.
- Girls Growth & Opportunity – mentorship, leadership, education, social-emotional well-being, healthy relationships, and enrichment opportunities.
Our Approach
Strategic grantmaking is at the heart of The Women’s Fund’s work, but lasting change requires more than funding alone.
Through research, community insights, and collaboration with nonprofit partners, subject matter experts, and local leaders, The Women’s Fund works to understand the evolving needs of women and girls across Middle Tennessee. Those insights inform our grantmaking, partnerships, and community initiatives, helping ensure every investment supports lasting solutions where they are needed most.
Why an Endowment Matters
The Women’s Fund was built with the future in mind.
Every gift to The Women’s Fund’s endowment is invested, with a portion of the investment earnings supporting grantmaking each year while the fund continues to grow. As the endowment grows, so does our ability to respond to evolving community needs, invest in long-term solutions, and support organizations improving the lives of women and girls across Middle Tennessee.
The power of an endowment lies in its permanence. It allows every gift to continue supporting women and girls as the needs of our community evolve, creating a legacy of impact for generations to come.
Women Who Lead By Example
The Women’s Fund Advisory Board
The Women’s Fund Advisory Board brings together community leaders committed to advancing opportunities for women and girls in Middle Tennessee. Through thoughtful leadership, stewardship, and philanthropy, Advisory Board members help shape The Women’s Fund strategic direction, grow its endowment, guide strategic grantmaking, and serve as ambassadors for the mission throughout our community.
Our 2026-2027 Board Members
Tobi Amosun
Julia Baker
Caroline Bradshaw
April Britt
Jenny Charles
Karen Clark
Brittany Cole
Anna Cramer
Danielle Davis
Georgette Eftekhari
Brittainy Hall
Angie Howard
Claudia Huskey
Lynne Ingram
Beth Johnson
Tonia Klein
Ellen Lehman
Fran Linley
Asha Nivison
Anne Neubauer
Arnita Ozgener
Emily Schneller
Caroline Shockley
Cameron Simmons
Dalih Suchet
Catherine Street
Jasmine Sweet
Leigh Ann Witt
We are grateful for the 200+ women who have led 30 years of the Women’s Fund!
Past Board Members Include
Jessie Adams
Elizabeth Akers
Honey Alexander*
Denise Alper
Sue Atkinson*
Grace Awh
Lori Badgett
Sallie Bailey
Julia Baker
Meera Ballal
Jean Ann Banker
Judy Barker
Megan Barry
Shannon Barton
Dawn Becker
Sybril Bennett
Nancy Benskin
Ginna Betts
Julie Boehm
Angela Bostelman-Kaczmarek
Jen Bottorff
Leilani Boulware
Thallen Brassel
April Britt
Mary Brockman
Cathy Brown
Betty Brown*
Elizabeth Broyhill Morris
Louise Bryan
Laura Lea Bryant
George Bullard
Weezie Burgess
Trudy Byrd
Lisa Campbell
Rosalyn Carpenter
Tricia Carswell
Sunny Bray Cartmell
Joanne Cato
Margie Cavalier*
Laura Chadwick
Jenny Charles
Barbara Chazen
Agenia Clark
Karen Clark
Krystal Clark
Kathy Cloninger
Brittany Cole
Lisa Cole
Andrea Conte
Colleen Conway-Welch*
Keva Cooper
Brenda Corbin
Robin Costa
Beth Courtney
Anna Cramer
Sondra Cruickshanks
Katie Crumbo
Donna Dalton
Tabitha Daly
Anne Davis
Jane Davis
Patricia Davis
Suann Davis
Katherine Delay
Allison DeMarcus
Elizabeth Dennis
Barbara Devaney
Leslie DiPiero
Laura Lee Dobie
Martha Donnelly*
Perri duGard Owens
Missy Eason
May Dean Eberling*
Georgette Eftekhari
Kay Elam
Zainab Elberry
Trisha Elcan
Annette Eskind
Jane Eskind*
Katie Ezell
Irwin Fisher
Sue Fort White
Beth Fortune
Cory Franklin*
Appy Frenchman
Julie Frist
Melissa Frist
Ann Fundis
Mary Gambill
Karlen Garrard
Stacey Garrett
Tammy Genovese
Lynn Ghertner
Marcela Gomez
Tipper Gore
Meredith Griffith
Joanna Hall
Brittainy Hall
Carolyn Hannon
Kerry Hansen
Ruth Ann Harnisch
Cordia Harrington
Deborah Harris
Estie Harris
Megan Hart
Mary Anne Harwell
Jeannie Hastings*
Lucy Haynes
Sandra Hecklin
Edwina Hefner
Lolly Henry*
Beth Higham*
Phyllis Hildreth
Ellen Hoffman
Collins Hooper
Jennifer Horton
Marci Houff
Ann Houston
Sherry Howell
Susan Huggins
Robin Hurdle
Claudia Huskey
Lynne Ingram
Mary Anne Jackson*
Hope Jacobson
Elizabeth Jacobson*
Jennifer Jezewski
Whitney Johns
Marcy Johnson
Susan Jones
Beverly Keel
Thelma Kidd
Peggy Kinnard
Tonia Klein
Ann Kloeppel
Jessica Kopperud
Coco Kyriopoulos
May Lavender
Brenda Law
Ellen Lehman
Liza Lentz
Delorse Lewis
Fran Linley
Anne Linnemann
Sandra Lipman
Jan Maddox
Lethia Mann
Ellen Martin
Alyne Massey*
Johari Matthews
Jody Mattison
Barbara Mayden
Candy McCampbell
Regina McCrary
Jane McDermott
Gwen McFarland*
Keith Meacham
Vickie Mertz
Rosetta Miller-Perry
Rita Mitchell
Kitty Moon-Emery*
Beth Moore
Julia Morris
Jenni Moscardelli
Caroline Mullin
Kitty Murfree
Valerie Nagoshiner
Arshi Nasseh
Dianne Neal
Jeanie Nelson
Janet Nelson*
Stacey Nickens
Asha Nivison
Lauren Ossolinski
Arnita Ozgener
Patricia Paiva
Liz Palmer Brundige
Elizabeth Papel
Richard Payne
Andrea Perry
Stephanie Perry
Linde Pflaum
Jane Powers
Phyllis Qualls
Janet Rachel
Kathryn Rakow
Linda Reeve
Donna Richards
Sandra Roberts
Holly Roche
Mary Rolando
Carolyn Rosenberg
Nancy Saturn*
Emily Schneller
Mary Schoettle
Joyce Searcy
Mary Jo Shankle
Caroline Shockley
Cameron Simmons
Sally Smallwood
Laura Smith
Suzanne Smothers
Leah Sohr
Sarah Sperling
Perian Strang
Cassie Sturdivant
Jasmine Sweet
Debi Tate
Debbie Thrash
Emily Tidwell
Melanie Tigrett
Van Tucker
Laura Turner*
Deb Varallo
Sukie Vaughan
Mimi Vaughn
Jessica Viner
Melissa Watkins
Kay West
Paulette Witworth
Gail Williams
Leigh Ann Witt
Mandy Young
Robert Zelle*
Mayra Zimmer
Alice Zimmerman*
Nancy Zoretic
* Deceased
