Board of Directors
The board of directors is the guardian of an ever-growing permanent charitable endowment for our community to be used today, tomorrow, and forever.
Executive Committee
Linda Madeo
Board Chair
Linda brings to the board more than two decades of experience in philanthropy and development. As a philanthropic professional, first with national programs in higher education, as well as aging at Atlantic Philanthropies, and later as Executive Director of the Park Foundation in Ithaca, Linda understands the importance of community support to the success of our non-profits. A native Ithacan with undergraduate and graduate degrees from Cornell University, Linda finds the growth and change in Ithaca and Tompkins County to be very exciting. Watching the development of the Community Foundation from its germination as an idea more than ten years ago, she sees its long-term potential. She believes that, increasingly, Tompkins County is a place where people work together to strive for a better life for all and the Community Foundation has a key role to play in that work now and in the future.
Robin Masson
Board Vice-Chair and Nominating and Governance Committee Chair
Robin is past President and current Secretary of the Ithaca Area Collaborative Law Professionals and is on the Board of Directors of the Estate Planning Council of Tompkins County. She has also served on the boards of Planned Parenthood, Neighborhood Legal Services, Ithaca Rape Crisis Service, and the Community Dispute Resolution Center and as a volunteer mediator at C.D.R.C. Robin is an attorney in private practice who is committed to compassionate advocacy for her clients, using the law as a tool to help individuals and businesses solve problems and plan for the future. In recent years, she has shifted the focus of her practice from litigator to facilitator, using modern methods of dispute resolution, such as mediation and Collaborative Law, to help clients resolve conflicts peacefully and respectfully without resort to the courts. She also represents children and serves as a guardian ad litem for incapacitated clients, when appointed by the courts. The majority of her law practice is in the areas of family law, estate planning, elder law, real estate, and meeting the needs of small businesses.
Anthony Hopson
Secretary and Community Relations Committee
Anthony is assistant vice president for community and government relations at Ithaca College. In this position, Anthony provides strategic direction and leadership in promoting community relations within the college and local community as well as the state and federal governments. Prior to arriving at Ithaca College, he served as associate dean at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Previously, Anthony served at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences as associate and assistant dean of students, as assistant dean of students at Clark University, and as assistant director of minority affairs/outreach programs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He holds a bachelor’s degree in general studies and master’s degree in higher education administration from the University of Connecticut.
Anthony’s professional and community affiliations have included the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, where he served on the regional advisory board; the Barton Center for Diabetes Education Inc., where he was a member of the Board of Trustees; and membership on the City of Worcester UniverCity Partnership Committee and Colleges of the Worcester Consortium. He currently represents Ithaca College on several area boards including Challenge Industries, Air Service Board, and the Tompkins County Strategic Tourism Planning Board. He and his wife Fyiane have two children and reside in Ithaca, NY.
David Squires
Board Treasurer and Financial Administration Committee Chair
David has served as the Chief Financial Officer for Tompkins County Government since 1992. A transplanted New Orleanian, David moved to New York in 1988 to serve as Budget Director for Dutchess County .He serves on the board of several local development corporations, and volunteers his culinary skills to the Kitchen Theatre where his spouse Rachel Lampert is the artistic director.
Caroline Cox
Community Relations Committee Chair
Caroline has been a resident of the Ithaca area for 40 years. Caroline has had the good fortune of working in fund raising at both Cornell University and Ithaca College. In that time, she has also served on several community boards, especially in support of the arts. In addition to the Community Foundation, she currently serves on the boards of Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service, the Suicide Prevention Foundation, and the Tompkins County Library Foundation. Caroline retired as director of major gifts from Ithaca College in 2007, giving her and her husband Gerry the opportunity to spend time with their four children and grandson, and to enjoy occasional travel. Twenty-five years ago, as the administrative director of Cornell's graduate program in public administration, Caroline was impressed by the work of community foundations. Now, she is very pleased to be a part of Tompkins County's own community foundation.
Amy Yale-Loehr
Community Impact Committee Chair
Amy is a radiologist who retired from practice in 2005. Amy has long-standing roots in the Ithaca community. She grew up in Ithaca, leaving to attend Swarthmore College and Upstate Medical School. She and her husband, Steve Yale-Loehr, lived and worked for 8 years in the Baltimore-Washington area before returning to Ithaca in 1990 with their three children. Amy has been an active member of the Sciencenter Board for the past 10 years, serving as board chairperson from 2007-2009 and a member of the Executive Committee for the last 5 years.
Jennifer Gabriel
Development Committee Chair, member of the Strategic Planning Task Force
Jennifer is an individual giving officer at Ithaca College, and works closely with the School of Humanities & Sciences to raise funds for new and ongoing initiatives, student scholarships, and endowments. She received a degree in journalism from Boston University and worked as a speechwriter for Mayor Thomas Menino before launching her career as a fundraiser. Jen currently serves as a volunteer for the Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute, and her hobby as a cake decorator led her to start her own small business, Ithacake. Jen has lived in Boston; Sydney, Australia; Boulder, CO; and San Francisco - but returned joyfully to her hometown of Ithaca in 2010.
Board Members
Richard Banks
Development Committee
Richard is the Associate Vice President, Alumni Affairs and Development Administration for Cornell University, responsible for directing and executing administrative operations supporting the university’s fund raising and alumni engagement programs. This includes serving as the Senior Finance Officer and senior administrative officer for the division, and the management of the human resources, advancement services, budget, planning, and finance programs. He is a member of Cornell’s class of 1972, and joined the Cornell staff in 1978. His volunteer service includes serving as a director of the Cornell Club of New York, the Statler Club, and as a director and former president of the Country Club of Ithaca.
Jacki Barr
Community Relations Committee
Prior to returning to Ithaca in 2008, Jacki had relocated to Houston where she was a marketing and software development manager for Continental Airlines in their Houston headquarters. After the events of 9/11 she served as facilities director for The Woodlands United Methodist Church. Jacki now lives in Lansing with her husband, a retired airline executive and entrepreneur and her two children, one a sophomore at Berklee College of Music in Boston and the other a student at Lansing Elementary School. She also serves on the Cayuga Medical Center Gala Committee, Chamber of Commerce Special Events Committee and is an active member of the Ithaca Rotary Club.
Mary Berens
Community Impact Committee
Mary retired in 2009 after 32 years with Cornell University, initially in Manhattan and Houston and, after 1982, in Ithaca. Mary’s career highlights included major gift fund raising and management roles in three Cornell capital campaigns and 11 years as Director of Alumni Affairs. Her Cornell affiliations have also included 30 years of volunteering with her undergraduate class (1974), her sorority (Delta Gamma), and the Cornell Catholic Community. Beyond East Hill, she is a member of the Ithaca Rotary Club (1989-present) and has served on the boards of the Hangar Theater (1984-90) and Student Agencies, Inc. (1986-89). In 2003 she joined the board of Catholic Charities Tompkins Tioga where she has served on the executive committee for 8 years and is the immediate past president. Mary and her husband, Paul Feeny (Cornell professor emeritus, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology), enjoy sharing with family and friends the many things that make Tompkins County special. Working with the Community Foundation to identify needs and encourage volunteerism and philanthropy is a welcome opportunity and responsibility.
Max Brown
Development Committee, member of the Strategic Planning Task Force
Max is an associate with the firm, Integrated Business Ventures, mergers and acquisitions specialists centered in Ithaca. Max brings previous experience to the Community Foundation as a development professional specializing in planned giving. He has always believed passionately in the importance of community support through volunteerism and philanthropy, as well as through community support of local businesses and professionals. He has volunteered his time to the community both locally and abroad where he spent several years overseas in Mongolia serving in the United State Peace Corps. Max lives in Trumansburg with his wife Nansa and their three children.
Tom Colbert
Financial Administration Committee
Tom is a life-long resident of Tompkins County and has been active in commercial real estate development since his graduation from Cornell University. Additionally, he served on the boards of numerous community organizations, including recently the Tompkins County Public Library, the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation, the History Center, and the Ithaca Aviation Heritage Foundation. He believes Tompkins County’s bright future is dependent upon an involved community.
Randy Ehrenberg
Community Impact Committee and Children & Youth Fund Advisory Committee Chair
Randy retired in 2010 after a 42 year career in public education, including 27 in the Ithaca City School District where she last served as Deputy Superintendent of Schools. For the last nine years of her career, she was Superintendent of the North Colonie Central School District, a high performing 5,650 student school district in the Albany, NY area. Standard and Poor’s has classified North Colonie as one of a small number of “outperforming school districts” in New York State because its students’ test score performance (for all socioeconomic and racial groups) is substantially higher than predicted given the socioeconomic backgrounds of families in the district.
She is a published author and has written articles on the teaching of English and on budgetary and administrative issues. She served as chair of the New York State Association for Women in Educational Leadership (NYSAWA) and received awards including NYSAWA’s Pathfinder Award, Outstanding Educator of the Year from the New York School Administrators’ Association, and the Distinguished Service Award from the New York State Council of School Superintendents.
Upon returning to Ithaca, Randy quickly became active in many aspects of the community. She currently serves on the boards of the Hangar Theatre, Golden Opportunity, and Mira’s Movement and is a docent at the Johnson Art Museum.
Mariette Geldenhuys
Immediate Past Board Chair, Community Impact Committee, member of the Strategic Planning Task Force
Mariette has had her own Ithaca law firm since 1997 and prior to that was partner in the Ithaca law firm of Schlather, Geldenhuys, Stumbar & Salk. Mariette has served as the City Attorney for the City of Ithaca. She served on the Boards of Directors of the Community School of Music and Arts and the Ballet Guild of Ithaca and has been a member of the Parish Pastoral Council and Social Justice Team of the Immaculate Conception Church. Mariette is actively participating on the Tompkins County Family Court Custody Initiative Committee and has been involved in an initiative to make Collaborative Practice available to low income clients. She is a member of the National Family Law Advisory Council of the National Center for Lesbian Rights and Founder and Past President of the Ithaca Area Collaborative Law Professionals (IACLP). She speaks English, Afrikaans, German, Dutch, and French.
Wendy Hankle
Community Relations Committee
Wendy is a lover of words—reading them, writing them. Since 2009, she’s had the honor of doing both as a staff member in Ithaca College’s Division of Institutional Advancement. Prior to her time at IC, Wendy ventured into many different aspects of the communications field: public relations (at Farm Sanctuary and Guthrie Healthcare System); corporate communications (at Battelle Memorial Institute); and journalism (as a reporter and editor at Suburban News Publications). In the early 1990s, Wendy killed many plants in her pursuit of an undergraduate botany degree at Ohio State University. Years later, as a journalism graduate student at Southern Illinois University, she gained the skills necessary to thrive in a profession she adores.
In her spare time, Wendy enjoys exercising questionable judgment by playing rugby with the Ithaca Avengers; making up songs about her two mutts, Elliot and Franklin; and having thoughtful discussions about home finances with her spouse, Annemarie.
Wendy moved to Ithaca in 2005 and is elated to put her skills and enthusiasm to work in service to her community.
Bob Jewell
Development Committee
Bob has been a resident of Tompkins County for more than 30 years. He is currently employed by Community Bank, N.A. as a Trust Officer and Financial Planner for their offices in the Finger Lakes.
Bob served on the Board of Directors for Ithaca Neighborhood Housing and in various leadership positions in his church. He and his family served for many years as a fostering family for Tompkins County. You will also find him in many Swimming Pools in the area serving as a swim official.
Bob’s activities in investment planning began in the 80’s when banks started to offer financial services. This focus opened his interest in financial planning and he has since received his designation as a Certified Financial Planner.
Bob leads personal financial workshops in local churches and is excited when others reach the goal of developing the financial skills that allow them to have control over their finances rather than being controlled, as well as practice the joy of cheerful giving.
Laurie Linn
Community Relations Committee
With over 20 years of experience, Laurie has an energy that can light up a room and knows how to get people excited about marketing. She is big on ideas and not shy on taking risks. Laurie believes that innovation is the core of successful marketing, and it shines through in her clients’ work. Even with her international clientele, Laurie develops relationships with her clients, providing expertise in business strategy, detailing best practices, and working with senior leadership to determine annual communications strategy. She takes a solutions-based approach to her clients’ problems, and always manages to exceed expectations. Laurie loves living in Ithaca, NY and gives back by providing influence and affluence to make it an even better place to live and work. Laurie served as the Co-Chair of the Tompkins County Chamber for 2010, and serves on the boards for Tompkins County Area Development, United Way of Tompkins County and was Co-Chair for the United Way of Tompkins County Campaign in 2008, raising over 2 million dollars for the community. She formally served as Chair of the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce Board in 2003 and as President of the TC3 Foundation Board in 2004-2006.
Alan Mathios
Nominating and Governance Committee, and Strategic Planning Task Force Chair
Alan is the Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean of the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. He moved to Ithaca in 1992 from Washington D.C., where he worked at the Federal Trade Commission and focused his energies on broad based public policy analysis with the goal of improving the lives and health outcomes of citizens throughout the country. Alan has been an active volunteer throughout his time at Cornell University especially in the area of student mental health and well being. He is excited about joining the Board of Directors of the Community Foundation and supplementing the significant efforts of his wife Mary to support the special communities that make up Tompkins County.
Ed Morton
Development Committee
Ed is Chemung Canal Trust Company’s Private Banking Manager. Ed, his wife Kari, and their four children, relocated from Philadelphia in 2009. With nearly 15 years of experience in the private banking field, Ed was tasked with forming the Private Banking line of business for Chemung Canal Trust Company. He is a 2010 graduate of Leadership Tompkins, and a member of the Community Advisory Committee of the H.F. Johnson Museum of Art. He is active in Ithaca Rotary, where he serves on the Membership Committee, The Ithaca Yacht Club, and Country Club of Ithaca. While in Philadelphia, Ed and Kari were active in a number of community and charitable organizations including the Chestnut Hill Historical Society, where Ed served as Board Member, Treasurer, and Finance Committee Chair. Ed earned his B.S. degree in Business Management and Marketing from Cornell University in 1993.
Bill Murphy
Financial Administration Committee
A resident of Tompkins County since 1997, Bill manages CFCU’s Wealth Management program. His financial and banking experience began in 1989 as a personal banker with First Federal. Bill is a Certified Financial Planner with a background in banking, business development, and administration. He has a MBA from Wilkes University.
A past board member of Ithaca Sunrise Rotary and past chair of Ithaca’s MS Walk, Bill is dedicated to working with people committed to philanthropy and the common-good. Bill, his wife Stacey, and their son enjoy: hiking, swimming, running, and cross-country skiing.
Nancy Potter
Community Relations Committee
With a passion for family and community development, Nancy has dedicated 3+ decades with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Tompkins County to community-based learning and convening collaborations that build on families’ strengths and create supportive communities for children and families. These initiatives have benefitted from the generosity of local assets which leverage resources from external funders. She believes the Community Foundation plays an important role in developing awareness of local issues for which local philanthropy can stimulate innovative action. This creates a dynamic relationship among those who are impacted, those who donate, and those who facilitate effective responses. Nancy values being an active part of creating awareness of the issues and stimulating action on those issues. She connects to the community through the Ithaca Rotary Club, St Paul’s United Methodist Church, the West Danby Community Association, and other non-profit boards.
John Rogers
Community Impact Committee
John is an independent construction consultant with 20 years experience in affordable housing work at INHS where many local community connections were established and nourished. He has served on boards of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, Cayuga Trails Club, On Site Volunteer Services, Greenstar Coop, and an inter-municipal youth service agency. He served as a trustee for the Village of Trumansburg and has led international wilderness outings with the Sierra Club. John’s has two children who he and their mother have taught to live lightly, be well traveled, and be in touch with nature. John wishes to help promote local philanthropy and connect this gracious giving with local community needs.
Mickie Sanders-Jauquet
Currently On Leave
Mickie came to the area as a science teacher and is currently an active community volunteer. She served on several non-profit boards concerned with public education, advancing literacy and community building. As a planning board member for the Town of Romulus, she coordinated a new ordinance on the concerns of commercial dog breeding and is involved in creating farmland protection for the town. As a member of the grants committee, she envisions the Community Foundation connecting resources with critical needs in the community.
Carol Travis
Women’s Fund Advisory Committee Chair
Carol came to Ithaca in 1975 upon graduating from college and began working in retail and in the public school system. Carol has served on TC3 Foundation, Sciencenter and Historic Ithaca boards and was attracted to the Community Foundation because of our overview and reach into community. Carol currently teaches the Transcendental Meditation technique traveling extensively around New York. Carol and her husband Mack are very involved in the health and well being of downtown Ithaca.
Linda Wagenet
Nominating and Governance Committee
Linda P. Wagenet recently retired from Cornell University where she was a researcher in the Department of Development Sociology. Linda’s area of interest was and continues to be public participation in environmental management. Although originally from California, Linda has lived in Ithaca for 30 years and participates in many community activities. She is currently on the Water Resources Council of Tompkins County, on several committees for Hospicare and Palliative Care Services, and on the Board of the Small Comforts Foundation. Linda is also a consultant for EcoLogic, LLC, an environmental firm in Cazenovia, NY.
Julie Waters
Community Relations
Julie is director of public affairs for University Communications at Cornell University. In this position, Julie provides strategic communications support and leadership in promoting Cornell, with particular emphasis on alumni affairs and development communications. Julie previously worked as editorial director for University Communications and as publications manager for the Johnson Graduate School of Management. Julie holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education and a master’s degree in journalism from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. She arrived in Ithaca in 1989 to study music at Ithaca College and continues to support community music by performing with the Ithaca Concert Band, the area’s community band since 1976. Julie currently serves on the board of directors for the Women’s Opportunity Center in Ithaca.
