COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER FORT WAYNE - Key Persons
Alison Gerardot, Chief Impact Officer, joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in February 2017. She is responsible for collaborating with individuals on their personal philanthropy, developing and implementing strategies for growth, and helping elevate philanthropy throughout the community. In 2020, Alison Gerardot helped to launch the first Women's Fund of Greater Fort Wayne held at the Community Foundation.
Alison has her BA in English from IPFW and her Certificate in Fundraising Management from the IU School of Philanthropy. Alison has an extensive nonprofit background, through social work, arts nonprofit administration and education and came to the Community Foundation after serving as the Director of Programming and Events for Riverfront Fort Wayne. Through her work at Riverfront, she had the honor of producing community impacting events such as the "Faces of the Fort" community art project and Middle Waves Music Festival. In 2016, she was honored as a Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly "Forty Under 40" recipient, in 2019 she became a Leadership Fort Wayne graduate and in 2020 she was named one of Fort Wayne Magazine's "People of the Year" for her work in helping to establish the Women's Fund. In 2022, Alison was named a "Champion of Change" and was honored with an award from Greater Fort Wayne, Inc. for her mentorship of young women throughout the community and work in establishing the Women's Fund. She is a 2022 graduate of the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance Mutz Leadership Institute and a 2023 graduate of CFLeads Executive Leadership Institute for Vice Presidents. Alison currently volunteers on the school board of her children's school.
Alison currently lives on the south side of Fort Wayne with her wonderful husband, two kids and adorable dog Theo! She loves visiting the farmer's market on Saturday morning during the summers and spending the rest of her free time with friends and family.
Amanda Pant, Administrative Assistant, joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in January 2020. As the First Impression Specialist, Amanda will be the friendly face who greets you when you visit, and the voice when you call our office. If you have any questions or concerns, Amanda will be happy to help you.
Amanda has a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education with a Jr. High MathematicsEndorsement from IPFW (Purdue Fort Wayne). Prior to joining the Community Foundation team, Amanda was the Clinic Front Desk Lead at Indiana Physical Therapy in Kendallville for six and a half years. She is also on staff at County Line Church of God and serves in the Worship Arts Program.
Amanda lives in Kendallville with her wonderful husband, Logan, and their two children. You can usually find Amanda spending time with her family and their dogs.
joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in November 2023. As Senior Impact Advisor, Angela manages grants administration and relationship building with grantees, grant seekers, other partners in the community, and foundations. She is also working with Jaren Harmon on the Youth Empowered Philanthropy (YEP) program, an initiative that started in 2020 to connect youth to philanthropy and the nonprofit sector.
Angela attended Purdue University in West Lafayette and majored in political science. She has a graduate degree from Ohio State University in American politics. She worked for a racial justice and public policy research institute at Ohio State for seven years. During that time, she worked primarily as a researcher and a writer. She also worked on projects helping community groups and grassroots organizations use grant dollars to develop plans to help transform their communities. Through that part of her work, she realized that by working for a foundation, she could focus her career on helping organizations get access to resources to serve their communities better. Before coming to the Community Foundation, Angela worked as the Vulnerable Populations Program Officer for the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation for two and a half years.
Angela was born and raised in Fort Wayne. She lived in Columbus, Ohio, for about 13 years before returning to Fort Wayne. She loves seeing how much Fort Wayne has grown and changed. Downtown is much more vibrant, the arts and live music are flourishing, the festivals and markets are fun attractions, and there's so much more to do now. Angela spends time with family and friends during her free time and loves being outside. Festivals, hiking, or exploring a new neighborhood, she is up for it!
, joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in October 2023. Ashleigh previously worked for Chase Bank before she took a brief hiatus as a stay-at-home mom. As part of the finance team, Ashleigh plays an integral role in the grant request process, scholarship due diligence tracking, and serving as backup for the administration team.
Ashleigh is proud to call Fort Wayne home and is excited to see the community grow and change for the positive. She loves spending time with her two children, Tatum and Tiana. She also enjoys reading books, going to concerts, and TinCaps games in the summer.
Brad Little, President and CEO, joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in January 2018. As CEO, Brad is responsible for setting the strategy to achieve the organizational vision as set by the Board of Directors through a formal Strategic Plan. He is also responsible for shaping the Foundation's role as a civic leader, grantmaker and philanthropic partner. In a more "boots on the ground" role, he is responsible for the management and oversight of the Foundation's operations and staff. He also serves as the chief spokesperson for the Foundation.
Brad has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Ball State University and a Master of Business Administration from Butler University. Brad has experience in both for-profit and nonprofit worlds which ultimately led him to CFGFW. Brad spent 8 years working for his fraternity - Lambda Chi Alpha - where he became the Chief Operating Officer. He then went to the Carmel Dads Club where he was the first full-time Executive Director. After five years with the Carmel Dads Club, Brad went on to become the President of the Legacy Fund of Hamilton County. His work at the Legacy Fund of Hamilton County led to an opportunity to be a part of a foundation start up in Ottumwa, Iowa where he was the inaugural President and CEO of the Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation for 7 years. In addition to being the President and CEO of The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne, Brad serves on the Greater Fort Wayne Inc. board of directors and is an active member of the downtown Fort Wayne Rotary Club.
Brad currently lives in Fort Wayne with his wife, Melissa. If Brad isn't keeping up with his five children, you can find him spending time with his family on their boat. Brad also likes to collect manual typewriters. He currently has 5 in his collection along with an electric IBM Selectric I. If you visit the Community Foundation on a quiet day you can hear Brad typing away on his Underwood 319 typewriter.
Cassie Beer, Women's Director Fund, joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in February 2021. Her passion for advocacy, research, and macro-level change fuels her leadership for the Women's Fund. An Enneagram 3 and iD on the DiSC, Cassie's top five strengths are significance, competition, achievement, strategy, and intellection.
Cassie has her MA in Professional Communication from Purdue Fort Wayne, CFRM certification from the IU School of Philanthropy, and Facilitation Certification from Purdue University. Before coming to the Community Foundation Cassie taught at Purdue Fort Wayne in the Communication Department. She is a passionate advocate for accessibility and disability rights, serving on the board of the national organization Accessible Festivals to provide training and resources for national touring music festivals.
Cassie lives in Fort Wayne with her husband and their three children. Cassie loves to spend time with her family hiking at Franke Park, playing in Lakeside Park, and riding bikes on the River Greenway. She also enjoys running half marathons and recording music with her band, Rosalind & the Way.
Job Titles:
- Secretary - Director of Human Resources, Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana, Inc
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- Investment Officer III, VP, Old National Wealth Management
Job Titles:
- Director of Marketing & Communications
- Philanthropic Services Assistant, Joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in December 2021. She Is Now the Director of Marketing & Communications
Colleen Helmken, Philanthropic Services Assistant, joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in December 2021. She is now the Director of Marketing & Communications.
Colleen earned her bachelor's degree in Communications and Studio Art from Beloit College. She started her career in New York City in account and project management roles. During her 20 years in the New York City area, Colleen worked for companies in consumer packaged goods and hospitality and managed projects in brand development, marketing, and communications. Colleen also volunteered as a Big Sister during her time on the east coast.
Colleen lives in Fort Wayne with her husband and their two Pembroke Welsh Corgis. She loves to grab coffee at Conjure, catch a live music event, or go to a yoga class. She also enjoys traveling and exploring new places.
Job Titles:
- at Large - Attorney and Founder, Gosheff Estate & Trust Law, LLC
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- Executive Director, Girlz Rock and Adams Township Trustee
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- President, Northeast Indiana Works
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- President and CEO, Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana, Inc
Heidi Ludwig, Chief Operating Officer, joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in 1998. She is responsible for effectively managing the Community Foundation's infrastructure, processes, and resources. She is an alumnus of Ball State University Miller College of Business and has nearly 30 years of experience in accounting, finance, human resources, IT, and operations in the nonprofit sector.
She believes in helping people to make positive changes in their lives and dedicates her time and talent to Common Grace Ministries, where she serves as board chair. She is a lifelong resident of Avilla, Indiana where she resides with her husband Rick. They are proud parents to Ryan Ludwig and Lexi (Nathan) Thomas.
In her spare time, she loves to experience nature. She likes walking her rescue dog, Diva, and spending time in her flower gardens. Heidi also enjoys music and live concerts, especially country music.
Job Titles:
- Donor Engagement Specialist
, joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in November 2021. As part of the philanthropic services team, Jaren focuses on providing exceptional service to donors by making connections between donors' charitable interests and needs in the community. Her goal is to help donors expand their philanthropy and shape their current and legacy goals. Jaren also works with Kiley Tate-Potts building the Community Foundation's Youth Empowered Philanthropy (YEP) program, a new initiative in 2020 to connect youth to philanthropy and the nonprofit sector.
Jaren is currently working on her bachelor's degree in Organizational Leadership from Purdue Fort Wayne and has her Certificate in Fundraising Management from the IU School of Philanthropy. She started her professional career as a Patient Care Tech at Dupont Hospital and Parkview Hospital. After realizing nursing might not be for her, she found a passion for nonprofit work when she became the Match Activities Coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters. In this role, she helped strengthen the relationship between the mentors (aka Bigs) and children through free weekly programs. During Covid-19, she developed the Learning Pods program to support children who needed extra help with virtual learning. Jaren continues to volunteer at Big Brothers Big Sisters as a Big.
Jaren is a Fort Wayne native and lives here with her two dogs, Nina and Nyx. Nina is a Pitbull mix that loves to sleep and snack on bananas, and Nyx is a Cane Corso, a very large loving dog and the latest addition to the family. Jaren's favorite thing to do is to get out and explore Fort Wayne, whether trying a new restaurant or checking out a new spot.
Jaren Harmon, Donor Engagement Specialist, joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in November 2021. As part of the philanthropic services team, Jaren focuses on providing exceptional service to donors by making connections between donors' charitable interests and needs in the community. Her goal is to help donors expand their philanthropy and shape their current and legacy goals. Jaren also works with Kiley Tate-Potts building the Community Foundation's Youth Empowered Philanthropy (YEP) program, a new initiative in 2020 to connect youth to philanthropy and the nonprofit sector.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer, JH Specialty Inc
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- Director of Philanthropic Services
Kiley Tate-Potts, Director of Philanthropic Services, joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne team in February of 2019. Kiley is a part of the philanthropic services team. She focuses on providing exceptional service to donors to build bridges between donors' charitable interests and community needs while creating opportunities for donors to broaden their philanthropy and achieve their current and legacy goals. Kiley also oversees the Community Foundation's Youth Philanthropy program, Youth Empowered Philanthropy (YEP), a new initiative in 2020 to connect youth to philanthropy and the nonprofit sector.
Kiley has her BS in Marketing Management from Western Governors University along with her Certificate in Fundraising Management from the IU School of Philanthropy. Kiley is also a 21/64 Certified Advisor. Kiley danced professionally for eight years with Carnival Cruise Lines. After her time at Carnival Cruise Lines, she came back to Fort Wayne and started working at North Side High School, her alma mater. Kiley currently serves on the board for Charitable Gift Planners of Northeast Indiana. She also volunteers on the Hospitality Team for Fort Wayne's Middle Waves Music Festival. She loves being able to work with national bands and make them feel welcome to Allen County. Kiley has also done multiple volunteer trips to Zambia and Madagascar, teaching at an underprivileged school and doing marine conservation.
Kiley was recently married to her husband Martin, in England. They currently live in Fort Wayne with their sweet puppy, Millie. Kiley loves to travel and has been to 28 countries! If Kiley isn't traveling or planning her next trip, you can find her spending time with friends and family, working out, or enjoying her community.
, joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in August of 2005. In her role as finance assistant, Lori handles a large amount of financial transactions from gifts coming in to grants distributed out to nonprofit organizations, plus reconciling accounts at month end and generating financial reports. Lori also provides administrative support to the Community Foundation's Audit Committee and Investment Committee. In addition to her finance related responsibilities, Lori also manages the fund agreement process as donors establish new funds with the Community Foundation.
Lori graduated from Northrop High School and took HR and accounting classes at IPFW, now Purdue Fort Wayne. Lori was in banking for 8 years as a teller and a note teller in the commercial loan department. Lori was an assistant director at a preschool and daycare for 17 years while also working as a finance assistant for the Community Foundation for 13 of those 17 years. Lori volunteers at her church in her free time.
Lori has been married to her high school sweetheart for 36 years and they have two children, one granddaughter, and a grandchild on the way. If Lori isn't spending time with her family or traveling with them, you can probably find her outside gardening, riding bikes, or at a baseball game.
Lori Voght, Finance Assistant, joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in August of 2005. In her role as finance assistant, Lori handles a large amount of financial transactions from gifts coming in to grants distributed out to nonprofit organizations, plus reconciling accounts at month end and generating financial reports. Lori also provides administrative support to the Community Foundation's Audit Committee and Investment Committee. In addition to her finance related responsibilities, Lori also manages the fund agreement process as donors establish new funds with the Community Foundation.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director, City of Fort Wayne Metropolitan Human Relations Commission
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- Women 's Fund Development Specialist
Patty Dunn joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in January 2024. As the Development Specialist for the Women's Fund, she is responsible for expanding philanthropic support through communities of giving to meet the strategic development goals of the Women's Fund. From planning events with the dedicated Committee members to meeting those new to supporting the research and advocacy, spending time with those who believe in the importance of advocacy is always inspiring and motivating to her.
Patty received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Indiana University, Fort Wayne, with a concentration in Visual Communication and Design. After seven years of being a product photographer for Sweetwater Sound, she followed a calling to alter her career path and find work that positively impacts her community. Patty served as the Engagement Coordinator at YWCA Northeast Indiana for the last two years. While there, she connected volunteers to YWCA's programs, organized events such as the Circle Fundraiser, Race Against Racism 5k, and Coffee and Conversations, and planned annual fund outreach.
Patty is a Fort Wayne native and loves calling Fort Wayne home. She is a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters, and spending time with her "little" is one of her favorite pastimes. Some others are her book club, which reads books authored by women, being outdoors, hiking, kayaking, and gardening, and traveling to see live music with her husband, Andy, when their schedules allow. But most of all, it is about spending quality time with friends over good food and lots of laughter.
Job Titles:
- Attorney at Law, Snow & Sauerteig LLP
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- Assistant
- CEO
- Director of Administration
- President
- Assistant to President / CEO & Director of Administration
Rhonda Pequignot, Assistant to President & CEO and Director of Administration, has been with the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne since February of 2005. She is responsible for operations of our beautiful building, managing the President & CEO's schedule, and working with the various volunteers, committees, and board members to coordinate and prepare for meetings.
Rhonda is originally from Butler, Indiana and went to school at IPFW (now Purdue Fort Wayne) where she earned a bachelor's degree in Public Affairs. Rhonda started her career as a tax researcher at KPMG LLP in Fort Wayne where she worked for four years before transferring to the Washington, D.C. office for another five years as the Marketing Manager. After working in the for-profit industry for her whole career, Rhonda was intrigued by the nonprofit industry and came back to Fort Wayne to take a position with the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne.
Rhonda has one son, James, with her husband Mike. They love to travel and spend time with family.
Job Titles:
- Treasurer - Senior Vice President - Market President, Farmers & Merchants State Bank
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- Chairman - Retired Partner / Architect, MKM Architecture Design
Sarah Knoch, CPA, Controller, joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in October 2021. She is responsible for both internal and external financial reporting as well as maintaining internal controls, providing financial analysis, and overseeing daily financial activities.
Sarah has a bachelor's degree in Accounting from Manchester College. Sarah spent nine years with The Seigel Group, LLC, a small public accounting firm in Auburn, IN before coming to the Community Foundation. While at the Seigel Group, she did a little bit of everything, including taxes, payroll, bookkeeping, and auditing. Most of the audit clients Sarah worked with were small, local nonprofit organizations. Working with them was her favorite part of the job. Sarah currently serves on the finance committee of Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum. She is also an assistant treasurer at her church.
Sarah is from Fort Wayne and now lives in Noble County. Outside of work she loves spending time with her horses, reading a good book, and playing games with family. Sarah has two horses, a thoroughbred mare named Trixie and a paint gelding named Jack. She loves to train Trixie and Jack and hopes to one day work them at liberty and ride bridle less. She also has an indoor cat named Bella and two barn cats, Cauliflower (Cali for short) and Kitty.
Job Titles:
- Project Leader, BF Goodrich
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- Vice Chair - Executive Director, Incremental Development Alliance
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- Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, City of Fort Wayne
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- at Large - Chief Financial Officer, Greater Fort Wayne Inc
Taylor Abdon joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in January 2024 as a Data Analyst. Taylor keeps the Community Foundation database information current; he develops guidelines and best practices surrounding the usage of the database and generates, analyzes, and presents data reports as needed across the organization.
Taylor attended Indiana University in Bloomington and majored in Psychology. Before coming to the Community Foundation, Taylor was with Fort Wayne Housing Authority for seven years; his responsibilities continued to evolve during his tenure; some highlights include being responsible for maintaining landlord relationships, managing projects and initiatives centered around modernization and growth, and utilizing a variety of data-centric approaches to analyzing and identifying areas for improvement in programs. While Taylor's experience has primarily been focused on a specific area of the community up to this point, he is excited to expand his horizons through his work with CFGFW, whose initiatives include five pillars and a focus on fostering ethical, sustainable growth in the community.
In his free time, he enjoys hiking, reading, playing board games, playing music, and spending quality time with his friends, fiancé, cat, and two guinea pigs. Taylor is also known in certain circles for performing exactly two impressions.