CFGG - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Attorney, Johnson - Parris Law
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- Director / ETWI and Guilford Apprenticeship Partners
Ann is from Wyckoff, New Jersey and received her B.S in Business from Wake Forest University and her MSA in School Administration from UNC Greensboro. She began her nonprofit career 3 years ago with CFGG as the four-county Youth Apprenticeship Coordinator with the Eastern Triad Workforce Initiative.
Ann has spent over 20 years in Education including being an elementary school teacher at Greensboro Day School and principal at St. Pius X Catholic School. In her free time, Ann enjoys hiking on all of the beautiful trails here in Greensboro, walking, gardening, reading, and spending time with her son and daughter.
Fun Fact: Ann is an avid sports fan. She loves watching all college sports and her favorite team is (of course) Wake Forest!
Job Titles:
- Community Volunteer, Activist and Philanthropist, Retired Journalist
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- Member of the Pinsker Wealth Management Team
- Affiliate Member, Dorothy and Stanley Frank Family Foundation
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- Clinical Assistant Professor, UNCG School of Education
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- Vice President / Development & Donor Engagement
Cathy Knowles recently returned to Greensboro after 20+ years living in New York and Los Angeles. She achieved a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Communication from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1998. She is thrilled to be back in Greensboro working for an organization that is by, of, and FOR this community.
Cathy was born in Nairobi, Kenya, to an Ethiopian mother and an American-born Caucasian father. After living in Karachi and Geneva, she and her family moved to North Carolina in the late 1970s. Her passion for social justice and equity, complemented by her 20+ years of experience as a professional fundraiser, shapes her strategy to each initiative.
Cathy's love of bringing people together through philanthropy and community engagement shines through every facet of her work as a development professional. She is very proud of her experience in top development departments in New York and Los Angeles for organizations including the American Cancer Society and The Salvation Army. Additionally, she found great fulfillment as a volunteer tutor for the International Rescue Committee, as a founding board member of South Bronx United, and as a volunteer for The Salvation Army's Territorial Anti-Trafficking Initiatives in the Social Justice Department.
Fun fact: Cathy is an avid equestrian and is resisting the pull to buy a horse for as long as she can.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Cone Health
Connie is from Ottumwa, Iowa and has attended both Buena Vista University and UNC Greensboro, majoring in Elementary Education. In the beginning of her career, Connie worked as a Kindergarten and 1st grade teacher. After leaving teaching and becoming a stay-at-home mom, Connie accepted a job with Guilford Nonprofit Consortium before then transitioning to a position at CFGG.
Some of the activities that Connie enjoys around Greensboro include walking at Guilford Battleground Park and Country Park, dining out, and listening to live music. She also enjoys solving NY Times crossword puzzles, reading, and spending time with friends.
Fun Fact: Connie and her husband have been married for 36 years and share two children and one grandchild. She also has two cats, Salem and Lily.
Cynthia Doyle, the driving force behind the establishment of the Foundation, passes away in January. Community Foundation staff dedicate an annual Community Service Day in her memory. Say Yes to Education's national office selects Guilford County as its next site. The newly-formed Triad Workforce Solutions Collaborative receives $320,000 in national grants. The Foundation tops $16 million in grantmaking.
Cynthia is a native of Boston, MA and has lived in Greensboro for over 20 years. She graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration from WSSU. She has a background in Administrative Management, Project Management, and Information Technology. Cynthia is very involved in the community -- volunteering with the community gardens, food pantry distribution, teaching classes, and working with youth and elderly.
Cynthia got her start in nonprofits by volunteering and serving on six Boards over the past 20 years. Before transitioning into nonprofits, she spent 10 years in corporate, 20+ years in higher education, and 35 years serving as a Track & Field Official. Cynthia enjoys going to the Farmers' Market, local parks, and other outdoor activities. She also loves spending time with her family.
Fun Fact: In her free time, Cynthia enjoys officiating track meets, gardening, arts & crafts, and cooking.
Job Titles:
- Regional President, Pinnacle Financial
Dena Maginnes - Jeffrey Director Community Engagement Dena is a Greensboro native and is enthusiastic about the city's continued development. She obtained a B.S. in Marketing from ECU and UNCG. She has spent most of her professional life working for nonprofits because it gives her the opportunity to be more creative and varied while also allowing her to make a positive impact on others and her community. Dena loves the growing culinary and brewery culture in Greensboro, as well as the gorgeous parks and greenways, live music, the Grasshoppers, the Wyndham, and all things ACC. Her favorite pastime is spending time with her spouse (Phillip) and two grown children (Jack and Sophie). Fun Fact: Dena is an avid sports fan! She was a caddy on the PGA Tour for 5 years and has been to 48 of the 50 states.
Emily is from Rustburg, Virginia and attended school at Mary Baldwin College (Go Fighting Squirrels!) where she majored in Sociology and Asian Studies. She has worked in nonprofits for her entire career. Emily started out in annual giving in higher education for the first 13 years of her career. She then worked at Greensboro Day School for 7 years prior to coming to CFGG in 2018. Emily values her work her at CFGG because she can see the impact our work makes on our amazing community every day.
Emily's favorite activities around Greensboro include running on the Greenway and in the parks with her girlfriends, attending Grasshoppers games, and enjoying the many restaurants and breweries! She also spends a lot of time at the Aquatic Center (GAC), various baseball fields, and various basketball courts with her kids, Will and Charlie, and her husband, Kenny.
Fun Fact: Emily has a cat named Roger (inspired by Mad Men) and a dog named Indy.
Job Titles:
- Development & Donor Engagement Assistant
Felicia is from Asheboro, NC and has resided in Greensboro for almost ten years. She attended UNC Greensboro and earned her B.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies with a minor in Social Work. Felicia has always been passionate about serving her community and has locally volunteered for a number of organizations and causes ranging from refugee resettlement to animal rescues. Some causes that are particularly close to her heart are permanent housing and food insecurity.
Felicia began working with non-profits in college. She was a member of AmeriCorps-Partnership to End Homelessness, as well as, AmeriCorps VISTA. She accrued experience in many different areas, but mainly got to focus on case management, marketing & development, and event planning with fundraising. Felicia spent the past seven years working as a Children's and Youth Minister for local Episcopal churches.
Felicia loves spending her free time gardening(playing in the dirt), spending time with her friends, attending concerts or shows, and most importantly spending time with her husband and their fur babies(their dog, Luna Bear and their cat, Mo).
Fun Fact: Felicia is a major "Swiftie". Her favorite day of her life so far (besides her recent wedding day) was meeting Taylor Swift in college.
Walker is from Charlotte, NC and attended Sewanee: The University of the South where he double majored in Economics and Political Science (although his father always said it was a double major in Bourbon and Water). He started his career in the investment and insurance business in 1989 and earned his Certified Financial Planner certification in 1991. His philanthropic career started in 1993 with his work at Foundation for the Carolinas. He became the first President and CEO of a healthcare conversion foundation in 1996 and was later hired as the President of CFGG in 1999.
Walker enjoys many things about Greensboro: being involved in the arts, visiting local parks, ACC, UNC Greensboro, NCAT, Greensboro and Guilford basketball, and the many fantastic hiking trails. Walker and his wife, Dabney, enjoy traveling, cool and outstanding dining adventures, and entertaining at their home.
Fun Fact: Walker has two dogs: Hudson who is a Bernese Mountain dog and Scout who is a Labrador/Springer mix.
Job Titles:
- First Vice President of Investments, Stifel Investments
Kabrina is a Greensboro native and graduate of the Middle College at GTCC Greensboro. She attended Appalachian State University where she earned a degree in Communications with a concentration in Creative Advertising and a minor in Sociology.
Kabrina got her start in nonprofits as a member of the Kids Voting Student Advisory Board in high school. She continued her philanthropy as a member of the YWCA High Point Marketing Committee. Kabrina has gained Marketing experience working across a multitude of industries from manufacturing to utility construction before joining the CFGG team.
In her free time, Kabrina enjoys traveling, painting, exploring downtown Greensboro, attending Grasshoppers games and visiting local restaurants.
Fun fact: Kabrina has a cat named Charlei and a horse named Bojangles.
Job Titles:
- Internal Medical Specialist
Kathy was born in Reidsville, NC and moved to Greensboro when she was 1 year old. She attended UNC Greensboro and majored in Accounting. Kathy got her start in nonprofits by working at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. She worked there for 12 years before coming to CFGG.
While there are many things that Kathy loves about Greensboro, her favorites include walking at the various parks, shopping, and attending concerts. She also loves to spend time with her family which includes her two daughters and four grandchildren (and one on the way!).
Fun Fact: Kathy has two dogs - a Lab mix and a Chihuahua. She is also a foster parent for a dog rescue organization and currently has one foster.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Latino Education Affairs
Job Titles:
- Manager / Employee Engagement and Operations
Keevie Martin Manager Employee Engagement and Operations Keevie was born in Pinehurst, NC and lived in Rockingham, NC for a short time before moving to Greensboro. She is a three-time graduate from UNC Greensboro: B.A. in Political Science, B.S. in Accounting, and M.S. in Accounting. Keevie started her career as a business manager at a small independent school here in Greensboro for many years before joining CFGG. Keevie enjoys playing lots of tennis, taking long walks, and gardening. She also enjoys the many things that Greensboro has to offer such as live music, parks, great restaurants, and local shops. Her favorite activity, however, is traveling near and far whenever she can and spending as much time as possible with her grandson. Fun Fact: Keevie has two cats who are sisters: Sophie (calico) and Chloe (all black).
Job Titles:
- Special Events Coordinator
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- Dean of the College of Business and Economics, NC a & T University
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- President, Greensboro College
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- Vice President Finance and Administration
Marci is originally from Hastings, Nebraska, but has called Greensboro home for the last 23 years. She graduated with a degree in Business Administration from Hastings College, earned her MBA from Wake Forest University, and is a licensed CPA in North Carolina.
Marci was inspired to go into nonprofits from her father who raised her on the phrase, "go do some good in the world". Since then, Marci has spent the last 20 years working at a private college, a public charity, and now CFGG. Marci has two beautiful daughters (Lia and Emme) and a wonderful husband (Grady) who also does good in the world by teaching.
Fun Fact: when Marci isn't counting pennies, she is hiking on nearby trails, reading a good book, or spending time with friends over a good meal.
Job Titles:
- Director of Title 1, Guilford County Schools
Job Titles:
- Vice President Marketing and Communications
Martin moved to Greensboro from San Antonio, TX. Prior to moving, he worked for seven years for San Antonio's community foundation. He has three decades of experience in fund development, communications, marketing, and strategic planning. He has worked for and consulted with nonprofits in the following fields: philanthropy, public and private education, low-income housing, leadership development, civil rights, the arts, Spanish-language radio, and digital content.
Martin is a graduate of Yale College (B.A., English) and the University of Texas at Austin (M.A., Latin American Studies). He has also earned certifications in investment fundamentals, leadership development, and nonprofit management. He has served in volunteer leadership roles for literary, faith-based, alumni, philanthropic, and cultural organizations, and he currently sits on the Board of Directors of Casa Azul of Greensboro and the Greensboro Literary Organization (Greensboro Bound).
Fun Fact: Martin is a foodie and will taste (and cook!) anything once.
Job Titles:
- Director / Guilford Nonprofit Consortium
Mary is a servant leader with a 25-year career as a strategy consultant, nonprofit executive, writer, facilitator, and community change agent. She has led grassroots efforts and established organizations, galvanizing people across multiple sectors to work together to achieve a common goal. She is passionate about connecting people and resources to help address Guilford County's biggest challenges.
Most recently, Mary served on the executive leadership team at the Kellin Foundation and in a variety of roles at Ready for School, Ready for Life, including executive director.
A Dayton, Ohio native, Mary lived and worked in DC, Chicago, and Denver before making her home in Guilford County. She is the proud mom of two teen daughters who keep her laughing and grounded.
Fun Fact: Upon moving to North Carolina, Mary's first volunteer experience was serving as a volunteer consultant with the Guilford Nonprofit Consortium.
Megan is originally from Tacoma, Washington and relocated to Winston-Salem, North Carolina from Greater Boston in May of 2022. Megan graduated from St. Martin's University in 2020 with a B.A. in Political Science and a second B.A. Sociology/Cultural Anthropology. Before working in nonprofits, Megan spent her summers working at a low-income summer camp for youth in Lakewood, Washington. She also worked as a peer mentor for university 101 classes and held various jobs within the Diversity and Equity Center while in college. Megan was introduced to the nonprofit world while in college where they interned with Earth Day Network in Washington D.C. and the Mary Bridges Children Hospital Volunteer Services Department in Tacoma, Washington.
After graduating college, she relocated from Washington to Boston, Massachusetts where they completed a year of service as a FoodCorps AmeriCorps service member with the Mayor's Office of Food Access (now Office of Food Justice) in Boston, Massachusetts. After completing her year of service, Megan went on to become the Volunteer Services Coordinator, and then Volunteer Services Manager, at St. Francis House, the largest day shelter for adults experiencing homelessness and poverty in Massachusetts. Megan's previous work experience was focused on food and housing security, as well as equity-focused work more largely.
Megan loves going to the Greensboro Farmers Market and making pesto out of carrot tops and other unsuspecting greens. You can also find her trying different coffee shops throughout Greensboro. Megan enjoys trying new recipes, watching cooking competitions, and crafting in her spare time.
Fun fact: Megan has two dogs- Cora, a Basset Hound Boxer mix and Hershey, a Chocolate Lab Setter mix- and if the dogs get excited enough, they can jump level to Megan's head.
Job Titles:
- Guilford Nonprofit Consortium Assistant
Melinda is from Chapel Hill, NC and has resided in Greensboro since 1991. She attended UNC-Chapel Hill and earned her B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication with a concentration in Public Relations. She worked in corporate marketing at United Guaranty/Arch MI for 12 years before transitioning to the nonprofit sector. She has worked with nonprofits for the past 16 years. Most recently she served as Communications Specialist and Community Engagement Coordinator for Peacehaven Community Farm and Community Housing Solutions.
Melinda has a passion for issues related to equity and justice in our community. She co-founded and currently serves as the co-leader of The Micah Connection at Westminster Presbyterian Church, which focuses on education, advocacy and relationship building surrounding justice issues in the church and community. She also serves on a Sponsor Team for a family of 12 that has recently arrived to the United States from Afghanistan.
Melinda, and her husband Steve, are the proud parents of two daughters, Sarah and Maddie. In her spare time, Melinda enjoys playing tennis, reading, and playing mahjong.
Job Titles:
- Director, Corporate Finance and Risk Management
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- Attorney, Hagan Barrett PLLC
Greensboro native married to a Greensboro native, Jim. 3 adult children, Jake, Hallie and Ashley. 2 dogs. Degrees from UNC-Greensboro: Accounting and Business Information Systems. Worked in variety of industries, most recently non-profits. Active with church, hiking and kayaking (non-extreme).
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- Principal, G & S Consulting
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- Member of the Pinsker Wealth Management Team
- Investing Writer, NerdWallet
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- Community Volunteer / Retired CEO of Cone Health Systems / Consultant
- Consulting
Job Titles:
- Member of the Pinsker Wealth Management Team