Board of Directors and Advisory Committees
At Innovia Foundation, our Board and Advisory Committee members lend their extraordinary expertise and talent to help us improve the quality of life throughout the Inland Northwest. These individuals volunteer countless hours to help us fulfill our mission to drive community transformation.
Officers
Geraldine Lewis
President
Community Volunteer, Sandpoint, ID
Tyler Lafferty
Vice President
Co-Founder of Seven2, 14Four, Strategy Labs, Access2Experience, Method Juice Cafe and The Union Studios
Rick Rasmussen
Secretary-Treasurer
CEO, Northwest Specialty Hospital
Directors
Robert A. Larson
Managing Director, Private Wealth Senior Consultant, Merrill Lynch
Rueben Mayes
Chief Development Officer, Pullman Regional Hospital Foundation
Marcelo Morales
Founder, A4Ventures
Ryan Nipp
Partner, Parkwood Business Properties
Sandy Patano
Community Volunteer, Coeur d’Alene, ID
Owner, Sandy Patano Consulting, LLC
Jeff Philipps
Retired Rosauers CEO, Community Advocate
Gary Stokes
General Manager, KSPS
Betsy Wilkerson
Owner, Moore’s Assisted Living
City Council Member, City of Spokane
Scott Hutsell
Lincoln County Commissioner, and Owner, Scott’s Tire Service
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee, on behalf of the Board, supports the long-term effectiveness of the Board and Board operations by recommending best practices in governance to the Board to fulfill Innovia Foundation’s mission, vision and the long-term viability of the Board. The committee also supports the long-term effectiveness of the Board by overseeing a process of nominating well-qualified candidates for Board, committee and Board officer positions.
Geraldine Lewis, President
Tyler Lafferty, Vice President
Rick Rasmussen, Secretary-Treasurer
Finance
This committee monitors on behalf of the Board and oversees, guides and supports the efforts of the CEO and staff by ensuring that Innovia Foundation is in good health. To do this, the committee develops our financial policies and makes sure they are consistent with our mission and vision. The committee is also responsible for reviewing and recommending for approval the annual operating budget, as well as overseeing the review of the audited financial statements and tax return, including the performance of the auditors.
Rick Rasmussen, Chair
Brooke Baker Spink, Vice-Chair
Brenda Bookholtz
Kris Mayhew
Carmel Minogue
Chandra Schumacher
Rick Wilhite
Investment
This committee monitors on behalf of the Board and oversees, guides and supports the CEO and staff in ensuring that Innovia Foundation’s investment policies are consistent with Innovia Foundation’s mission and vision. The committee develops and recommends guidelines for asset allocation, risk tolerance and benchmarks and oversees the administration and performance of all of Innovia Foundation’s assets. In addition, the committee oversees the selection, engagement and/or replacement of qualified external investment consultants, including designated advisors and Donor-Designated Advisors.
Adam Gelhausen, Vice Chair
Gift Planning and Marketing
The Gift Planning and Marketing Committee, along with the Board, ensures that Innovia Foundation has the financial resources to carry out its mission and vision.
Grants
The Grants Committee monitors on behalf of the Board and oversees, guides and supports the efforts of the CEO and staff in recommending to the Board grant awards that fulfill Innovia’s mission and vision. Grants are the end result of fundraising, investment of funds and community study. Grants that positively impact the community are one of the true measures of achieving community transformation.
Geraldine Lewis, Chair
Janice Baldwin
Terrie Ashby-Scott
Ben Cabildo
Gabriel Cruden
Lisa Heath
Scott Hutsell
Keith Kelley
Paul Kimmell
Betsy Wilkerson
Carol Wilson
Regional Grants Advisory Committees are made up of business and community leaders from across Innovia’s service region, who advance the mission and vision of the community foundation. Members act as ambassadors for Innovia to help determine community needs, as well as advise the Foundation regarding grants and charitable gifts that support Eastern Washington and North Idaho. The members include:
Eastern Washington Grants Advisory Group
Eastern Washington Grants Advisory Group
Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Lincoln, Adams
Steven Apple – Stevens County
Gabriel Cruden – Stevens County
Ian Eccles – Adams County
Aaron Edwards – Ferry County
Karen Giebel – Ferry County
Scott Hutsell – Lincoln County
Darren Mattozi – Lincoln County
Colene Rubertt – Pend Oreille County
Spokane County Grants Advisory Group
Terrie Ashby Scott
Ben Cabildo
Lisa Heath
Keith Kelley
Gary Klingsporn
Amanda Swan
Betsy Wilkerson
Palouse/LC Valley Grants Advisory Group
Whitman, Latah, Columbia, Garfield, Asotin, Nez Perce, Lewis, Clearwater, Idaho
Francis Benjamin – Whitman County
Kristin Kemak – Asotin County
Paul Kimmell – Latah County
Robin Ohlgren – Whitman County
Judi Pilcher – Columbia County
Brian Points – Latah County
John Rusche – Nez Perce County
Peady Schwabe – Whitman County
Chris St. Germaine – Clearwater County
Mike Waite – Whitman County
Anne Walsh – Garfield County
Donna Woolston – Latah County
Rachel Young – Idaho County
North Idaho Region Grants Advisory Group
Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Benewah, Shoshone
Janice Baldwin – Kootenai County
Teri Farr – Kootenai County
Carol Julian – Boundary County
Geraldine Lewis – Bonner County
Michele Magnuson – Kootenai County
Matt Mire – Bonner County
Rhonda Seagraves – Shoshone County
Jennifer Stovern – Shoshone County
Dennis Weed – Boundary County
The Pullman-Palouse Regional Partnership Council (PPRPC), comprised of members from the Palouse area, works in partnership with Innovia to make funding decisions for this grant program. The grants are made possible by funds that have been established by donors in the Palouse region. These funds, known collectively as the Palouse Region/Pullman Community, have a geographic restriction or preference for the benefit of the Palouse region. A number of these funds were originally held by the Pullman Community Foundation. In 1982, the Pullman Community Foundation chose Innovia Foundation to continue its legacy by managing these funds. Several funds have been added since the original group was transferred to Innovia Foundation. If you wish to establish your own fund or contribute to one of the existing funds that benefit the Palouse region, please contact Innovia staff.
Pullman-Palouse Regional Partnership Council
Paul Kimmell
Peady Schwabe
Donna Woolston
Mike Waite
Robin Fahle Ohlgren
Francis Benjamin
The Columbia County Children’s Fund is an area of interest endowed fund at Innovia Foundation. It was established as a permanent legacy in 1984 by family members of Frances Broughton Boyd Milham of Dayton, Wash. The fund supports organizations in Columbia County, Wash., that provide educational enrichment and special needs programs, guidance, counseling and therapy to children and their families, as well as medical and dental services and supplies for disadvantaged children. A committee comprised of individuals representing Columbia County (listed below) recommends grants from this fund.
Columbia County Children’s Fund Advisory Committee
Jennifer Ashlock
Ashley Kilts
Melissa Jensen
Scholarship committee volunteers are an indispensable part of Innovia Foundation’s scholarship programs. These committed volunteers carefully review applications, taking into consideration a wide variety of criteria that may include financial considerations, academic achievement, courage in overcoming hardship, community service, drive and commitment. Scholarship committee members bring to the selection process the benefits of their life experience, their diverse outlooks and their local knowledge to recommend scholarship awards to the best and brightest young people in our region. More than 100 volunteers are involved in the scholarship process. Each ensures that scholarships are awarded in a manner that is fair and consistent with the wishes of the scholarship fund donors.