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

Robert A. Larson

President

Managing Director, Private Wealth Senior Consultant, Merrill Lynch

Geraldine Lewis

Vice President

Community Volunteer, Sandpoint, ID

Tyler Lafferty

Secretary-Treasurer

Co-Founder of Seven2, 14Four, Strategy Labs, Access2Experience, Method Juice Cafe and The Union Studios

Directors

Robert A. Blume

Robert A. Blume CPA

Rueben Mayes

Chief Development Officer, Pullman Regional Hospital Foundation

Marcelo Morales

Founder, A4Ventures

Sandy Patano

Community Volunteer, Coeur d’Alene, ID
Owner, Sandy Patano Consulting, LLC

Rick Rasmussen

CEO, Northwest Specialty Hospital

Gary Stokes

General Manager, KSPS

Betsy Wilkerson

Owner, Moore’s Assisted Living
City Council Member, City of Spokane

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.

Robert A. Larson, President
Geraldine Lewis, Vice President
Tyler Lafferty, 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.

Tyler Lafferty, Chair
Rick Rasmussen, Vice-Chair
Brenda Bookholtz
Brooke Baker Spink
Robert M. Cole, Jr.

 

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 the 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.

Robert A. Blume, Chair
Michael J. Bibin, Vice Chair
Ron Denova
Adam Gelhausen
Kevin Grady
Eric Green
Houston Scrudder
Marvin Soehren
Michael Waite 

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.

Sandi Bloem, Chair
Vacant, Vice Chair
Katie Cox
Patricia McRae
Greg Bever
K. Duane Brelsford
Billy Etter
Kristin Kemak

Bob Larson
Rueben Mayes
Marvin Reguindin
Bill Sperling
Chud Wendle
Jennifer West

 

 

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

The North Idaho Partnership Council (NIPC) is made up of business and community leaders from the six northernmost counties of North Idaho who support and advance the mission of Innovia Foundation in North Idaho. North Idaho Partnership Council members represent and serve the following Idaho counties: Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Benewah, Shoshone and Latah. Members act as ambassadors for Innovia Foundation to help determine community needs and advise the foundation regarding grants and charitable gifts that support the North Idaho region. The members include:

Barbara Jackson – Benewah County
Helen Muffly – Benewah County
Brian Points – Latah County
Teri Farr – Kootenai County
Michele Magnuson– Kootenai County
Geraldine Lewis – Bonner County
Matt Mire – Bonner County
Rhonda Seagraves – Shoshone County
Jennifer Stovern – Shoshone County
Carol Julian – Boundary County
Donna Woolston – Latah 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.