2014 Distinguished Service Award Nominees

Brian Byrnes - President and CEO, Santa Fe Community Foundation
Brian T. Byrnes has been the President and CEO of the Santa Fe Community Foundation since 2009. Under his leadership the Foundation has significantly grown its role as an influential voice and facilitator of challenging social change efforts, having focused the Foundation on high-impact initiatives in key areas like birth-to-career success, racial health equity, law enforcement assisted diversion for nonviolent opioid users, local impact investing and, in 2011, creating the Santa Fe Hub for Social Innovation. Mr. Byrnes joined the Santa Fe Community Foundation after having served as President & CEO of the Vermont Community Foundation. Mr. Byrnes was first introduced to social change work in the early 1980s when, as part of his training in a Roman Catholic religious order, worked with sex-offenders in the criminal justice, system, immigrant rights, and homelessness. His undergraduate degree is in philosophy and did graduate studies in theology. He graduated from New England Conservatory in 1987 with a Master of Music degree with honors in early music performance. He went did doctoral studies in medieval musicology with a Langley Fellowship at New York University and completed a M.Phil. with honors in 1991, after receiving a German Academic Exchange Scholarship for his research in 13th century music.

Why Brian Byrnes was Nominated >>


Paul Grogan - President and CEO, The Boston Foundation
Paul Grogan was appointed President & CEO of the Boston Foundation in 2001. Mr. Grogan pioneered a new model for community foundations which has come to be known as the Civic Leadership Model and has attracted national attention and emulation. With an emphasis on research, mobilizing coalitions, and active engagement with the public sector, he transformed the Foundation into an active and vocal civic leader, and made vital contributions to a string of policy successes. He also led the Foundation through a first-of-its-kind merger with The Philanthropic Initiative, a pioneering philanthropic advisory firm. The Foundation’s assets have increased from $650M in 2001 to over $975M today, and annual grantmaking has grown from $50M to $100M. Prior to joining the Foundation he was Vice President for Government, Community, and Public Affairs at Harvard University. From 1986 through 1998, he was President and CEO of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation and invested more than $3 billion of private capital in inner-city revitalization efforts.

Why Paul Grogan was Nominated >>


Teri Hansen - President and CEO, Gulf Coast Community Foundation
Teri A Hansen manages the daily work of Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Florida) as, together with its donors, it transforms our region through bold and proactive philanthropy. She has served as President and CEO since 2002. Under Teri’s innovative leadership, Gulf Coast has pushed the outer edges of the envelope to become a national model for creative thinking in philanthropy. She guides the foundation’s focus on catalytic community initiatives that systemically address areas such as hunger and nutrition, homelessness, workforce investment, and STEM education. Teri and her team have also cultivated a culture of philanthropy in the region, with Gulf Coast now the philanthropic home of nearly 600 families who have established charitable funds there. Teri volunteers her leadership nationally, statewide, and regionally.. She also serves in numerous positions focused on economic development in Sarasota County. Prior to joining Gulf Coast, Teri was vice president for gift planning and donor relations at The Cleveland Foundation. She also served as vice president of external relations for Central Indiana Community Foundation and was the founding president of Legacy Fund of Hamilton County (Indiana).

Why Teri Hansen was Nominated >>


Bob Kelly - President and CEO, The San Diego Foundation
For 20 years, Bob has overseen all activities, programs and asset management within The San Diego Foundation. A longtime San Diegan, Bob built his career in philanthropy over several decades. Prior to joining The Foundation, Bob served as the Executive Director of the American Cancer Society in San Diego and Vice President of Southern California. He also spent significant time with Sharp Health Care, where he served as Assistant to the President and Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Sharp Health Care Foundation. Bob also worked as Senior Vice President for CCP and Associates – a comprehensive cancer center consulting firm. Bob’s community service activities include time spent as a board member of the San Diego Symphony Foundation, the San Diego Real Estate Foundation, Beauchamp Charities, Sharp Healthcare, the Children’s Initiative, and League of California Community Foundations. He’s a past President of the UCSD Alumni Association, past Board Chair of Youth for Progress, and past Board Chair of San Diego Grantmakers. He’s also served on the boards of the San Diego Chamber Foundation, the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, the Elsinore Cattle Co. and the International Community Foundation. He is a member of the Downtown Rotary and a graduate of UC San Diego.

Why Bob Kelly was Nominated >>


Darcy Oman - President and CEO, The Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia
Darcy Oman is the President and CEO of The Community Foundation Serving Richmond & Central Virginia. She has served in the executive leadership role since November 1985, when Oman was hired as the Foundation’s first full time professional staff member. Over her 29 years of service to the community, Oman has served on numerous boards and leadership advisory committees. Presently, Oman serves on the founding boards of the Arthur and Jane Flippo Endowment Foundation (Secretary), Bridging Richmond (Executive Committee), Middle School Renaissance 2020, Partnership for Nonprofit Excellence and Richmond's Future (Vice Chairman). She is a member of the Homeward Board of Advocates, Chairman of the Richmond Estate Planning Council and a member of the Forum Club, a local forum for discourse by civic, community and business leaders on issues impacting the Richmond region. She has served the field of philanthropy at the local, state, regional and national levels throughout her career, including two years as chairman of the Council on Foundations Community Foundation Leadership Team. In October 2008, Oman was recognized by the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities for her contributions toward the improvement of human relations, social welfare and justice, and the quality of life of the people in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Why Darcy Oman was Nominated >>


Steve Seleznow - President and CEO, Arizona Community Foundation
Steven G. Seleznow is President & Chief Executive Officer of the Arizona Community Foundation, a statewide philanthropy whose mission is to lead, serve and collaborate to mobilize enduring philanthropy for a better Arizona. Founded in 1978, ACF has more than 1,350 funds and $650 million in charitable assets under management today, is one of Arizona’s largest statewide grant makers, largest private provider of scholarships in the state, and among the nation’s largest 30 community foundations. Prior to leading the Arizona Community Foundation, Seleznow served for nearly five years as Deputy Director for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s U.S. Program in Education, managing the implementation of a $2.5 billion investment portfolio and leading grant making for states, districts and networks throughout the country. Seleznow spent the first 28 years of his career in public education, serving as deputy superintendent for the Montgomery County, MD, Public Schools and chief of staff and interim superintendent for the District of Columbia Public Schools, as well as in other administrative and leadership posts. Seleznow earned a doctorate and master’s degree in administration, planning, and social policy from Harvard University, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Maryland, and is a graduate of Boston University.

Why Steve Seleznow was Nominated >>


Mary Thomas - Chief Operating Officer, The Spartanburg County Foundation
Mary L. Thomas serves as the Chief Operating Officer of The Spartanburg County Foundation. With over 25 years of philanthropic and nonprofit experience, Mary is most noted for her work building partnerships and wide scale collaborations across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to bring about community change. An example of this is the Spartanburg Community Indicators Project, Grassroots Leadership Development Institute, Healthy Organization Institute to name a few, which are now known as best practices across the country. Mary serves on multiple boards and committees, including the Southeastern Council of Foundations and Spartanburg Regional Health System. She has received numerous awards for her work in philanthropy. Mary understands the principle of paying it forward—in 2006, she was named the first African American winner of the Council on Foundation’s Robert W. Scrivner Award for Creative Grant making. She leveraged her prize money of $10,000 for an additional $150,000 from donors in her community to establish the Mary L. Thomas Award for Civic Leadership and Community Change which honors citizens who are making a difference at the grassroots level. Mary is a bold, courageous, visionary and innovative champion of philanthropy.

Why Mary Thomas was Nominated >>

Questions?

Connect with Council Staff