The Community Foundation of the Florida Keys had 34 nonprofit board and staff members from across Monroe County graduate from its 2021 Leadership Success Academy. This was the 13th year of the foundation’s signature training program, which was held Aug. 19-20 at the Tennessee Williams Theatre in Key West.
The 2021 graduates are Holly Allen, Betsy Baste, Kevin Bowes, Sarah Brawer, Nancy Bunch, Leslie Calero, Fran Decker, Vivian Dodge, Grace Epperly, Richard Ericson, Katie Foster, Karen Frank-Noll, Abby Goldman, Chris Hamilton, Clare Keller, Tom Keller, Kris Kennedy, Elizabeth Lustberg, Steve Miller, Lisa Mongelia, Vivian Morrison, Donna Mote, Mary Olson, Tim Peterson, Debbi Quinn, Mardee Rath-Eamilao, Louis Raymond, Marilyn Smith, Joy Brown Taylor, Susie Trost, Amanda Velazquez, Krissy Wejebe, Tami Wires and returning alumnus Elizabeth Young.
“This is the 13th year of our program and we’ve trained more than 500 nonprofit leaders from throughout the Keys from over 100 different nonprofits,” said Jennifer McComb, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys.
A highlight of this year’s workshop was a presentation from Bill Archer, former board chair of the Boys and Girls Club of the Keys, who detailed the story of the financial fraud that occurred at the club during a four-year span and led to the arrest of its former executive director. Archer joined a lineup of seven speakers including renowned nonprofit expert Alex Counts, servant leadership expert Dr. Susanne Woods, strategic planning expert Kimberly Matthews, fundraising expert Wendy Gentes, and the Community Foundation’s McComb and Elizabeth Miller, CPA.
Since 1996, the Community Foundation has been connecting people, resources and needs through philanthropy. It has provided more than $31 million in grants in the Keys.
