March 4, 2024
The Williamsburg Community Foundation recently elected three new trustees from among local community leaders, Ti’Juana Gholson, Leigh Houghland, and Jeanne Zeidler. These three individuals each have an incredible history of service to the greater Williamsburg Community. WCF also elected a new chair, Alison Lennarz and a new Vice Chair, Melinda Morgan from among its trustees.
Ti’Juana Gholson has spent more than 20 years in the human services field. As the owner of several businesses, she also has over 20 years of entrepreneurship experience. Ti’Juana spends her days coaching/mentoring small business owners to business success. Ti’Juana has served on a wide array of boards and led community initiatives. She currently serves on the WCF Distribution Committee.
Leigh Houghland is a native of Williamsburg and has been in the banking industry for over 25 years. He is the regional executive for Chesapeake Bank in Williamsburg and also serves as its senior lending officer. Leigh also serves on the boards of Child Development Resources, YMCA of the Greater Virginia Peninsulas, United Way and Men’s Charity Tennis. Leigh graduated from the LEAD Historic Triangle program in 2007.
Jeanne Zeidler retired after 8 years as President & CEO of the Williamsburg Health Foundation. Prior to that she had a more than 30-year career in museums, cultural, and educational organizations. Now she is involved with Virginia 250 as a member of the board of Commemorations, Inc. Currently she chairs the Board of Directors of Williamsburg Landing, she is Secretary of the Let Freedom Ring Foundation, is the Williamsburg appointee to the Board of Directors of the Peninsula Agency on Aging and is a member of the WCF’s Scholarship Committee.
The Williamsburg Community Foundation board recently honored the work of two retiring trustees, Margaret Pritchard, and Kathleen Slevin.
Margaret Pritchard joined the WCF Board in 2007. She chaired the Development and Donor Relations Committee from 2010 to 2014, served as Vice Chair of the board from 2013 to 2014 and Chair from 2014 to 2016. She then returned to the board as a trustee in 2018 and has ably served on the Philanthropy Committee and assisted greatly with the development of the 25th Anniversary Campaign.
Kathleen Slevin, Chair, joined the WCF board in 2016. In 2017 she became chair of the Distribution Committee. Kate took on broadening WCF’s reach in greater Williamsburg. She has attended community meetings, invited many community leaders to her home, participated in several organizations on behalf of the foundation. She has encouraged outreach to smaller and minority led nonprofit organizations. Kate has brought a thoughtful and determined approach to creating a more inclusive Foundation and has left a legacy that we can continue to build on going forward.
Background:
Established in 1999, the Williamsburg Community Foundation is a collection of gifts from generous local citizens, mostly invested in long-term endowment funds, which will benefit the community forever. Each fund provides grant-making dollars for community needs. In its 25-year history, the Foundation has distributed over $12 million for grants and scholarships combined.
The Foundation serves as a philanthropic center, connecting people who care with causes that matter. Local residents can make a contribution to the Foundation’s Community Endowment, and trust that their gift will be invested wisely, and continually generate income over time that will be a source of support for local nonprofits in the long-term. The Foundation is governed by a board of trustees who are members of the Williamsburg community, and grants are made through a competitive process that responds to the changing needs of our area.
For more information contact, Nancy Sullivan, ncsullivan@williamsburgcommunityfoundation.org or 757-259-1660.
