Fund for Women welcomes new leadership team

The Fund for Women at the Delaware Community Foundation has a new team of leaders. The new board of trustees executive committee includes the following:

Michele Whetzel, chair, previously served as Fund for Women vice chair, grants committee chair, and treasurer. She worked as a trust officer at American Guarantee and Trust Company until the birth of her second child. Since that time, she has devoted her life to volunteerism and philanthropy. Whetzel has served on numerous boards, including the Ministry of Caring Guild Board, the North Star Swim Club Board, and the Adopt-a-Family Board.

Kay Keenan, vice chair, is president of Growth Consulting Inc., a strategic marketing company. Keenan is an active Rotarian, a board member of Goodwill of Delaware & Delaware County, and a lay leader with the Episcopal Church.

Laura Day, chair emeritus, is owner of Laura Day & Associates, a small financial and estate-planning firm. Day previously held various managerial and financial management positions with the American Red Cross, a major pharmaceutical company, and with New York Life Agency. She has served various nonprofit organizations including the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisers, Delaware Money School, Delaware Junior Achievement, and Interfaith Housing Delaware Inc.

Valerie Middlebrooks, treasurer, is a partner in the tax department of Gunnip & Company, and has experience in many areas of taxation including individual, business, nonprofit, estates and trusts. The Delaware Society of Certified Public Accountants recently selected her as a Woman to Watch.

Pam Cornforth, secretary, has been president/CEO of Ronald McDonald House of Delaware for the past 15 years. She is the current president-elect of the Rotary Club of Wilmington, past chair of the board of directors for DANA, and past chair of the Superstars in Business Alliance board of managers. Cornforth was named 2010 Brava! Women Business Achievement Award winner and was recently inducted into the Brava! Hall of Fame.

Susan Detwiler, governance chair, previously chaired the Fund for Women grants committee. Former executive director of the University of Delaware Hillel, Detwiler is now president of The Detwiler Group, a consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, board education and fundraising for nonprofit organizations.

Suzanne Feaster, grants committee chair, was an educator for 36 years. She retired in 2011 and moved to Rehoboth Beach, where she is now a substitute teacher and a court-appointed special advocate for a child in foster care.

“The Fund for Women is excited to add more talented and dedicated volunteers to its Board of Trustees,” Whetzel said. “As we continue to fulfill our mission, helping women and girls in Delaware, we are thankful that these new members will contribute to our efforts.”

The Delaware Community Foundation manages charitable funds for individuals, families, businesses and organizations, and distributes income from the funds as grants to humanitarian, educational, health and cultural entities throughout the First State. For details, call 302-571-8004 or go to www.delcf.org.