Foundation Trustees

Kitty Cannon deKieffer
Epsilon Kappa, California State University – Fullerton
Chair

Kitty Cannon deKieffer is the Development and Public Information Director of The Mental Health Center serving Boulder and Broomfield Counties and the Executive Director of The Mental Health Foundation.  Kitty’s professional fundraising experience has been a great asset to the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation Board of Trustees of which Kitty currently serves as chair.

Kitty lives on a farm outside Boulder, Colorado, with husband Rob and son Hunter.  Kitty is active in the Boulder community, is past chair of many non-profits, sits as honorary chair of the YWCA capital campaign and honorary Trustee of the Women’s Foundation of Colorado, and is a member of the University of Colorado’s Director’s Club.  Kitty has won several awards including the local NBC affiliate’s “9 Who Care” award for her volunteerism.  She has raised over $20 million for local non-profit organizations.

Kitty is an initiate of Epsilon Kappa (California State University-Fullerton) chapter and says her favorite Alpha Chi Omega memories are attending national conventions and spending time with Alpha Chi Omega sisters.

Angela Costley Harris
Alpha Beta, Purdue University
Secretary

Angela Costley Harris brings years of professional work with non-profit organizations and Alpha Chi Omega volunteerism to the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation.   She was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 2003 and has served the Board as Treasurer (2004-05) and Secretary (2005-06).

After earning a law degree from George Washington University, Angela worked as Director of Government Affairs for a national trade association in Washington, D.C. and as Vice President/General Counsel for a privately held Pennsylvania construction firm before founding ACH Consulting, LLC, which provides association management, business services, fundraising and grant-making support to private foundations, member / trade associations, public charities and small businesses.  Angela currently serves on nine non-profit boards of directors, including the National Panhellenic Conference Foundation, the Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan, and several private grant-making foundations.  She is active in her children’s school, religious organizations and her local Alumnae Panhellenic Association.

Since her initiation at Alpha Beta (Purdue University) in 1986, Angela has served Alpha Chi Omega as collegiate chapter president, alumnae chapter president and treasurer, Province Alumnae Chair, IMPACT facilitator, and House Corporation Board member.  She has been a member of the National Collegiate Recruitment Techniques Committee, the Ritual Task Force and the National Convention Steering Committee.  Angela says her greatest Alpha Chi joys and challenges have come from serving as an active chapter advisor at five different collegiate chapters since 1991, including Theta (University of Michigan), where she has been advising since 1998, and Alpha Beta (Purdue University), where she joined the advisory board long distance in 2005.

Angela lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with her husband and two sons.  Her hobbies include NCAA football and basketball, power walking with her ipod, singing, “chick” movies, knitting and collecting lyres.

Mary Kacmarcik Baker
Delta Mu, University of Massachusetts

Mary Kacmarcik Baker is an initiate of Delta Mu Chapter at the University of Massachusetts where she received a BA in Education. She later attended Bowling Green State University, where she earned her MA in College Student Personnel and eventually went on to Pepperdine University where she completed her doctor of education degree with a concentration in institutional management.

After completing her undergraduate work, Mary worked one year for Alpha Chi Omega as a National Collegiate Field Advisor (NCFA). She later worked for West Chester University in Pennsylvania as Director of Student Organizations/Greek Life, for Iowa State University as Greek Affairs Coordinator and Assistant Dean, Student Activities Center, and for California State University-Los Angeles first as Coordinator of Orientation and Leadership and then as Executive Director, Alumni Relations and Annual Giving.

Mary’s community volunteer experience includes her involvement with the National Charity League in Irvine where she currently serves as the Irvine Public Schools Foundation Philanthropy Liaison. She is also extensively involved as a volunteer at Canyon View Elementary School in Irvine where she has previously served as the Executive Vice President & Vice President of Fundraising, Parliamentarian, and PTA President and currently serves as the Art Masters Coordinator and Irvine Public Schools Foundation Ambassador. She has volunteered for the music and theatre department at Orange County High School of the Arts and was the chairperson and a member of the executive board for the Association of Fraternity Advisors National Convention from 1986-88.

Mary began as an Alpha Chi Omega volunteer in 1983 when she served as the Ritual Advisor for Beta Phi Chapter at Bowling Green State University. She has also served as the Ritual Advisor for Delta Nu Chapter at Iowa State University, as Chapter Advisor for Epsilon Chapter at University of Southern California, as a member of the Foundation’s Scholarships Committee and as the National Pledge Guidance Chairperson.

Mary currently lives in Irvine, CA with her husband of 16 years, Bob, and their two children, Katie (13) and Andrew (8). They enjoy time together skiing, biking and attending professional sports games where they love to cheer on the Angels, the Dodgers and the Ducks!

Kathleen (Katy) Evanco Brown (National Council)
Theta Omicron, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Katy is an initiate of the Theta Omicron Chapter at Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she received a bachelors in computer science and engineering and a masters in media arts and sciences. Katy is the founder and owner of a small web development company.

Katy began her volunteer career while she was in graduate school, serving as the Theta Omicron Recruitment Advisor from 1994-95. In 1995 Katy moved to Colorado and began working with Nu, University of Colorado chapter as the Membership Development Advisor. She has also served Nu as Fraternity Relations Advisor and co-Chapter Advisor. Katy is also trained and travels as an IMPACT alphachiomega lead facilitator.

In 1995 Katy joined the Nu Nu, Denver Colorado Alumnae Chapter and began serving as Vice President Collegiate Relations in 1996. Katy has also served as Vice President (1997-98) and President (1998-2000)of the Nu Nu alumnae chapter.

Katy received the award for Outstanding Young Alumna in 1997.

Katy began volunteering on the national level in 1998 as the Technology Co-Team Leader for Strategic Planning Committee. She began serving as the Province Alumnae Chair (PAC) for Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico from 2000-03. When the National Convention came to Denver in 2002 Katy served as the local chair. In 2003 she began as the PAC for Idaho, Oregon and Washington. She also began serving as a Trustee on the Foundation Board.

Back home in Colorado, Katy was a charter member of Front & Center, Colorado Ballet’s Associates Board from 2001-03. She serves as Vice President of the MIT Club of Colorado. She is also the regional chair of the MIT Educational Council.

Katy is a frequent guest lecturer for the University of Colorado, the University of Denver and Colorado State University as well as industry conferences. She is also a regular panelist on a Denver-area PBS television show “Colorado State of Mind.”

Katy and her husband Brian live in Denver, Colorado with their black labrador, Midnight. When Katy has free time she is usually taking a dance class or teaching yoga.

Katy’s favorite AΧΩ memory was during her first convention in St. Louis, Mo. when she was still in college. She remembers meeting wonderful people and wanting to continue her AΧΩ involvement. Convention still has the same effect on her today.

Donna Smith Chereck (National Council)
Alpha Phi, The University of Texas – Austin

Donna is an initiate of Alpha Phi Chapter at the University of Texas-Austin where she received her bachelor of science degree in education with concentrations in history and speech communication.
Following graduation, Donna served Beta Kappa Beta Alumnae Chapter in Dallas as Vice President of Programs. She has served as President, Vice President Programs, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Treasurer of the Dallas Alumnae Panhellenic Association.
In 1994, Donna began serving on the Colonization Advisory Board at Iota Sigma, Southern Methodist, as a Recruitment Advisor. She participated on the colonization interview team for Epsilon Tau Chapter, Virginia Tech, in 1998.

Donna was elected to serve as Alpha Chi Omega’s National Panhellenic Conference 3rd Alternate Delegate in 1998 and from 2000-02 served as the 2nd Alternate Delegate. Since that time, Donna has been involved as a House Corporation Board member and Chapter Advisor for Iota Sigma Chapter (Southern Methodist) and as a facilitator for the Annual Province Training. She served on the Beta Lambda (Arizona) Oversight Committee and also on the Alpha Nu Oversight Committee from 2000-02. She served as National Vice President and on the Foundation Board of Trustees from 2000-04.

As of 2002, Donna began representing Alpha Chi Omega in the Congressional Initiative, a collaboration of interfraternal colleagues of the National Panhellenic Conference and the National Interfraternity Conference in pursuit of an effective government relations strategy. This involves building relationships with congressmen and senators of Greek affiliations and working to identify legislative issues that affect Greek/single sex organizations. Donna also serves on the Board Development Committee, whose focus is cultivating over 100 women into future board members.

Beginning in 2003, Donna and the members of the Strategic Planning Committee started to develop a long-range plan grounded in Alpha Chi Omega’s core ideology. This plan is driven by an envisioned future that will realize the full potential of the Fraternity’s ability to support stakeholders.

Donna is extensively involved in community service, and was named East Dallas Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year in 1991. She has been a member of Lake Highlands Women’s League, Inc. since 1987 and currently serves as the Executive Board Sustainer Liaison. In 2003 Donna assisted in the campaign for the group’s Holiday Home Tour which raised $92,000 for scholarships and community improvement.

In 2002 Donna began volunteer service for the Genesis Women’s Shelter in Dallas and from 2003-04 served as chair for the community distribution of the cookbook committee.

Donna and Robert, her husband of 34 years, live in Dallas, Texas. Robert is President of Wells Fargo Bank, Dallas and Executive Vice President of Commercial Banking and Energy for the states of Texas and Colorado. The Cherecks have three grown children: Amanda, 29, Andrew, 25 and Adam, 23. Amanda is married and lives in Dallas, working as a sales manager for Mediflex. Andrew will graduate from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in May and practice for Jenkins Gilchrest in Los Angeles, California. Adam is a graduate of the University of Texas-Austin with a degree in international business and resides in Telluride, Colorado.

Sherry Snell Forsee
Delta Epsilon, South East Missouri State University

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Sherry Snell Forsee graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, with a B.S. in Secondary Education.

Sherry currently serves on the following boards: Starlight Theatre Board of Directors, Rose Brooks Center Board of Directors, United Way Board of Directors and Alpha Chi Omega Foundation Board of Trustees. She is a member of Kansas City Young Matrons and Mu Mu alumnae chapter of Alpha Chi Omega.

Sherry and daughter, Melanie Bell, will be the 2006 Chairmen for the 9th Annual Speaking of Women’s Health. Melanie and Sherry will also be honorary chairmen of Keys to the Cause for Back in the Swing 2007, a breast cancer survivors’ benefit. Melanie, daughter Kara Forsee, who is a veterinarian, and Sherry will also be chairmen for the 2007 Fur Ball for Wayside Waifs Humane Society.

Sherry and her husband, Gary, co-chaired the 2005 Starlight Theatre Gala, the 2005 Alexis de Tocqueville Committee for United Way and the 2006 Boys and Girls Club Kids’ Night Out. The Forsees were given the Community Appreciation Award by March of Dimes in June 2006. In 2001, Sherry established the Vivian Snell Fund through the University of Missouri - Sinclair School of Nursing to benefit the care of older adults.

In 34 years of marriage, Sherry and Gary have lived in Kansas City, Charleston, Hannibal, Springfield, Joplin and St. Louis, Missouri, Long Valley, New Jersey, Oakton, Virginia, Leawood, Kansas, Atlanta, Georgia and Washington, DC. Currently, Sherry and Gary live in Kansas City, Missouri and Washington, DC, where Gary is the CEO of Sprint-Nextel.

Sherry plays a little tennis and a little golf. She enjoys walking her dog Leo, reading, traveling, friends and her two daughters, Melanie and Kara. Melanie , 29 is married to Brandon Bell, and she is Vice President of Corporate Communications and Community Relations at AMC Theatres. Kara, 27, graduated from the University of Missouri Veterinary Medicine School in May 2006 and is a veterinarian at Kansas State University.

Marsha King Grady (National Council)
Alpha Upsilon, University of Alabama

Marsha is an initiate of Alpha Upsilon Chapter at the University of Alabama where she received her bachelors of science degree in business administration and a masters in business administration. She continued her post-graduate studies in organizational theory at the University of Iowa. Marsha is a certified management accountant, having received her certification in 1990.

After graduation, Marsha pursued a career in business analysis and operations. She has worked as a Strategic Analyst for Golden Flake Snack Foods, a Senior Financial Planning Analyst for Tandem Computers, and Director of Business Services and Director of Network Planning & Provisioning for McLeodUSA. Marsha is now a Founding Partner for Tricend Consulting, LLC, a performance improvement consulting firm. In her spare time, she is also a Creative Memories Unit Leader.

Marsha started volunteering for Alpha Chi Omega right after graduation by serving as Pledge Advisor for Alpha Upsilon Chapter, Alabama, from 1987-88. She has served as Membership Development Advisor, 1988-89, and Chapter Advisor, 1989-92, for Alpha Phi, Texas-Austin. For the National Fraternity, she served as the Male Visitation Task Force Chair in 1990-91 and as Director of Chapter Management from 1992-96.

Marsha was elected Province Collegiate Chair for Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska for 1998-99. She served on the Strategic Planning Work Team for Housing in 1998-99, and is currently the Recruitment Advisor for Sigma Chapter at the University of Iowa. In 2000, Marsha became National Vice President of Alpha Chi Omega and a member of the Foundation Board of Trustees. Marsha served as the Executive Director Search Committee Chair in 2003-04.

Marsha is active in her community as Horn Elementary School Fun Night Food Chair and St. Andrew Presbyterian Church volunteer in children and youth programs.

Marsha and her husband David, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of Iowa, live in Iowa City, Iowa. The Gradys have two children, a son Rob, 11 and daughter Alex, 8.

Anne E. Helliwell
Gamma Iota, University of Florida

Anne E. Helliwell is an initiate of Gamma Iota (University of Florida) where she received her B.A. in English with a minor in Psychology.   Anne has professional experience in both the profit and non-profit arenas. 

Anne is a native Miamian and currently devotes her time and energy to various community projects and activities.  She serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Casa Valentina, is an Advisory Board member and volunteer for the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge and a member of P.E.O.  She recently completed service, including three years as National President, on the Board of Directors of Youth Crime Watch of America.

Alpha Chi Omega is a very important and special part of Anne’s life.  She has been active for many years in Miami Women’s Panhellenic Association and Beta Omicron Beta alumnae chapter serving as President of both organizations.  She served two terms as Province Alumnae Chair for South Florida and is currently serving her second term as a member of the Board of Trustees.

Anne has many favorite Alpha Chi Omega memories.  However, one of her fondest is her first alumnae chapter meeting where she was welcomed by Alpha Chi Omega sisters of all ages, backgrounds and from all over the country, many of whom are still close friends today.

Kristin K. Koppen
Delta Chi, William Woods College

Kristin K. Koppen, an initiate of Delta Chi Chapter at William Woods College, brings more than 25 years of experience in human resource management to her leadership of Koppen Group, an executive search firm in St. Louis, Missouri. The Koppen Group provides executive search and human resources consulting services to both corporate clients and higher education clients in the Midwest.

Before launching Koppen Group in 1993, Kristin held leadership roles for more than 13 years in human resources at Monsanto Company and was vice president of human resources at Boatmen’s Trust Company where she led human resources strategy and operations for four years. Kristin traveled for Alpha Chi Omega as a national collegiate field advisor from1975-76 after she graduated from William Woods College with a BA and BS in French and History.

Kristin is married to Dale Emge and has three stepsons, two grandchildren and a golden retriever.

Lee Bradford Lucas
Gamma Chi, Stetson University

Lee Bradford Lucas is an initiate of Gamma Chi chapter (Stetson University) in DeLand, Florida where she received her B.S. in biology.  Following graduation, Lee married husband Brian and later started graduate school at the University of South Florida in Tampa where she earned her Ph.D. in Medical Microbiology and Immunology.  She performed her postdoctoral work at the Genetics and Molecular Biology Branch of the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Lee, Brian, sons Grant and Grady currently live in Fort Myers, Florida.  Lee is a full-time mom on most days, an adjunct professor at Florida Gulf Coast University and a part-time research scientist for RMR Technologies. She is a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church. Lee also serves on the Board of Directors for the Heights Foundation, a Christian non-profit organization assisting the disadvantaged in the Fort Myers community.

Elected to the Foundation Board of Trustees in 2004, Lee has previously served Alpha Chi Omega as a member of the Foundation’s Educational Assistance Committee and as a former chapter advisor and other advisory positions of Gamma Theta (University of Maryland) and Gamma Pi (University of Tampa) chapters.  She also has assisted in setting up and running officer training sessions for the collegiate chapters in Florida.  Lee has been a member of the alumna group in every city she has lived and is currently a member of the Delta Pi Delta alumnae group of Southwest Florida.  Lee says her favorite Alpha Chi Omega memory is her first date with her husband. “Brian had been bothering my roommate to convince me to ask him to my first AΧΩ date function.” Lee says, “After ten years of marriage, some things are just meant to be!”

Maxine Bizon Mazur
Alpha Tau, University of New Hampshire

Maxine Bizon Mazur attended the University of New Hampshire in Durham where she graduated in 1978 with a degree in Business Administration/Finance/Accounting.  She was initiated into Alpha Tau (University of New Hampshire) chapter in 1976.

Maxine worked for Monarch Life Insurance Company in Springfield, Massachusetts from 1979 to 1993, serving as Assistant Vice President Accounting and Budgeting and Assistant Vice President of Reinsurance and Policy Accounting.  In 1993, she took over as President of BPW Plastics Corporation, the business founded by her father in 1969.  BPW acquired Del Rey Plastics Corporation in 1994 and she operates both manufacturing firms today.

She has been a member of the Jr. League of Greater Springfield, Massachusetts since 1987 and served as President in 1993-1994.  One of the Jr. League's signature projects was bringing the Ronald McDonald House to Springfield to serve the needs of Baystate Medical Center and Shriners’ Hospital.  In 1996, Maxine joined the Board of Directors of Ronald McDonald House, where she served as President from 2002-04. 

Maxine is a member of St. Cecilia's Church in Wilbraham and currently serves on the Finance Council and H.O.P.E Ministry Community Outreach Board.  She previously served on the Parish Council for seven years, chairing it from 2002-05.

She is a corporator of the Randall Boys and Girls Club/Ludlow Community Center where she is the Strategic Planning coordinator and facilitator.  Maxine also serves on the Board Development Committee and will chair the auction fundraiser in 2007. 
  
Maxine and her husband of 15 years, Ed, reside in Ludlow, Massachusetts, with their two Springer Spaniels.  Ed is a 3rd generation funeral director and together they own and operate Kapinos-Mazur Funeral Home.  In her spare time, Maxine loves to garden, make her own greeting cards, play golf and root for the Red Sox.  Someday, they hope to live on the beach.

Angela Kern Seaworth
Delta Xi, Denison University

Angela Kern Seaworth is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy, where she is researching non-profit governance and leadership, and is a Graduate Fellow at the Tobias Center for Leadership Excellence.  Her professional experience spans corporate grant-making, public affairs, and professional fundraising.  She has served on local non-profit boards and has developed annual campaign strategic plans for universities, social service agencies, private schools and a zoo.  Angela is also a Certified Fundraising Executive and a Subject Matter Expert for CFRE International.   

She earned her B.A. from Denison University, an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, and a Graduate Certificate in Non-profit Management.  In addition to her community service, Angela is active in the International Leadership Association, ARNOVA and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. 

The Alpha Chi Omega alumnae experience has been rewarding for Angela as she became involved in chapters as she moved around the country.  She has met outstanding women and served in roles such as Panhellenic Representative, recruitment advisor and Fraternity Relations advisor for chapters in Columbus, Chicago and Houston.  She is looking forward to serving the Foundation and promoting philanthropy throughout Alpha Chi Omega.

Angela and her husband, Doug, live in Houston where they will be joined by their first child in December.