LVCF Board of Associates
The Lehigh Valley Community Foundation (LVCF) formed a Board of Associates in March of 2018 to engage a broad range of influential community members in a dialogue in order to better serve the Lehigh Valley. With more than 150 members, the LVCF Board of Associates is a non-incorporated association of individuals, that meet twice annually to discuss issues important to the Foundation and the Lehigh Valley. Members of the Board of Associates will serve as ambassadors and advocates for LVCF through dialogue and interaction in the community.
The Foundation believes it is critical that representatives from government, all have opportunity to provide input and serve on the BOA. The Foundation’s goal is to foster a wider community understanding of the Community Foundation, further develop relationships with key community leaders, and maintain ongoing relationships with former governors of the Community Foundation.
The Board of Associates is led by an executive committee (see below)
LVCF Board of Associates | Executive Committee
Michael Stershic, Chair
etired (Discover Lehigh Valley)
Cynthia Lambert Durham, Vice Chair
Retired (Good Shepherd Rehabilitation)
Jared Mast, Secretary
Greater Easton Development Partnership
Dolores A. Laputka, Esq.
Norris McLaughlin, P.A.
Adrienne J. McNeil
Lehigh University
Linda Sheftel
Donna G. Taggart
Taggart Associates
SAVE THE DATE | Fall 2021 Board of Associates Meeting
Stories of Philanthropy | Lehigh Valley
Thursday, September 23, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Meeting/Presentation/Award 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. | Social/Reception: 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Location: Saucon Valley Country Club, 2050 Saucon Valley Rd, Bethlehem, PA 18015
The program will focus on the state of philanthropy by highlighting trends in charitable giving and the impact on our community. A number of speakers (TBA) representing donors/fundholders, professional advisors, nonprofit grantees, former Board members and staff will address a related issue and share their experiences working with Bernie Story and the Community Foundation during his tenure as President and CEO. The Community Foundation will then present the Vision in Philanthropy Award followed by a networking reception with refreshments and hors d’oeuvres.
BOA members and guests will recieve a print and email invitation shortly.
Click here for sponsorship Information
Spring 2021 Virtual Meeting
Thank you to our members who were able to attend the virtual spring 2021 meeting of the Board of Associates that featured a robust panel discussion focusing on "Preserving Journalistic Integrity and Local Reporting in a Digital World."
We thank our moderator David Erdman and our panelists Christopher Baxter, Karen Rundlet, and Marty Baron. We also thank our event sponsor Advanced Cleaning Solutions.
As a follow-up to the meeting we share a link to the Zoom video that has been uploaded to the Community Foundation's YouTube Channel | Spring 2021 BOA Meeting. If you missed the meeting, the video is surely worth a look or listen.
In addition, below are links to resources highlighted during the Q&A.
- First Draft News empowers people with knowledge and tools to build resilience against harmful, false, and misleading information.
- SpotlightPA is dedicated to producing nonpartisan investigative journalism about Pennsylvania government and urgent statewide issues.
- Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers provides teaching, resources, and community to independent news entrepreneurs as they build and develop sustainable businesses. Chris Krewson, Executive Director at LION Publishers, can provide direction regarding startup resources.
- How to Navigate the Media, Muhlenberg College Professor Sara Vigneri’s guide to consuming media.
- Snopes.com is a resource and fact checking website.
Save the Date | Fall 2021 Board of Associates Meeting
Thursday, September 23, 2021
4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Saucon Valley Country Club (in-person)
Join us as we say thank you and farewell to Bernie Story in recognition of his outstanding leadership as President and CEO of the Community Foundation. Program details and invitations will follow.
Fall 2020 Virtual Meeting
The keynote speaker was Keith Wardrip, Community Development Research Manager, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia who presented "An Equitable Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic."Keith Wardrip has served as the community development research manager with Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia since 2013. He has the dual responsibilities of supervising the work of the department’s research analysts and contributing to the development of its research agenda. His work focuses primarily on employment and economic inclusion and funding to support community and economic development.
During the meeting, Bernie Story, President & CEO presented the Service to Philanthropy Award to Brian T. Regan, Director of Tax Services for Regan, Levin, Bloss, Brown & Savchak, P.C. Learn more...
Story then presented the Vision in Philanthropy Award to Barry M. Kessler, Co-founder and President of Kessler Chemical. Learn more...
The meeting concluded with Bernie Story making the announcement regarding the Community Foundation's leadership transition in 2021. Bernie Story will step down as president and CEO on December 31, 2020. Erika Riddle Petrozelli, CPA, Vice President of Philanthropy at the Foundation, will succeed Story as Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2021. Story will continue to serve as President during a transitional period ending on June 30, 2021, after which he will serve as a Philanthropic Advisor at the Foundation. See the news release regarding the tranistion.
Spring 2020 Virtual Meeting
Philanthropy's Response to COVID-19 | PDF
Important Links:
News Release 04/27/2020
COVID-19 Community Response Fund Issues More Than $320,000 in Emergency Grants to Local Nonprofits
Information for Volunteering | The Volunteer Center
To Donate Supplies | Pennsylvania COVID-19 PPE & Supplies Business-2-Business (B2B) Interchange Directory
Funds Supporting Nonprofits
- Greater Lehigh Valley COVID-19 Community Response Fund
- LVCF’s COVID-19 Response Fund
- LVCF’s Arts & Culture Relief Fund
- Upper Bucks COVID-19 Response Fund
Previous Board of Associates Meetings
Fall 2019
Census 2020 and its impact on Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley was the topic of the fall 2019 meeting of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation (LVCF) Board of Associates held on Tuesday, October 29. Two distinguished speakers spoke on the importance for Census for Pennsylvanians and how the philanthropic community can help in the effort to ensure a complete count. Learn more...
Spring 2019
The Lehigh Valley Community Foundation held its Spring 2019 Board of Associates meeting featuring a talk titled Beyond Bitcoin: Blockchain Technology and Social Impact on April 30, 2019. Michael Stershic, chair, LVCF Board of Associates, welcomed the more than 100 members who were in attendance. He was followed by update from Bernie Story, president & CEO of LVCF, who welcomed Jennifer Hanania from PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Andrew Ward, Ph.D. from Lehigh University. Learn more...
Fall 2018
The financial health of nonprofits will be the topic of the fall 2018 meeting of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation (LVCF) Board of Associates on October 30. Nadya K. Shmavonian, director of the Nonprofit Repositioning Fund, and a partner at SeaChange Capital Partners, will present data from the January 2018 report, ;,The Financial Health of the US Nonprofit Sector and will detail approaches that investors can take to address these challenges. Learn more...
Spring 2018
The Lehigh Valley Community Foundation (LVCF) held it's inaugural Board of Associates meeting on June 6, 2018, to engage a broad range of influential community members in a dialogue in order to better serve the Lehigh Valley.
