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
Cynthia Lambert Durham, Chair
Retired (Good Shepherd Rehabilitation)
Jared Mast, Secretary
Greater Easton Development Partnership
Dolores A. Laputka, Esq.
Adrienne J. McNeil
Lehigh University
Linda Sheftel
Donna G. Taggart
Taggart Associates
Fall 2021 Board of Associates Meeting | Stories of Philanthropy
The Lehigh Valley Community Foundation honored the tenure of Bernie Story who served as President and CEO from 2012 to 2021 during the Fall Board of Associates meeting held on September 23, 2021, at Saucon Valley Country Club.
Cindy Lambert, Chair of the Executive Committee of the Board of Associates, welcomed the group of over 100 people to the program. Erika Riddle Petrozelli, LVCF President & CEO, provided an update on LVCF activities and announced a new fund at the foundation.
“It is clear that cultivating the next generation of leaders is near and dear to Bernie’s heart,” Erika said. “For that reason, we are very happy to announce that LVCF established the Bernard J. Story Fund for Professional Development to honor Bernie and his passion for improvement. Bernie believes that a professional and successful organization supports growth opportunities for its staff. The Board has approved a $10,000 transfer into the Bernard J. Story Fund for Professional Development to honor Bernie’s vision and his impact on our Foundation.”
The program “Stories of Philanthropy” was a celebration of growth, philanthropy, and a bright future for the foundation and our region. It highlighted the focus, relationships, and vision of Bernie Story. LVCF invited five speakers to share their stories of how they have worked or partnered with LVCF.
The speakers included Charlie Marcon, former LVCF Board member and current fundholder; Judy Harris & Dolores Laputka of Norris McLaughlin, trusted advisors to LVCF and many philanthropists in the Lehigh Valley; Anne Reid, current Vice Chair of the LVCF Board and current fundholder; Shelley Brown of Easton’s State Theatre, current nonprofit leader and former LVCF Board member; and Trisha Higgins, current LVCF Vice President & CFO.
Click here to see the photos from the event on LVCF's Flickr page.
Before the presentation of the Vision in Philanthropy Award, there was an appearance from “Kernac the Magnificent” Ellen Kern who roasted Bernie with a routine inspired the Johnny Carson character the Amazing Carnac.
See the video of Ellen Kern as Kernac the Magnificent
At the conclusion of the "Kernac' routine, Ellen presented Bernie with a proclamation from Pennsylvania Senator Pat Browne congratulating him for his successful tenure as President and CEO of the Community Foundation.
Vision in Philanthropy Award | Bernard J. Story
Erika Riddle Petrozelli was then joined by Sandra L. Bodnyk, Chair of the LVCF Board of Governors, and Award Sponsor David Osborn, Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley to present the Vision in Philanthropy Award to Bernie.
While presenting the award, Erika noted, "Bernie Story’s distinguished tenure as President and CEO of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation from 2012 to 2021 has been marked by his wisdom, insight, and leadership, during key times of growth, transition, and community need. Bernie, for all you’ve done in service to the Community Foundation to improve the lives of those in the Lehigh Valley, on behalf of the Staff and Board of Governors, I present to you—the Vision in Philanthropy Award."
See the Video of the Award Presentation and Bernie's remarks.
The event concluded with a reception | See the photos on LVCF's Flickr page
The Community Foundation has created the Bernard J. Story Fund that will support professional development for LVCF staff. If you'd like to donate to the fund in recognition of Bernie's impact on philanthropy in the Lehigh Valley click on the button.
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
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.
