Power of Impact – Speakers
Dr. Michelle Foster
President & CEO
The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation
Dr. Michelle Foster is the President and CEO of The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation (TGKVF). Before joining TGKVF, Michelle was the CEO of the Kanawha Institute for Social Research & Action, Inc. (KISRA), a community-based, nonprofit organization that strengthens West Virginia families through health, employment, asset development, and learning initiatives. Michelle’s original career was as a chemical engineer, most recently at Union Carbide Corporation.
Michelle’s chemical engineering undergraduate degree was conferred at City College of New York. Additionally, she has a doctorate in community economic development (CED) from Southern New Hampshire University and two master’s degrees – one in CED from SNHU and another in engineering management from Marshall University. Her doctoral dissertation was entitled, “The Contributions of Pre-Incarceration Experiences and Prison-Based Programs to Post-Release Employment Acquisition, Retention and Recidivism.” She completed additional university-level studies in impact investing at the University of Oxford, Saïd Business School as well as in nonprofit management and leadership at Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Through the years, Michelle’s work has been recognized locally and nationally. She has received many awards including the Woman of Achievement Award from the YWCA (2020); Living the Dream Award from the WV Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission (2016); Woman on a Mission Award from Union Mission (2016); Civil Rights Day Award from the State of West Virginia, Office of the Governor (2015); Dr. Martin Luther King, Humanitarian Award from the Saint Albans Ministerial Association (2015); Fatherhood Champion of Change recognition from President Barack Obama at the White House (2012); National Association of University Women, Charleston Branch, Leadership Award (2012); Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Theta Psi Chapter, Citizen of the Year (2012); Charleston Police Department, Award for Community Service (2011); U.S. Small Business Administration, Minority Business Champion (2009); and West Virginia State University, President’s Award for Community Service (2009).
Michelle lives a life of community service. Nationally, her leadership savvy led to an appointment on the board of directors of Women for Economic Leadership and Development (WELD). In the philanthropy sector, she serves as a co-chair of the Steering Committee of the Appalachia Funders Network, board member of Philanthropy West Virginia and Invest Appalachia, and founding member of African American Philanthropy in Action (a giving circle). In the community, she is the President of the Charleston-Institute (WV) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated; member of the Charleston-Institute Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated; President-Elect of the Charleston Rotary Club; and Minister of Administration of Ferguson Memorial Baptist Church.
Michelle published her first book, Maximizing Impact: Success Strategies for Dynamic Nonprofits, in February 2023. You can find her podcast, Fostering Solutions, wherever you get your podcasts. In her free time, Michelle enjoys traveling, attending music festivals and theatrical productions, making scented candles, and soul line dancing.
Susan Aloi
Associate Professor
Davis & Elkins College
Susan Aloi is an Associate Professor of Business at Davis & Elkins College, where she teaches
courses in management and marketing. Previous research by Dr. Aloi led to the development of
the Principles and Practices of Nonprofit Excellence. Aloi serves on the board of directors for the
West Virginia Nonprofit Association, and is active in several nonprofit organizations across the
state.
Beth Casey
Chief Executive Officer
Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council
Bio – Beth Casey is the Chief Executive Officer at Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council. Beth grew up in Girl Scouts and has earned her Girl Scout Gold Award. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Relations from the University of North Carolina and a certificate in non-profit management from Duke University. While she has been with Black Diamond for 15 years, she has worked for Girl Scouts for 31 years with over 25 of those being in management positions. Beth started her professional career in Girl Scouts as a program specialist supervising resident camp programs.
Margaret Chapman Pomponio
Executive Director
WV FREE
Before Margaret joined WV FREE in 2002, she had a varied career, from serving two terms in AmeriCorps, to working with the Lummi Nation in Washington, waiting tables, and teaching Women and Politics at Western Washington University. When she returned to her native Mountain State, she landed at WV FREE and began to earnestly expand reproductive health, rights, and justice work in her home state.
Under Margaret’s leadership, WV FREE has successfully expanded its staff and reach, and has experienced significant victories for reproductive health rights and justice policy throughout the state and at every level of government in a very challenging political climate. No stranger to fighting battles uphill, Margaret knows that advocacy for reproductive rights, racial, gender, and economic justice is best done in partnership. She deeply values working in coalition and lifting up new leaders to build power for transformative social change.
Because Margaret is dedicated to making West Virginia a welcoming place where everyone can live with dignity and have the resources they need to have fulfilling lives, she serves on the board of West Virginia Interfaith Refugee Ministry. She is also a member of the West Virginia Lawyer Disciplinary Review Board, and is active in St. John’s Episcopal Church of Charleston, a parish that is committed to social justice outreach and ministry. She is mom to busy young twins and stepmom to two fantastic young people. She and her family enjoy travel adventures near and far.
Diane Diaz
Speaking Coach & Personal Brand Strategist
Speaking Your Brand
Diane serves as the Lead Speaking Coach at Speaking Your Brand®, a company passionate about equipping individuals with the communication skills and confidence they need to step into influential roles. Whether on stage, in the media, in business, or in politics, Diane’s goal is to facilitate powerful storytelling and visibility, challenging and transforming established systems to benefit everyone.
Diane is a frequent speaker on topics including building and growing thought leadership, personal branding for business and career growth, and storytelling for professionals, entrepreneurs, and organizations. She is also a faculty member at Full Sail University, teaching courses on branding and marketing. With a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida under her belt, Diane brings a wealth of experience in branding, marketing, public speaking, and education to her roles.
Tracie Dodson
Associate Professor
WV Wesleyan College
Tracie Dodson is an associate professor at West Virginia Wesleyan College in the Albinson School of Business where she teaches classes in business and management. Her research and applied interests include organizational behavior and culture, human resources, project management and success, and ethics and justice.
Danie Greenwell
Nonprofit CFO
100 Degrees Consulting
Danie is a fractional CFO for multiple nonprofits including four in West Virginia. She enjoys working on finances for nonprofits so that they can focus on what they do well: serving the greater good. With a background in nonprofit and socially responsible business, she believes that purpose-driven organizations can learn to use financial planning and strong financial systems to increase their effectiveness. She has worked for and consulted with nonprofits in multiple sectors and enjoys seeing the work grow and adapt over time and has taught classes for nonprofit board and staff members how to read financial statements. Danie has a PhD in Communication, Culture, and Media from Drexel University and a BA from University of Pennsylvania. She stays active in the local food scene by shopping at farmers’ markets, cooking local food, and supporting a nonprofit she helped found that plants orchards around the city.
Marian Clowes
Associate Director
Sisters Health Foundation
Marian Clowes is the Associate Director of the Sisters Health Foundation, where she oversees the foundation’s Responsive and Basic Needs/Direct Service grant programs. Marian has more than 25 years of experience working with foundations and nonprofits, having previously served in various roles with the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation, worked as a consultant to nonprofit organizations and foundations, and worked in development for Winterthur Museum in Delaware and Penn State University. Marian serves on the board of Philanthropy WV, the board of the West Virginia Nonprofit Association, and the Advisory Committee for Nonprofits LEAD. Marian holds a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University and a Masters Degree from Marietta College.
Katie Loudin
Director of Strategic Development
WV Community Development Hub
Katie is an innovator in the nonprofit sector in West Virginia. Katie is currently the Director of Strategic Development at the West Virginia Community Development Hub where she has served on the Executive Leadership Team since May 2021. Katie enjoys developing resources and people to serve rural and historically underinvested communities across Appalachia in her role at The Hub.
Prior to joining The Hub, Katie built a career of developing young leaders and growing nonprofit organizations. Katie was the Director of Community Engagement at West Virginia Wesleyan College from 2010 until 2020, when she joined the One Foundation as the WV Program Director and eventually, as the Executive Director. She was an active member of The Hub’s board of directors from 2016-2021 as the Board Treasurer, and was also an engaged chapter leader for Generation WV as a young professional.
Katie graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College with a B.A. in Sociology and Applied Music in 2007 and taught English on a Fulbright Teaching Assistantship in Thailand after graduating from Wesleyan. Katie then earned a Master of Public Affairs degree from Indiana University in Nonprofit Management and Policy Analysis before returning to her “home among the hills” as a young professional.
Katie lives in Buckhannon with her husband and two sons. Katie is an active community member, serving in Create Buckhannon and on the boards of the WV Hive, Buckhannon Community Theatre, and the Upshur County Public Library. When she isn’t working or volunteering, she enjoys shuttling her children to their many activities, signing her family up for new adventures, singing, performing, cooking, and reading.
Kalyn Obiozor-Dorey
Community Coaching Associate
WV Community Development Hub
Kalyn Obiozor-Dorey joined the West Virginia Community Development Hub full-time in 2022 after serving as The Hubs Racial Equity Fellow through Generation West Virginia’s Impact Fellowship program in August 2021. during her fellowship, Kalyn worked alongside The Hub’s community coaching team to better serve systemically underserved people and communities in West Virginia and support integrated diversity, equity, inclusion & accessibility planning, and implementation across all Hub programs. In her new role as a Community Coaching Associate and racial equity program lead, Kalyn leads the racial equity strategic planning, moves forward with The Hub’s diversity, equity, and inclusion organizational goals, and coaches’ communities. Her prior professional experience includes ten years supporting secondary public schools’ at-risk youth in career engagement, workforce development, and building resiliency through trauma-informed skill development. She graduated from Marshall University, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Master in non-profit management. Kalyn enjoys serving on several community boards and traveling with her husband and two sons.
Erin Susman
Operations and VISTA Program Coordinator
WV Community Development Hub
Erin McGrath Susman is a New Englander by birth and West Virginian by choice. At a young age, she found her love for community through involvement in the YMCA (She even gave an impromptu rendition of ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ at a fundraiser at the age of 8 to show it). Years later, she found her love for National Service (though she hasn’t sung about it…yet). Today, she supports AmeriCorpsVISTA members in building community engagement and pride through the power of volunteerism in the Mountain State, and is passionate about making service meaningful to all. She holds her Bachelors in Fine Arts in Theater, with a Minor in Global and Education Studies from New York University (where the earned the Silver Award for Community Service) and her Masters in Public Administration from Marshall University, with a focus in Nonprofit Management. In her spare time, you can usually find her baking, cycling, and traveling with her husband and dog
