Funders Panel

The Funder Session is an opportunity for you to hear from funders about why and how they make charitable grants and donations. Funders include private foundations, community foundations, and company philanthropy. The insights you learn from this session may help you in drafting LOIs and/or applications to these funders in the future. The session will include statements by the panel of funders and a Q & A session.

Jessica Case, Program Officer, Medina Foundation

Jessica Case joined the Medina Foundation in 2013. As Program Officer, she works with nonprofit organizations in the rural counties within the Foundation’s funding region. Prior to joining the Foundation, Jessica worked for more than four years as a Grantmaking & Community Leadership Officer at The Seattle Foundation, leading the Arts & Culture and Environmental grant programs for one of the largest community foundations in the country. Since moving to Washington in 2006, she has also worked with the Washington Women’s Foundation and the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance.

Jessica is an alumna of the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington with a Master of Public Administration degree, concentrating in Philanthropy. She currently volunteers with several nonprofit organizations in the Puget Sound region.

Metro-Atlanta, and found a vocation in supporting nonprofits.

Jessica Hoover, Senior Program Officer, Grays Harbor Community Foundation

Jessica Hoover has worked hands on nonprofits for the past 10 years. Right out of graduation from the University of Washington, Jessica joined The Collins Group based in Seattle, WA. She assisted nonprofits with developing strategic plans and feasibility studies for capital campaigns. She then joined Providence St. Peter Foundation and worked one on one with donors to connect them with their passions.

She now is happy to be back home where she grew up working at the Grays Harbor Community Foundation.

At the Foundation Jessica oversees the Grants and Scholarship Programs as well as our new focus on expanding early learning opportunities in Grays Harbor. She also plays a role in creating our publications and marketing strategy.

Jessica is passionate about philanthropy and loves being back home to work and raise her family.

Maria Deatherage, Board Member, Seabrook Community Foundation

Marie worked in several roles during her working life, including as a journalist, college professor, disability rights advocate, parent educator, writer, editor and publisher. For the last 20 years before she retired, she was a staff member at Meyer Memorial Trust, headquartered in Portland. Among other duties, she operated the Grassroots Grants Program, was a Program Officer and for the last decade was Director of Communication and Knowledge.

Because she has been on both sides of the philanthropy coin, she is especially interested in helping to demystify the grant application process, promoting transparency and accountability in order to strengthen the nonprofit sector and make philanthropy more responsive to those often left out.

Ken Ristine, Senior Program Officer, Ben B. Cheney Foundation

Ken Ristine has worked in the nonprofit field since 1976. He joined the Ben B. Cheney Foundation in 1989 after eleven years with United Ways in Seattle and Tacoma. As senior program officer for the Ben B. Cheney Foundation, Ken is responsible for a wide range of activities in support of the Foundation's mission. He routinely consults with nonprofits throughout the Pacific Northwest regarding organizational development, capacity building, and staff development.

Ken is co-author with Goodwin Deacon of Grantsmanship for the Genius. The book helps new and experienced grantwriters understand how funders view grants and the nonprofits they fund, and how that knowledge can help you write better grants.

Ken is a well-known speaker at nonprofit conferences and events. He also authors the Ken’s Corner blog on the Puget Sound Grantwriters website (grantwriters.org and psgakenscorner.wordpress.com)

Phillip Eggman, Public Information Officer, US Dept. of Agriculture, Rural Development

Phil Eggman has been working in the communications field for over 40 years. His background, training, and experience, initially came from 27 years active duty in the U.S. Navy as a photojournalist, media officer, and public affairs specialist.

He has been working as the Information Officer for USDA Rural Development in Olympia for 16 years where he manages all the external communication for his agency which focuses on community economic development through over 50 funding programs in business, renewable energy, broadband, critical infrastructure, and housing.

Phil has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications through Excelsior College in New York. He just completed a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication through The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University.