FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Sarah Weatherby June 30, 2022 202-469-3673, sweatherby@wawf.org
Washington Area Women’s Foundation Announces Six New Board Members
Tim Abercrombie, Principal, Abercrombie & Associates; Jana Taylor Jennings, Senior Associate General Counsel, Tenable, Inc.; Michelle Rice, President, TV One and CLEO TV; Amy Falk Sheldon, Director of Resource Development, National PTA; Victoria Vrana, Deputy Director, Philanthropic Partnerships, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and Tiffani Whittaker, Managing Attorney, Allied Title & Escrow
Washington, D.C. (June 30, 2022) – Today, Washington Area Women’s Foundation – the only community-supported foundation that invests in the power of women and girls of color in the Washington DC region – announced six new members of The Women’s Foundation’s Board of Directors. They will start their terms immediately.
“We are excited to welcome these new and dynamic group of leaders to our board,” said Jacquelyn Lendsey, Interim President and CEO, Washington Area Women’s Foundation. “It takes a collective effort of foundations, corporations, nonprofits, and individuals to make a difference. Each of these new members bring forth a diverse wealth of knowledge and expertise that will help advance the mission and vision of The Women’s Foundation and will ensure we are able to provide opportunities and lasting impact for women and girls in the Washington region.”
Tim Abercrombie is a Principal at Abercrombie & Associates and is a graduate of the University of Maryland at College Park where he received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting. With more than 30 years of experience in the public and private accounting fields, Tim’s breadth and depth of experience in private and public accounting, brings high quality service to small businesses or nonprofit organizations. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, National Association of Black Accountants, and the Maryland Society of Accountants, and he has also been a strong force as a board member (past and present) with several organizations, including Best Kids, Center for Nonprofit Advancement, Center for Watershed Protection Board Members, Greenwood Elementary School PTA, and Second Avenue Condominium Association.
Jana Taylor Jennings serves as Senior Associate General Counsel at global cyber security company Tenable, Inc. As the company’s first in-house employment law specialist, Jana is responsible for providing labor and employment advice and counsel to human resource professionals and other business partners in the U.S. and internationally. Prior to joining Tenable, Jana served in various leadership roles within the Legal Department at Urban One, Inc., and she also worked in private practice – as an Associate at Gordon Rees, LLP and at Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. Jana earned her Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University School of Law and her undergraduate degree in Broadcast Journalism from the Honors Program of The Ohio State University. She was also recognized as one of the top leaders under the age of 40 by the Network Journal and by the National Bar Association.
Michelle Rice is the President at TV One and CLEO TV, where she oversees the networks’ business, operational, and creative aspects. In her role, she works with strategic partners to create linear and digital content campaigns in response to a myriad of political and social issues that profoundly impact communities of color. Prior to joining TV One, Michelle had stints at iNDemand, NBC Cable Network and Black Entertainment Television (BET). A graduate of Temple University and the University of Southern California, she is actively involved on the Boards of several local civic, community and charitable organizations, including EasterSeals, Calvary Women’s Services and United Way of the Nation’s Capital.
Amy Falk Sheldon is the Director of Resource Development at National Parent Teacher Association (National PTA), the largest child advocacy organization in the U.S. She also maintains Sheldon Strategic Fundraising, LLC, a consultancy in which she founded in January 2008 to help nonprofits develop long term relationships with individual and foundation donors. Prior to National PTA, she served as Vice President for Strategic Partnerships for the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP), where she was responsible for building partnerships with foundation and corporate partners seeking to strengthen the pipeline of students enrolling and succeeding in college. A graduate of Northwestern University, Amy has nearly 30 years of development experience working with national and regional nonprofits.
Victoria Vrana is the Deputy Director of Philanthropic Partnership at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation where she oversees initiatives focused on policy, data, infrastructure and celebrating and increasing everyday giving in the US, China, India, and the Middle East. Prior to her role with the Foundation, she served as the Vice President of Communications and Assessment at Venture Philanthropy Partners (VPP) where she was responsible for the organization’s overall internal and external communications and assessment of VPP and its portfolio’s performance. Additionally, Victoria studied in Germany and Hungary and has a degree in comparative literature from the University of California at Davis. She also serves as a PayPal Giving Fund board member.
Tiffani Whittaker serves as Managing Attorney and Director of the Diversity Committee at Allied Title & Escrow. She holds a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Pennsylvania. Throughout her career, Tiffani has served as a legal professional with a track record of community involvement, fundraising and strategy implementation. Such community involvement includes The Links, Inc. (Potomac Valley Chapter), Jack & Jill of America, Inc. (Washington, DC Chapter), National Cathedral School, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (Federal City Alumnae Chapter). She also has dedicated her time to causes impacting women, children, people of color and those with Autism, and has served as a volunteer fundraising and advising for political campaigns.
About Washington Area Women’s Foundation
Washington Area Women’s Foundation is a community-supported foundation that invests in the power of women and girls of color in the Washington, DC region. We open doors to opportunity, safety and security through grant-making and advocacy. Learn more about The Women’s Foundation’s mission to transform the lives of women and girls, the Washington region, and the world by visiting us online, on Facebook, Instagram, or on Twitter.
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