FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Talisa White
August 5, 2025 twhite@wawf.org
Washington Area Women’s Foundation Expands Board of Directors with Five New Members
Maxene Bardwell, Chief Administrative Officer, Prince George’s County Government; Jennifer Cortner, Marketing Executive and Former VP at Hilton; Katie Gibson, Head of School, School for Friends; Sara Stump, Former Senior Communications Officer, Gates Foundation; Shannon Scott, SVP & CFO, NCTA
Washington, D.C. (August 5, 2025) – Washington Area Women’s Foundation is proud to announce the appointment of five new members to its Board of Directors: Maxene Bardwell, Chief Administrative Officer for Prince George’s County Government; Jennifer Cortner, Marketing Executive and former Vice President at Hilton; Katie Gibson, Head of School at School for Friends; Sara Stump, former Senior Communications Officer at the Gates Foundation; and Shannon Scott, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at NCTA. Their terms begin immediately.
“We are beyond excited to welcome these powerhouse leaders to our board,” said Dr. Tamara Wilds Lawson, President and CEO of The Women’s Foundation. “Their bold vision, deep expertise, and commitment to equity will be instrumental as we continue to invest in the leadership, solutions, and futures of women and girls of color across our region.”
Maxene Bardwell serves as Chief Administrative Officer for Prince George’s County Government and brings over 25 years of leadership experience in internal audit across the financial services, public utility, and government sectors. She holds degrees from Notre Dame of Maryland University and The Ohio State University, and is a respected leader in professional advancement and public service. Maxene serves on the AICPA Council, is the Immediate Past President of ISACA-Central Maryland, and sits on the board of the Association of Inspectors General. She is also Chair of the Maryland Association of CPAs and a recipient of the 2021 AICPA Outstanding CPA in Local Government Impact Award.
Jennifer Cortner is a veteran marketing executive with deep experience delivering global campaigns for iconic brands. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Creative Content Production and Marketing Operations at Hilton, where she led complex campaigns across Hilton’s portfolio. Prior to that, Jen was Vice President of Creative Operations and Partnerships at Discovery Communications, overseeing creative for Shark Week, Deadliest Catch, and Puppy Bowl. She is passionate about building high-performance teams and currently partners with business leaders to support multi-generational teams and develop future leaders.
Katie Gibson brings over 25 years of independent school leadership experience and a deep commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. She currently serves as Head of School at School for Friends, a Quaker early childhood center in Washington, D.C. Katie began her career at Packer Collegiate Institute and has held leadership roles at The Ross School, Ranney School, and Georgetown Day School. A national educational consultant and presenter, she specializes in faculty culture, leadership development, and identity-conscious leadership. Katie also supports women in leadership through AISGW’s Leadership Initiative and Emerging Leaders program and serves on an independent school board in New York City.
Sara Stump is a creative and marketing strategist with nearly two decades of experience in content strategy and audience engagement. Most recently, she served as a Senior Communications Officer at the Gates Foundation. Outside of work, she fundraises for Children’s National Hospital, formerly chaired the board of Glovebox, and served as Vice-Chair of IDSA Boston. She holds a Master’s in Education from Harvard and a B.F.A. in Industrial Design from RIT.
Shannon Scott is Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at NCTA – The Internet and Television Association, where she develops short-term and long-term strategies to ensure excellent financial health and sustainability for the organization. She previously served as CFO at New Venture Fund, and held roles at Greater Washington Community Foundation, the National Housing Trust, and the Council on Foundations. Shannon also spent over a decade as Controller at Capital Impact Partners. A CPA, she holds degrees from George Washington University and the University of Maryland. She serves on the boards of City First Enterprises, Miriam’s Kitchen, and the Global Center for Gender Equality.
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About Washington Area Women’s Foundation
Washington Area Women’s Foundation is the only community–supported foundation investing in the power of women and girls of color in the Washington, D.C. region. Since 1998, The Women’s Foundation has awarded over $17M to more than 215 local community–based organizations and individuals through grantmaking and advocacy efforts. For more information or to donate to improve the livelihood of women and girls of color, visit thewomensfoundation.org.