Generosity is at the
       heart of our work

Maeghan Jones is the President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga. In this role, she oversees strategy development and implementation, donor cultivation and engagement and foundation investments. Maeghan regularly speaks to local and national audiences on topics such as: strategic planning, charitable giving and philanthropic trends, impact investing, Board diversification and engagement, and organizational change.

Maeghan has over 20 years of nonprofit and corporate experience, including 8 years in private philanthropy. Her rich experience includes serving as the Executive Director of the Brett Foundation in Boulder, Colorado where she worked with foundation trustees to develop a grantmaking strategy aimed at addressing the root causes of poverty and as a member of the program development team for the Daniels Fund in Denver. Maeghan also served as the President and CEO of the Chattanooga Area Food Bank (CAFB) and as a public interest law attorney.

She holds a B.A. from Kenyon College and a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law where she was a recipient of the University’s Public Interest Law Scholarship.

In 2016, Maeghan was selected to participate in the Young American Leaders Program (YALP) at Harvard University, and in 2023 she joined the Board of CEONet, a national network of community foundation CEOs. She also serves on the Community Foundation Opportunity Network and the Chattanooga 2.0 Advisory Councils, and in 2024 she was appointed by the Governor to the Tennessee Housing Development Agency.

Maeghan lives in St. Elmo with her husband Kirk Zigler, a professor of Biology at the University of the South, and her son, Oliver.

Rebecca Underwood joined the Community Foundation in 2000. Originally from Chattanooga and graduating from UTC, Rebecca soon moved to Louisville and then Atlanta where she gained extensive financial management experience in corporate consolidations and acquisitions. Moved by a love of Chattanooga, Rebecca found her way back home where she worked as the Accounting Manager for the Chattanooga Housing Authority before coming to the Community Foundation.  

As the VP of Finance & Administration for the the Community Foundation, Rebecca has had the opportunity to use her financial management skills while fulfilling her desire to help the community. Rebecca currently lives in Chattanooga with her husband, Mitch, two daughters, and three goldendoodles. She enjoys gardening, crafts and volunteering.

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As Vice President of Philanthropy for the Community Foundation, Caroline von Kessler is primarily responsible for leading a highly effective philanthropy team in achieving the Foundation’s goals to inspire generosity and engage donors in meaningful giving. She oversees the development and implementation of donor cultivation and stewardship, and also leads efforts to enhance external relationships with wealth managers and professional advisors. This work with donors and their advisors helps to ensure they meet their philanthropic goals.  

Caroline has extensive experience in donor relations, fundraising strategy, major gifts and planned giving and over 20 years in fundraising experience in Chattanooga’s academic and cultural organizations. Prior to moving to Chattanooga in 2001, she worked with a social services nonprofit in Memphis. Most recently, she was with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she was a Director of Development for two colleges and oversaw Corporate and Foundation philanthropic relations.

Caroline grew up in Memphis and is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. She has two daughters, ages 21 and 18, who are both enrolled at the University of Georgia.

Quentin Lawrence joined the foundation as the Vice President of Community Investment

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He was previously the Director of Workforce Development Strategy for the City of Chattanooga where he was responsible for leading the city’s strategy to improve educational and employment outcomes for unemployed and underemployed adults. Under his leadership, the City of Chattanooga's Office of Workforce Development successfully provided jobs, skills training, and employment support services to over 500 residents through targeted programming and strategic collaborations with public, private, and nonprofit partners. Through his efforts, the City of Chattanooga was selected as 1 of 16 cities to participate in the Good Jobs Great Cities Academy, a partnership between the federal Department of Labor and the National League of Cities to promote employment opportunities for underserved and underrepresented communities in infrastructure, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing. Additionally, through a partnership with the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, Benwood Foundation, Chattanooga 2.0, Hamilton County Government, and the Bethlehem Center, Mr. Lawrence helped secure $500,000 in federal funding for a strategy development grant and selection as 1 of 22 finalists (out of 565 applicants) for $20-$50 million implementation grant, under the Economic Development Administration's Recompete Program.

Prior to his service with the City of Chattanooga, Mr. Lawrence served as Vice President of Lending for Pathway Lending, a statewide community development financial institution. In this role, he managed a $7.5 million dollar loan fund that provides capital and business education services to underserved businesses in low-income communities, as well as women, veteran, and minority-owned businesses. He also served as the Deputy Executive Director and Relationship Manager for Hope forthe Inner City, a local faith-based economic development nonprofit. Mr. Lawrence started his career in the financial services industry in 2002 with Blue Cross Blue Shield of TN. He later pursued a successful career in banking as a top producing banker with Wells Fargo Bank (Dallas, TX and Atlanta, GA) and Fifth Third Bank (Atlanta, GA), prior to returning to Chattanooga in 2013 to join Suntrust Bank as an Assistant Manager and later as an Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager.

A native of Chattanooga, Mr. Lawrence is a graduate of Tyner High School and was a President's Emerging Leaders scholar at Austin Peay State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree and majored in finance. Mr. Lawrence also earned a Master of Arts in Christian Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary and is an alum of Leadership Tennessee Next. Mr. Lawrence is a member of a number of professional organizations and currently serves on the board of Launch Chattanooga, as well as the advisory boards of the United Way of Greater Chattanooga, the Tennessee Small Business Development Center, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Center for Professional Education.

In 1998, the New York City native started her career as a special education teacher in the South Bronx. Since then, she has served in a number of administrative roles, from assistant principal to student support services manager in both public and virtual school settings. Dr. Young's upward advancement landed her a college access advisor position with the Educational Opportunity Center (TRIO) at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2019. She stays connected to the special education field by occasionally teaching college courses with the University of Arizona Global Campus. In Summer 2021, she accepted the position of Director of Scholarships with the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga and looks forward to helping student gain access to educational opportunities.

Dr. Young holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications Media from the State University of New York at New Paltz, a Master’s degree in Special Education from Mercy College, NY, and a Doctorate in Educational Learning & Leadership from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She currently lives in Chattanooga with her husband and two college-aged daughters.

Robin Posey grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee where she attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She earned a B.S. and then a Master’s in Business Administration. In 2006, she was hired as the Program Officer for the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga where she served for over 15 years supporting the Foundation’s grantmaking efforts.

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Robin now serves as the Sr. Director of Philanthropic Research and is responsible for collaborating on research and recommendations for donor grants, developing and implementing standardized processes for philanthropic guidance, and enhancing donor stewardship strategies. She serves on the UTC Children’s Center Advisory Board and the Advisory Board of the Nonprofit Resource Center. Robin enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and children.

Keely Gilliland joined the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga team in March of 2020. She has more than a decade of experience working with local nonprofits and community groups where she has served in administration, operations management, and finance roles. She has lived in Hamilton County her entire life, but came to feel that Chattanooga would be her forever home after she was introduced to the many powerful stories of community leadership and of everyday people having effected real and lasting change locally.

Keely’s work in nonprofits is driven by a desire to understand how people build community and care for one another, and to professionally support the day-to-day needs of organizations facilitating that important work. Keely loves to travel and tries to spend as much time as possible reading, expanding her cooking skills, and hiking. She and her husband live in the beautiful Orchard Knob neighborhood with their two cats.

Laura Howell is the Director of Donor Engagement at the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga. In this role, she is responsible for executing the Foundation’s donor engagement strategies to ensure donors’ philanthropic objectives are met, their knowledge of the community is broadened, and their relationship with the CFGC is strong.

Laura Howell joined the CFGC staff in 2024 after moving to Chattanooga from the Mississippi Delta. Originally from North Carolina, Laura was placed in the Mississippi Delta as a Teach For America corps member. Following her two-year commitment, she worked at Delta State University where she gained extensive experience in arts education, community engagement, fundraising, and programming. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Spanish from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Master’s degree in Elementary Education, and a Doctorate of Education in Professional Studies from Delta State University.

She has served on various boards and committees supporting the arts, education, economic development, and tourism. Laura enjoys traveling, playing mahjong, reading, and spending time with her husband, 2 sons, and golden retriever.

Chris joined the CFGC team in May of 2021. Before this, he worked in hospitality management for over a decade, helping to open two local restaurants and assisting in the opening of a local hotel. He is thankful for the opportunity to help make a positive, long-lasting impact on the Chattanooga Community.

Chris came to Chattanooga by way of Nashville, where he was born and raised. He attended the Chattanooga State and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, studying business management. Chris is a huge Tennessee Titans fan and supports all things Tennessee as it relates to sports. In his spare time Chris loves to watch and play sports, listen to music, and go hiking with his dogs.

Joe began assisting the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga in the summer of 2022 and joined the team full-time in December of the same year. He holds a B.S. in Communications from East Carolina University and has previously worked in the areas of communication, multimedia, and marketing. Having spent the majority of his professional career in the corporate world, Joe has always had an interest in non-profits. He has a passion for helping others and is thankful for the opportunity to work with a team that is focused on positively impacting the Chattanooga community and its residents.

Joe grew up on the coast of North Carolina and lived in several other states before moving to Tennessee. He and his family fell in love with Chattanooga and have made it their permanent home since 2011. He resides in North Chattanooga and is married with two daughters. He and his family love animals, especially rescues, and have 3 cats and a dog. 

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Woodson Carpenter is a Chattanooga native and son of Appalachia. He lived away from Chattanooga for a number of years earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from East Tennessee State University, and in 2019, he earned his Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh. In 2021, he joined the Community Foundation, previously working for a local arts and culture nonprofit.

Woodson’s hope—in remaining always rooted in his community, heritage, and vision—is to become an ever more beautiful embodiment of a dream deferred and create more vibrant communities wherever he lands. His professional and academic work has explored the ways in which policy, community, creativity, economics, and justice can meaningfully intersect.

Woodson is also a multi-instrumentalist, singer, published page poet, and champion slam poet. On any given day, you can find him reading at one of Chattanooga’s local coffee shops, exploring a museum or gallery, or working on his creative practice.

Catherine Coker joined the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga team as a Staff Accountant in August of 2020. Previously, she gained accounting experience through her positions in the private equity industry and as an auditor in public accounting. She is honored to work with and help support the larger CFGC team in their commitment to helping the community grow, learn, and thrive.

Catherine holds a B.S. in Accounting with a minor in Sustainable Business Practices from Northeastern University and an M.S. in Management and Data Analytics from Merrimack College. She loves crafting, hiking, cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers, and traveling in her free time. Catherine resides in Hixson with her husband, Alex, and two cats.

Lindsey Cross joined the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga as a Philanthropy Associate in July of 2023. As Philanthropy Associate, she works within the Philanthropy Department to build and maintain relationships and grow a community of donors eager to make a positive impact in the Greater Chattanooga area.

Before joining the CFGC team, Lindsey worked as a Paralegal assisting in the practice of family law, business formations, commercial disputes and transactions, and complex civil litigation. Lindsey ultimately discovered her true passion to help others within our community by joining the CFGC, allowing her to live out this passion.

Lindsey has lived in the Chattanooga area for the majority of her life, earning her Bachelor of Science in Legal Assistant Studies and Criminal Justice from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Lindsey is passionate about mobilizing change in the Chattanooga area that she loves and is honored to utilize her skills to assist the CFGC team in helping to make a difference in Chattanooga. Lindsey resides in Hixson with her husband and two dogs and enjoys live music, traveling with her family, gardening, and spending time on the Tennessee River.

Formerly a music educator in the Metro Atlanta area, Anthony Prince is a multi-instrumentalist, community facilitator, and mindfulness teacher. Through several years of self-development as a touring artist on the road, Anthony learned the importance of self-growth through self-love and compassion and incorporates these ideals in every aspect of his life. As a former wellness coach, Anthony committed himself to the service of others to uplift the spirit, challenge new ways of thought, encourage radical self-expression, address unaddressed trauma, and create a new sense of balance in personal well-being.

Now with the CFGC, he is focused and driven to use his past experiences to aid in the mission of creating systems change, bridging the divide in racial equity, and truly establishing a felt sense of community in Chattanooga that may ripple in influence on a larger scale.

Candice joined the Community Foundation Finance Department with a background in non-profit accounting and financial management with the former Special Assistant Attorney General of Walker, Dade, Catoosa, and Chattooga counties in Georgia. Her hometown is Gadsden, Alabama, but she has been a resident of the area for 15 years.

Candice studies Business Administration with a concentration in accounting at Western Governors University. She is very passionate about community outreach and strives to lend a helping hand to anyone she has the ability to assist. She has three children whom she adores, and when she is not working to improve herself, she enjoys reading, games with friends and family, and the TN Volunteers. She is very ambitious in making an impact on her team at the Foundation and the community of Greater Chattanooga.

Emily Allen Murphy joined the Community Foundation as Director of People and Culture in October 2023. Before joining the Foundation, she gained several years of experience in Human Resources working for Chattanooga area businesses. Emily is thrilled to be working with CFGC and supporting an organization with such an important mission. She is committed to supporting CFGC in its efforts to execute its strategic goals, all while ensuring we maintain our vibrant and inclusive workplace culture.

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Emily has a B.S. in Psychology from Georgia Southern University and a M.S. in Managerial Sciences with an HR concentration from Georgia State University. She moved to Chattanooga from Atlanta in 2017 and her love of Chattanooga grows more with time as she continues to grow her roots here. She lives in Red Bank, with her husband, Kyle, and dog, Teddy, and loves the outdoors, gardening, and yoga.

Taya grew up in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where she got her bachelor’s degree in Recreation, Tourism, and Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Northern Iowa. Her volunteering and educational experiences at UNI are where she fell in love with serving others and fostering growth within her community. She spent 5 summers at a wilderness adventure camp in Wisconsin, where she led youth group students and staff and helped them grow as individuals and as a team. She has loved all of her service-based positions, as she is deeply passionate about playing a role in creating lasting change and helping all people thrive. Taya is thrilled to join the hard-working CFGC team as a receptionist/ administrative assistant and support our mission to continue root cause change and growth in our city.

Taya and her husband moved to Chattanooga in October 2023, and they are excited to plant roots and build relationships here. When she's not in the office, you can find her outside enjoying the non-Midwest weather and exploring parks, climbing crags, and rivers. She loves baking and cooking new recipes with her husband and looks forward to exploring all the local restaurants and coffee shops here in Chattanooga

Jon Berestecky joined CFGC after spending a year and a half as the Director of Development for the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition where he led fundraising efforts, created spaces and processes for better collaboration between providers, and championed efforts to meaningfully engage persons with lived experience.

He spent 6 years as the Director of Transitional Living at Chambliss Center for Children—providing housing and support for young people aging out of foster care. Jon is a natural organizer and his leadership has led to millions of dollars of new investment in our region to support young people experiencing homelessness and to the development of new systems of support.

Jon, his wife Sarah, and their three children moved to Chattanooga from Fort Worth, TX in 2016. They celebrate the multiethnicity of their own family and envision a city where folks from every social, economic and cultural background have what they need to thrive.