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Philanthropy, Empowerment, Integrity, Collaboration, Leadership

We’ve sharpened our mission, and created a vision that supports an ambitious new plan for growth. With this renewed energy and sense of purpose, we are guided by the ideas behind these key words: empowerment, integrity, leadership, philanthropy, collaboration. This is how we will grow our funds, and – most importantly – the impact they have on our region. 

Our Mission

We empower all people to become philanthropists who have a permanent impact and leave a lasting legacy in our region.

Our Vision

We envision an inclusive and engaged culture of philanthropy that grows an abundance of resources, achieving perpetual impact in a thriving region.

Our Equity Statement

The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies is committed to working toward a diverse, inclusive, and equitable society, where all individuals feel valued and respected. We are committed to taking a nondiscriminatory approach in our policies and actions, respecting diverse life experiences and heritages, and ensuring that all voices are valued and heard.   

2018 Annual Report

2018 Annual Report

To all our donors:

You are making an immeasurable difference. Collectively, you donated $9.4 million to our charitable funds this past year. That funding empowers dreamers, turning charitable ambition into reality. Your impact is felt in every corner of our region, and it will last forever. 

To the nonprofits we partner with:

Your ideas, projects, time, and energy are changing lives. You are creating beautiful spaces, feeding the hungry, and helping cancer patients through treatment. You are inspiring young people to be better learners, cleaning up our environment, and empowering single mothers to finish their education. You clothe families, bring history to life, help addicts and mental health patients with job training, and provide family-friendly activities for our communities. If there’s a need, you fill it, often without pay or recognition. You fill the Alleghenies with heart, and we can’t thank you enough. 

Together, we’re building something really special:

Each year the Council on Foundations surveys community foundations and four “Top 100” lists are produced. In 2018, Community Foundation for the Alleghenies made it onto three!

We placed in the top 100 of all community foundations for our distribution rate of 7%. This tells you we are getting support into the community.

We made almost 11,000 transactions: gifts in; grants, scholarships, and expenses out. This ranked 31st of all community foundations surveyed, including those many times larger than us. This is because together with our donors we work not only on larger gifts, we support grassroots projects — a playground in Jennerstown, free books throughout Johnstown, youth leadership in Bedford County, the back-to-school clothing drive in Indiana County, and so on. Many community foundations are not active at this level because of the work involved relative to the size of the projects. We are busy embracing it.

Finally, based on the population of Bedford, Cambria, and Somerset counties, we received $44.25 per capita in donations. The median for other community foundations our size was just over $28.

There are other statistics in our most recent Annual Report that we are happy to share. We had 5,558 separate donors donate $10.8 million. We grew to 698 funds and $71.9 million in total assets. We distributed a record, by a large margin, of $805,000 in scholarships and granted $6.3 million.

We are our proud of our community because these numbers reflect something really special. They reflect a community made of people invested in its present and its future, who have ideas and feelings and good will for the place we all call home.

Mark E. Pasquerilla, Board Chair
Mike Kane, President and Executive Director

Our People

Full-Time Staff

Marisa Lehman

Marisa Lehman

Donor Services Associate
As Donor Services Associate, Marisa manages grants and scholarships administration and works with donors to achieve their philanthropic goals. Previously, she was CFA’s Administrative Specialist, and she has been part of the Foundation’s team since 2015. Marisa didn’t grow up in western Pennsylvania but is now happy to call Johnstown home. She is passionate about...
Barb Charney

Barb Charney

Accounting Associate
Introduced to the world of nonprofits 10 years ago, Barb developed a fondness working in community services and helping people. She joined the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies in 2008. Since then, she has become devoted to helping the multiple communities and hundreds of funds that the Foundation serves. Barb is committed to efficiently managing...
Mike Kane

Mike Kane

President and Executive Director
Mike Kane has been at the Community Foundation since 2001. During that time he has had the opportunity to work with hundreds of donors throughout Bedford, Cambria, Somerset and Indiana counties and beyond. He is interested in donors’ stories and aspirations and in the many different ways to better our community. He has served a...
Stephanie Daniels

Stephanie Daniels

Executive and HR Assistant
As Executive and HR Assistant, Stephanie works in the front office, supporting the executive director and all of the staff. She is also co-director of the Johnstown Marathon and coordinates the Johnstown Running Club. Stephanie has a degree in Business Management and Finance from Pitt-Johnstown. She and her husband live in Somerset County and love...
Katrina Perkosky

Katrina Perkosky

Donor and Development Services Officer
After spending a decade in print media and radio broadcasting, Katrina joined CFA in January 2015. As Donor and Development Services Officer, Katrina oversees the Foundation’s funds and development, working with new donors to open funds and helping to increase the Foundation’s impact across the region. Trina previously served as Development Associate, handling grant administration...
Angie Berzonski

Angie Berzonski

Program Officer
Angie joined the Foundation in 2011. As Program Officer, she helps local nonprofits learn more about grant opportunities and manages the Foundation’s grantmaking programs. Prior to her current position, she was editor of Johnstown Magazine and worked in public relations, television, and radio. Angie volunteers with several local nonprofit organizations and coaches girls’ high school...
Kecia Bal

Kecia Bal

Communications Officer
A former news and business journalist, Kecia joined CFA in 2019. As Communications Officer, she works to highlight transformational changes the Foundation’s donors and partners are accomplishing in the region. For twelve years, she worked in print and TV news, most recently at The Tribune-Democrat. Kecia has a heart for compelling non-fiction, an interest in...
Marie DeWerff

Marie DeWerff

Administrative and Technology Specialist
Marie joined CFA in 2019 as the Foundation’s new Administrative and Technology Specialist. Marie helps CFA operations run smoothly, manages CFA partners’ critical online fundraising pages, and provides general administrative support. She holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and earned a master’s degree in fine arts with a specialization...

Part-Time Staff

Lori Huska

Lori Huska

Accounting Assistant
Lori is the accounting assistant at the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies. Her primary responsibility is to record contributions. She personally sees that all donations are deposited and credited to the correct fund. Lori oversees the donor information as well as the gift data for each one. In addition, Lori receives invoices and payment requests...
Kay Reynolds

Kay Reynolds

Director, Bedford County Endowments
Kay joined the Foundation in 2005 and works as the Director for the Foundations’ Bedford County Endowments. Her job is to be a strong and influential advocate of the work of the Foundation and to inform the community of its many resources that support nonprofits and projects in Bedford County. Kay came to the Foundation...

Board of Directors

Carol Stern

Carol Stern

Retired Assistant Director/Director of Donor Services
Jerry Hudson

Jerry Hudson

Vice President Chief Quality Officer, Concurrent Technologies Corporation
Bill Rice

Bill Rice

RCF, CRPC, Laurel Highlands Financial Services LP

Other Boards & Committees

Past Members – Board of Directors

Robert Allen – Executive Director, Emeritus

Dr. Frank Blackington

Abe Beerman

Scott Becker

G. Henry Cook

Kim Craig

Allan Dennison

Dr. Albert L. Etheridge

Robert Gleason, III

Dr. Curtis Goldblatt

Darryl Myers

Renuka Narahari

D. C. Nokes, Esq.

Daniel Perkins

James V. Saly

Kenneth Shorts

Matthew Smith

Robert D. Sweet

Ernest Wadsworth

Foundation Officers

Mike Kane, President

Mark Pasquerilla, Vice-President and Chairman of the Board

Terry Dunkle, Treasurer

Gary Horner, Secretary

Mr. Michael Sahlaney, Esq., Acting Secretary

ACADEMIC ALUMNI ADVISORY BOARD

Mrs. Louise Fisher

Ms.  Wanda Keller

Mrs. Dorene Lape

Ms. Connie J. McClain

Ms. Lois Miller

Ms. Kristine Olsen

Ms. Wilda Sanna

Mrs. Anita Sukenik

AUDIT COMMITTEE

Ms. Amy Edmiston

Mr. John Kriak

Mr. Mark Pasquerilla

Mr. Mario Wilfong

BEDFORD COUNTY ENDOWMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Ms. Lynn Ashe

Mr. John Blackburn III

Ms. Lori Copley

Mr. James Gonsman

Mr. Allen Harr

Mr. Rick Jones

Mr. H. Dean Lemley

Ms. Leah Pepple

Mr. Mark Thomas

BORK FAMILY FUND ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Mr. David Bork

Mr. David Bork, Jr.

Ms. Debbi Bork

Ms. Jessica Borowitz

Mr. Michael Grimes

Mr. Mark Pasquerilla

Mr. James Rihs

Mr. Michael Sahlaney, Esq

Mr. William Shulick Esq.

DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE

Mrs. Lynn Ashe

Mr. John Ayres, Esq.

Mr. Terry Dunkle

Mr. Don Gardill

Ms. Beth Hullihen

Ms. Jen Johnson

Ms. Sue Mann

Mr. Rob McCombie

Mr. Bill McKinney

Ms. Melanie Miller

Mr. Mark Pasquerilla

Mr. Michael Sahlaney, Esq.

Mr. Rick Smith

Ms. Michelle Tokarsky, Esq.

Mr. William Uhlig

EVERETT AREA FUND

Mr. Fred Baca

Mr. Don Burd

Ms. Wendy Dunkle-Daley

Mr. Justin Hillegas

Mr. Dan Iseminger

Ms. Jessica Michael

Mr. John Mobus

Mr. Gary Shetter

Mr. Kenny Tewell

Ms. Leesa Waite

Mr. David Wallace

Executive Committee

Mr. Terry Dunkle

Mr. Robert Eyer

Mr. Gary C. Horner, Esq.

Mr. Richard Mayer

Mr. Mark Pasquerilla

Mr. Michael Sahlaney, Esq.

Ms. Sally Ann Sargent

Ms. Michelle Tokarsky, Esq.

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Ms. Vickie Beer

Mr. Terry Dunkle

Mr. Robert J. Eyer

Mr. Mark Pasquerilla

Mr. Mario Wilfong

INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

Mr. Samuel Catanese

Mr. Kim Craig

Mr. Casey Craig

Mr. Raymond E. DiBattista

Mr. John Kriak

Mr. Mark Pasquerilla

Mr. William Rice

Mr. Tyler Trimbath

MARKETING COMMITTEE

Mr. Dennis Brawley

Ms. Lauren Cascino-Presser, Esq.

Ms. Kellie Goodman-Shaffer

Mr. Dan Hill, Esq.

Mr. Mark Pasquerilla

Ms. Melissa Radovanic

Ms. Stacy Roberts

Ms. Leah S. Spangler

Ms. Colleen Tretter

MEYERSDALE WIND POWER FUND ADVISORY

Ms. Connie Anderson

Mr. David Clapper

Mr. Tom Deetz

Dr. Tracey Karlie

Mr. Harold Nicholson

Ms. Carol Stern

PENELEC SUSTAINABLE ENERGY ADVISORY BOARD

Mr. Tim Booth

Mr. Scott Gebhardt

Mr. Brian Hill

Mr. Frank Plank

Ms. Marybeth Smialek

Mr. John Ubinger, Jr.

Ms. Beverly Weaver

Mr. Gregory Winger

Mr. Chady Zablit

PORTAGE REGIONAL ENDOWMENT

Mr. John Adams

Mr. George Fetsko

Mr. Michael Kiel

Mr. Russell Kiel

Ms. Linda Miko

Mr. Randy Stager

SOMERSET COUNTY COMMUNITY FUND ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Ms. Vickie L. Beer

Mr. G. Henry Cook

Mr. Theodore Deskevich

Mr. Raymond E. DiBattista

Mr. John Fiesta

Mr. Gregory C. Frantz, Esq.

Mr. Matthew G. Melvin, Esq.

Mrs. Lana Miller

Ms. Pamela Ream

Mr. William Rice

Ms. Carol Stern

Ms. Pamela Tokar-Ickes

SOMERSET COUNT COMMUNITY FUND DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE

Ms. Michele Beener

Mr. Scott Bittner, Esq.

Ms. Sharon Clapper

Mr. Theodore Deskevich

Mr. Bruce G. Hottle

Mr. Sean Isgan

Ms. Lana Miller

Ms. Melanie Miller

Ms. Carol Stern

Mr. Brian Whipkey

Mr. James Zimmerman

Auditors

Barnes, Saly & Company, Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Our Financials & Bylaws

*It is the policy of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies to make available Form 990-T for any years in which it files that form.

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