Our Team

Jody joined the Fund as its Executive Director in 2019. She most recently served as the deputy chief for climate and safety at the School District of Philadelphia — a position she took after completing a three-year fellowship at the School District of Philadelphia through the Stoneleigh Foundation.

Jody has also held youth-focused roles within the Court of Common Pleas (Family and Criminal Divisions) and the City of Philadelphia’s law department and served as a consultant for the Southeast Regional Office of Children, Youth, and Families of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania and a JD from the University of Michigan Law School.

Trudi joined the Fund in 2000. As Finance Manager, she oversees the Fund’s accounting, financial records, grant distribution, and oversight of its accounting system. She brings to the Fund more than 20 years of experience in personal banking, including tax accounting and branch management. Trudi studied financial management and has a General Banking diploma from the American Institute of Banking. She currently serves as Vice President of the Board for Thrivent Financial, a nonprofit organization that offers financial advice and services while supporting social causes. She has previously held the Board President and Financial Director positions at Thrivent Financial.

Emily joined the Fund in 2014. As Deputy Director, Emily oversees all grant and contract management for the Fund. She drives the Fund’s grantmaking efforts and supports its governance strategy, client management, and daily operations.

Emily brings five years of development experience to this role, having previously worked in fundraising and nonprofit administration at several Philadelphia and New York cultural institutions. Most recently, she worked in capital campaign planning and operations for the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Emily holds a degree in Individualized Study from New York University, where she studied Art History and Museum Studies.

Rachel joined the Fund in 2022. As Grants & Strategy Officer, she leads communications, helps to implement organizational strategy, and supports grant and contract management.

Prior to working at the Fund, Rachel spent six years at Opera Philadelphia leading strategy, portfolio management, and internal and external communications for executive leadership. She also supported operations, administration, and event management within the Development department. Earlier in her career, Rachel worked closely with leadership at Esperanza Inc. and Al Día News Media to manage relationships, special projects, and events. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Rowan University, along with a Master of Arts in Latin American Studies from American University.

Meghan joined the Fund in 2024 as Partnership Manager. As a part of the Partnership team, she works closely with her portfolio of City Departments to ensure transparent and effective implementation of grants and private program funds.

Meghan brings a depth of experience in overseeing the fiscal sponsorship program at the Creative Visions Foundation. As Director of Fiscal Sponsorship, she spearheaded the growth and structure of the program, fueling the foundation’s mission of creative activism and social change through the arts. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh.

As a proud Philadelphian, Meghan is thrilled to work with the Fund and support the great work of our City by fostering private/public partnerships.

Tierra joined the Fund in 2024. As a Partnership Manager, she is charged with helping City partners navigate our fiscal sponsorship process from start-to-finish. She will also support our Innovation and Community Funds as a proposal evaluator.

Tierra has extensive community engagement and program administration experience from her roles as a School-Based Community Partnerships Coordinator, Youth Program Coordinator, and Program Associate. One of her proudest accomplishments was working as a Needs Assessment Assistant at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDHP) where she helped collect and synthesize qualitative data for the Title V MCH Services Block Grant Needs Assessment. She also conducted a literature review that was added to the Department’s Internal Community Engagement Guidelines.

Tierra is a graduate of Howard University’s School of Arts & Sciences (BA & BS) and Boston University’s School of Public Health (MPH). She is also an alumna of the Gates Millennium Scholars Program.