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Our Staff

Meet our staff

Cara Dingus Brook headshot

Cara Dingus Brook

President & CEO

Cara Dingus Brook is Chief Executive Officer and President at The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, a regional foundation with a mission to create opportunities in Appalachian Ohio by supporting and inspiring philanthropy. With Cara’s leadership, the Foundation has grown its reach, impact and assets significantly, developed the nation’s first nonprofit “IPO” and facilitated numerous public-private […]

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Kelly Ayers

Kelly Ayers

Senior Director of Finance

Kelly oversees the Finance Department and helps support FAO’s mission and values through collaboration, planning, development, and maintenance of FAO’s financial activities. Kelly received her bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Franklin University, Master’s Degree in Accounting from Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry University and has her CPA certification. She has more than 16 […]

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Drew Brown

Drew Brown

Director of Finance

Drew joined the Foundation in 2020. He is a graduate of Ohio University. Prior to joining FAO, he worked as a credit analyst for Peoples National Bank and as a financial analyst for the Superior Group. Drew lives in Perry County.

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Megan Cremeans

Director of Public-Private Partnerships

Megan joined the Foundation in 2023 and is a Perry County native with a profound passion for the Appalachian region. Holding a B.S. and B.A. from Miami University, as well as a J.D. and an M.A. from The Ohio State University, her educational journey has provided her with a diverse set of knowledge and skills. […]

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Delphine Gamin

Delphine Gamin

Visual Communications Manager

Delphine joined the Foundation in March 2022 and works as FAO’s visual communicator in graphic design for print, web and more. Delphine received her Bachelor of Science in Visual Communications from Ohio University in 2017. During college, she managed social media, design and marketing for Bagel Street Deli in Athens, Ohio. After graduating, she briefly […]

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Elizabeth Grounds

Elizabeth Grounds

Assistant Director of Events

Elizabeth has deep roots in Appalachian Ohio and is honored to serve the rolling region that sprouted her family tree. Since beginning her tenure in 2023, she uses her extensive event experience to further the foundation’s mission, for the benefit of the current and future people of this wonderful area. Elizabeth studied at Marietta College […]

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Rochelle Hawk

Rochelle Hawk

Programs Administrator

Rochelle joined the Foundation in 2021 and works in Communications and Programs. Originally from Grove City, a suburb of Columbus, Rochelle is the child of parents raised in Appalachia, making the work of FAO personally meaningful to her. With an English degree from Ohio Dominican University, Rochelle came to Appalachia Ohio in 1998 when she […]

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Foundation for Appalachian Ohio

Linda Knopp

Director of Communications & Marketing

Linda joined FAO in May 2022 as director of communications and marketing, where she’s responsible for strategically telling the Foundation’s story. She brings 30 years of experience in public relations, integrated marketing communications, publications, branding, and public affairs to her role. Prior to joining FAO, Linda was director of communications at the Ohio University Heritage […]

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Tracy Mann

Tracy Mann

Senior Director of Outreach

Tracy Mann, a FAO staff member from 2009 to 2016, rejoined the Foundation in April 2018. In addition to her experiences with FAO donors, programs and projects, she brings knowledge from her positions held in the nonprofit, grant writing and education fields. Tracy is from Lawrence County, Ohio where she gained her Bachelor’s Degree at […]

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Lesa McDaniel

Lesa McDaniel

Gift Planning Associate

Lesa joined the FAO staff as a Gift Planning Associate in March 2016.  After a career in career-technical education, she was looking for a way to give back to the region while still making a difference in people’s lives. Her philosophy as a teacher was, “If I make a difference in just one student’s life, […]

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Foundation for Appalachian Ohio

Brianna McGuire

Outreach Manager

Bio coming soon

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Foundation for Appalachian Ohio

Phyllis Moody

Controller

Phyllis joined the Foundation because of our mission and the opportunity to play a small part in making a difference in people’s lives. Since joining the FAO in 2009, her passion for the region continues to grow. As the Foundation’s Controller, Phyllis manages FAO’s finances, which means she cares for the resources our donors, nonprofits, and […]

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Kelly Morman

Kelly Morman

Director of Programs

Kelly joined the Foundation in June 2015 and currently leads FAO’s grantmaking and strategic programmatic initiatives. From her childhood in the farmland of north central Ohio and her undergraduate years on the campus of Ohio Northern University, to her time as a high school Spanish teacher in the Arkansas Delta, Kelly has always been passionate […]

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Bayione Rogers

Donor Data Manager

Bayione Rogers became part of the Foundation in March 2024, taking on the role of Donor Data Manager. Originally from West Virginia, he grew up in Athens County and pursued his education at Ohio University. After completing his studies, he held the position of Assistant Director of the Bobcat Club at Ohio University while also […]

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Foundation for Appalachian Ohio

Kait Seyal

Scholarship Manager

Bio coming soon

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Maureen

Maureen Sharkey

Chief of Staff & Associate Secretary of the Board

Not long after retiring from The Ohio State University and moving to Athens, Maureen was introduced to the Foundation through a friend and donor. She was interested in devoting her time to a new and meaningful challenge and found FAO to be a great opportunity to learn more about the region and to be able […]

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Holly Shelton

Holly Shelton

Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Holly leads the Foundation’s work to support the region’s communities and citizens in meeting their charitable dreams. And this is at the heart of why she joined the Foundation in the first place. An Ohio University bobcat, Holly came on board in December 2007 to support the region in creating permanent resources that would make […]

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Sherri Simmions

Sherri Simons

Director of Outreach

Sherri joined the Foundation in October 2018 to support FAO’s outreach and fundraising efforts in Perry, Morgan, and Guernsey counties. Sherri is excited to work with and develop existing donors as well as cultivate new relationships. Raised in Hemlock, a small town in Perry County, Sherri is a lifelong Child of Appalachia and is passionate […]

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Emily Vigue

Emily Vigue

Director of Outreach

Emily Vigue joined the Foundation in July 2019 after graduating from Marietta College with degrees in political science and international leadership studies. While at Marietta, Emily enjoyed connecting with residents of Appalachia through her work as student body president and her position on a local nonprofit board. Emily became interested in the unique history of […]

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Angela Woodward

Angela Woodward

Assistant Director of Communications & Marketing

Angela joined FAO in November 2022. She grew up in rural Northwest Ohio outside Toledo, where her skill and passion for writing was nurtured by a loving family and dedicated educators. She came to Southeast Ohio to pursue a bachelor’s degree in journalism at Ohio University – and immediately found what would become her forever […]

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Maribeth Wright

Director of Outreach

Director of Outreach Maribeth joined the Foundation in March 2021 to further its mission. Maribeth’s service to FAO runs deep, serving as a former board member and currently as the President of the Guernsey County Foundation. She has been a life-long resident of Cambridge, Ohio. Prior to her work with the Foundation, Maribeth was a […]

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