Mr. Boezaart serves as Vice-President of Grant Programs at the Community Foundation for Muskegon County. The Foundation located in downtown Muskegon was established in 1961 and holds over 800 individual funds that support a broad range of community needs. Mr. Boezaart also leads the Foundation’s Environmental Program established in 1997 in partnership with the Great Lakes Community Foundation Environmental Collaborative. More recently, Mr. Boezaart in partnership with other key community leadership helped form the Muskegon Area Sustainability Coalition and serves on the Coalition leadership team that promotes and advances the principles of Sustainability in the greater Muskegon region. Mr. Boezaart’s public and community service career extends more than 35 years with a passion for excellence and for making a positive impact on many facets of community life. He holds a BA degree from Michigan State University and an MSW from the University of Michigan.
Sue Hammersmith, President & CEO of the Lenawee Community Foundation in SE Michigan, previously served as: Executive Director of a local United Way and a chapter of a national health charity, Director of Development for a private school, and a teacher. She attained her Masters in Nonprofit Management from Regis University, and has received the CFRE and CSA (Certified Senior Advisor) designations. Hammersmith is a certified faculty member of the International Association of Fundraising Professionals; a Prudential Youth Leadership Institute Certified Trainer; a facilitator for Lenawee Youth Leadership; and a Mentor & Planned Giving Facilitator for the United Way of America Retirees Association. She enjoys consulting in the areas of board governance, fundraising, nonprofit management, planned giving, strategic planning, and youth asset development. In her spare time, she volunteers in her community with Rotary, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Human Services Council.
Christen McArdle joined the Ann Arbor Film Festival in 2005. Currently serving as Artistic Director, she is responsible for the artistic direction of the AAFF, as well as high-profile donor development as well as multi-year grant developments from national and international foundations. From 2005 to June 2008, McArdle served as Executive Director of the Ann Arbor Film Festival. During her ED tenure, the AAFF received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), AMPAS, the Warhol Foundation and the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs, and she has secured corporate sponsorships from numerous organizations while representing the AAFF, whose brand is based on cutting-edge, risk-taking programming in the arts.
