About the Speakers: General Operating Support: Making the Case to Grant Makers

In 2011 Mindy Aldridge took the helm of the Nelson foundation, which supports children and youth in the Philadelphia region. She led the institution through its first leadership succession, refined the foundation’s mission and strategic priorities, and overhauled its grant making, including launching a program to help grantees improve their effectiveness. Her 35-year career includes government and nonprofit work in Washington, 15 years in financial services, and eight years teaching social studies and history. Aldridge also has served as a trustee for many organizations.

Kathy Reich leads Build, the foundation’s 5-year, $1 billion program to strengthen key institutions around the world that fight inequality. Previously, she worked for 15 years at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, oversaw policy work at a nonprofit, was a legislative assistant on Capitol Hill, and worked for state and local elected officials in California. Reich serves on the boards of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations and the Peninsula Jewish Community Center and co-chairs the Fund for Shared Insight. 

Heather Joslyn has covered the nonprofit world for the Chronicle since 2001. She focuses on all aspects of fundraising, and also has written about organization management, the nonprofit job market, diversity issues, and endowment management.  She previously served as managing editor at Baltimore’s alt-weekly, City Paper.