Our board of trustees represents each branch of the O’Neill family and includes the Foundation’s President & CEO.

• Laura O’Neill Bower, Secretary
• Mary France Walker
• Bob Donahey, Chair
• David Donahey, Treasurer
• Tim O’Neill
• Brian Sweeney
• William J. O’Neill, Jr., Emeritus
• Leslie Perkul, President & CEO

As the Manager of Grants Management & Programs, I not only manage our grantmaking systems and processes , but I also support three of our grantmaking programs: two-family led grantmaking programs (Dignity in Choice: Direct Cash Assistance and Empowering Young Men through Leadership, Mentorship & Fatherhood) and our Family Directed grantmaking program.

I joined the Foundation in 2018.

Prior to joining the Foundation, I spent 5 years at Foundation Management Services and 5 years at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation as Grants Manager. I thoroughly enjoy working in Family philanthropy and helping others connect with their various passions in meaningful ways.

When not at work – you can find me cheering my daughter on at a volleyball game, dining at any of Cleveland’s fantastic restaurants or exploring a new city.

As a Senior Program Officer, I lead the Foundation’s strategic work to advance whole family well-being through service and systems integration that recognizes when everyone in a family is stable, healthy, and supported, the whole family thrives. I also staff two O’Neill family-led grantmaking programs (Birth Justice and Rural Communities). As an avid knowledge sharer and connector, I love supporting the learning journeys of O’Neill family members and being a helpful resource to our many community nonprofit and philanthropic partners.

I joined the Foundation in 2017.

Prior to joining the Foundation, I managed a portfolio of national grantees at the Social Innovation Fund, a federal evidence-based grantmaking initiative devoted to scaling and evaluating what works. Before that, I advised philanthropies and nonprofits on grantmaking, strategy, and organizational development after a decade deepening my knowledge of place-based grantmaking as a program officer and donor relations manager at The Cleveland Foundation, the nation’s first community foundation.

My north star is the belief that if others are better off, we’re all better off. This outlook has fueled my career path, which included early stints working on policy solutions in the Washington, DC offices of U.S. Representative Sander Levin (MI) and Governor Thomas H. Kean (NJ). When not working, I’m reading, traveling, and rooting for the University of Michigan (my alma mater – Go Blue!).

As the President and CEO, I support an incredible staff team in partnership with members of the O’Neill family to carry out the strategies that work toward achieving our mission and vision. I serve as the overall strategist and idea mover, creating a roadmap for our team and supporting them towards successful implementation through grantmaking, community connections and supporting O’Neill family members in their philanthropic journey.

I joined the Foundation in 2016.

Prior to joining the foundation, I spent over 20 years in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors most recently serving as the Vice President for the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland where I led the strategic community-focused work of ending homelessness and neighborhood transformation. I received a Bachelor’s Degree from Indiana University and a Masters Degree from the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Studies at Cleveland State University.

A favorite quote that has guided my leadership journey is “Leap and the net will appear” (attributed to a Zen saying) which has guided my drive for innovation and fueled my desire to take risks. Philanthropy is addressing challenging issues but in partnership with our innovative and resilient partners we are energized by meeting challenges head on.

As a Senior Program Officer, I support two family-led grantmaking programs (Environmental Justice and Partners to Break Down Barriers) and oversee a NextGen Grantmaking Program for O’Neill family members under 25. I’m also known as the team captain + storyteller.  

For me, no two workdays are ever the same. One day, you might find me preparing video content for the O’Neill family; the next, you might find me managing internal project workflows like a Chief of Staff. I love bringing order to complex details, rolling up my sleeves to meet deadlines, and trying to create work products that align with the Foundation’s values. 

I joined the Foundation in 2017. 

Prior to joining the Foundation, I was a convener and matchmaker for various nonprofit and philanthropic organizations in the Midwest and along the East coast. I’ve always been interested in social issues and their intersectionality, and I feel energized when I learn about the great work that is being done by the Foundation’s grantee partners.  

When I’m not working (or traveling), I’m probably browsing a farmers market, out on a trail, or feeding my sourdough.