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CFES Staff Directory

CFES.org > About CFES > CFES Staff Directory

Spicer Bell
President

bell@cfes.org

Spicer has served as the President of the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore since August 2004. Under his leadership the Foundation has grown in assets by over $28M, increased annual grants to over $4.1 million, established the Eastern Shore Nonprofit Support Center, and recently established the ShoreCAN regional volunteer center.

Prior to joining the Community Foundation, Spicer’s public service career spanned 33 years as a professional educator, including 15 years as a superintendent of schools in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Maryland. He was a founding member of the Wapakoneta Area Community Foundation in Ohio. He also served as the Executive Director for Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore, a school business partnership program. Throughout his career he has been actively involved in his community – providing organizational leadership on the boards of numerous non-profit organizations, business and professional associations.

In addition to his professional interests, Spicer is a certified yoga teacher and enjoys reading, bicycling, sailing, and travel. He and his wife Karen reside in Salisbury where they enjoy time with their five children and four grandchildren.

Gary R. Martin
Chief Financial Officer

martin@cfes.org

Gary has served as Chief Financial Officer of the Foundation where he is responsible for financial, investment, budgeting, and human resources management since July 2001.

Prior to joining the Community Foundation he served as Director of Finance for First State Community Action Agency, a state wide agency headquartered in Georgetown, DE. He has over forty years of experience in the accounting field, of which half has been spent in the non-profit sector. He also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity of Wicomico County helping construct and rehabilitate homes.

Gary and his wife Nancy live in Salisbury, MD, and have four grown children and six grandchildren. They enjoy traveling the country in their motor home.

Erica N. Joseph
Program and Development Director

joseph@cfes.org

Erica joined the Community Foundation in August 2003. Erica's role is twofold, as Program Director, she facilitates all discretionary grant programs, manages the Nonprofit Support Program, and supervises the ShoreCAN Volunteer Center; serving as a liaison to connect local nonprofits to financial support, technical assistance resources, and education/networking opportunities. As Development Director, Erica assists donors and prospective donors with questions and information on establishing funds and making gifts to the Foundation.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Erica worked with a number of nonprofit and governmental agencies with primary responsibilities in program development and coordination, evaluation, and public relations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Salisbury University and a Master of Science in Conservation Biology from the University of Maryland College Park.

Erica resides in Laurel, DE, with her husband, Jeremy, and son, Drew.

Elizabeth "B.J." Summers
Donor Relations Officer

summers@cfes.org

BJ joined the Community Foundation in October 1997. In her role as Donor Relations Officer, she coordinates the donor relations program of the Foundation, including grantmaking for donor advised funds, donor communications, and donor events. She also coordinates the scholarship program of the Foundation and special events such as the Annual Meeting.

Anne Schoolcraft
Marketing & Public Relations Officer

aschoolcraft@cfes.org

Anne joined the Community Foundation in November 2010. In her role as Marketing and Public Relations Officer, Anne will be charged with developing the Foundation’s annual marketing plan, producing the Pillar newsletter and the organization’s annual report, as well as coordination of media coverage for grant and service programs.

Anne brings to the position over 20 years of public relations and marketing experience in the nonprofit, retail, corporate, and government sectors.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations and a minor in Advertising from Arizona State University.

Anne and her husband Shawn live in Salisbury.

David A. Plotts
Accountant & IT Director

dplotts@cfes.org

David has served as the Accountant and IT Director since 2008. He is responsible for providing staff support for the accounting functions of the Foundation, helping assure that all national standards for accountability and accuracy are met, and conducting analysis for internal and external users. He oversees all aspects of the community foundation's information systems and technology.

David received his Bachelors of Science degree in Information Systems Management in 2006 from Salisbury University’s Perdue School of Business. He is currently working towards his Masters of Science in Financial Management & Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Financial Management.

David is a native of Salisbury, MD. He and his wife, Ashlee, and sons Liam & Kieran, live in Salisbury.

Heather Towers
Assistant Program Officer & ShoreCAN Volunteer Center Coordinator

htowers@cfes.org

Heather currently is the Assistant Program Officer. She is responsible for supporting the Foundation's discretionary grant making and is the ShoreCAN Volunteer Center Coordinator.

Previously, Heather performed national service with the Americorps Vista program as the ShoreCAN Volunteer Center Coordinator, which builds capacity in non-profit organizations and communities and fights to end poverty.

Heather received her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies in 2012 from Salisbury University’s Fulton School of Liberal Arts. Heather is a native of Salisbury who loves to travel and has visited several countries. She currently dedicates her volunteering efforts to at risk youth and is a mentor through the Big Brother Big Sister program.

Patt Strausburg
Office Administrator

strausburg@cfes.org

Patt has served as Office Administrator since August 2003. She is responsible for providing administrative and financial support for the daily operations of the Foundation, including assistance with special events and projects.

Patt and her husband, Wayne, have lived in Salisbury the past 11 years. Previously from Bel Air, Maryland, they have two sons, Ryan and Todd and two granddaughters, Hayden and Ellis.