Board of Directors
President
Maryann L. Lindberg
Philanthropy Resource Group
maryann@philanthropyresource.org
Maryann LaCroix Lindberg, CFRE is President and founder of Philanthropy Resource Group, a non-profit consulting firm that provides support to non-profit organizations throughout New England. She brings to the non-profit world more than 40 years of experience in fundraising, non-profit and board management and consulting, marketing and public relations, financial investment and community relations. Including several top advancement positions, she has worked at institutions that range from small non-profits to large institutions such as Penn State and the University at Buffalo and has raised more than $100 Million over the course of her career.
Having received a B. A. from Bucknell University and an M. B. A. from Penn State University, Maryann is also a Leadership NH alumna from the Class of 2011. She is President of AFP-NNE, past board chair of the Greater Keene Chamber of Commerce, Board Vice President of the NH & VT Council of Charitable Gift Planners, a 36-plus year member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and is very involved with regional arts organizations. She and her husband reside in Swanzey, NH, and have two grown children and two big dogs. On the rare occasions when she is not working or volunteering with non-profits, Maryann loves to grow flowers and swim off the coast of Maine.
President-Elect
Kristen Welch
NAMI New Hampshire
Kristen Welch, is the Director of Development at NAMI New Hampshire (National Alliance on Mental Illness), where she oversees all fundraising activities, including major gifts, annual fund, capital campaigns, grant writing, and donor relations. Her career in fundraising spans over 15 years, having served as Director of Development and Communications at two of New Hampshire's community mental health centers and, most recently, Director of Advancement at Community Action Partnership of Strafford County. Her volunteer experience includes serving as President of Laconia Rotary Club and member of the Laconia Rotary Club Board of Directors for 5 years, and a past member of the Rochester Rotary Club. She is currently the Vice-President of Marketing and Board Member for the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Northern New England Chapter.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Kristen is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a BA, Magna Cum Laude, in English and linguistics, where she was Phi Beta Kappa. She earned the Certified Fund Raising Executive certification in 2016. In her spare time, Kristen enjoys running, yoga, and reading. She lives in Somersworth with her husband and son.
Immediate Past-President
Christine M Strong
Strong Resource Group
Chris Strong principal of the Strong Resource Group. Strong Resource Group (SRG), established in 1992, provides consulting services to nonprofits and associations in Strategic Planning, Leadership Development, and Fundraising. We help organizations understand the complex issues they face, provide strategic counsel for defining and developing capacity and create long-‐term sustainable solutions by optimizing both the human and business resources of the organization. Chris Strong, Principal of SRG, is a Certified Fundraising Executive with more than 35 years of professional experience. Chris’ expertise is in organizational and operational assessments, strategic planning, staff and board development, and annual, capital and endowment fundraising. Before establishing SRG, Chris was a vice president of a major medical center in Southern California and an executive with an international association. Chris has an MBA from the University of Southern California and a BA from the University of Colorado. She is President of Great Bay Community College’s Board of Advisors and a Board member of the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation.
Secretary
Kathleen Uland Kelley
Kathleen Kelley
Kathleen Kelley retired as a CPA and as the university auditor of Brown University in 1988 to join her husband in a family lumber manufacturing business. She began to forge a North Country life with the first of four children in Berlin, NH. She quickly discovered a passion for improving the economic opportunities of young women in Northern New England, a community with a long history of underemployed and undereducated women. Kathleen has served as chairperson of many economic, community, and public school development projects. Kathleen works with various governmental and non-governmental organizations to connect worthy causes to grants and other resources. She took both AFP-NNE and CONFR professional education classes and subsequently passed the CFRE examination in 2009. Kathleen currently serves on the Randolph Mountain Club Board, which maintain 102 miles of hiking trails and a few huts on the northern side of the Presdientials. In her spare time, Kathleen enjoys bicycling, hiking, snowshoeing, and reading.
Member-at-Large
Lindsey Harty
Lindsey has 20 years of experience working with nonprofits in New England, supporting missions through relationship-building and fund development. She has worked with small- to mid-sized organizations throughout the area in both staff and consulting positions. Lindsey is a Certified Fund Raising Executive, receiving her certification in 2020. She graduated from Rhode Island School of Design in 2002, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts, and later completed a Master's Degree in Non-Profit Management from Northeastern University in 2019. Lindsey lives in the beautiful Green Mountains of Southern Vermont with her daughter and two dogs.
Member-at-Large
Melissa Howard
Concord Regional Visiting Nurse Association
Melissa Howard, MBA is the Director of Donor Relations for Concord Regional Visiting Nurse Association in Concord, New Hampshire. She is responsible for all fundraising operations for the Agency. She loves working with donors to match them with causes in which they are most passionate. Prior to joining Concord Regional VNA, Melissa worked at Elms College in Chicopee, MA as a Major Gifts Officer.
Melissa lives in Bow, NH with her husband and son and is excited to serve on the board of AFP-NNE. She looks forward to connecting with fellow members at an upcoming AFP-NNE event or conference.
Member-at-Large
Becky Kates
Krempels Center
Becky Kates is the Development Director for Krempels Center, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of individuals living with brain injury. In addition to being responsible for fundraising over 80% of the Krempels Center’s annual budget through individual donations, major gifts, events, grants, and corporate support, Becky is also responsible for all marketing, including social media engagement, website, newsletters, annual reports, and publications. Prior to her work at Krempels Center, Becky was the Development Director at Prescott Art Festival in Portsmouth, NH, and worked in development at New Hampshire Public Radio. Fundraising has been in her blood since her early years as a Girl Scout, and she loves connecting donors with their passions while bringing joy to people’s lives. She currently serves as co-chair of the ambassador committee for the Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth, and on the admissions committee for Leadership Seacoast. She’s also Volunteer Services Coordinator for Girl Scouting in six towns, and leads a Brownie Troop. She lives in Durham with her husband, two kids, two cats, and a whole lot of chaos.
Member-at-Large
Sara Olson
Avesta Housing
Sara Olson is the director of development & communications at Avesta Housing, an affordable housing provider in Maine and New Hampshire. Prior to Avesta, Sara served in a variety of nonprofit and education management roles. Most recently she was an independent contractor focused on development, communications and business management. She also served as the director of development & alumni relations at Newtown Friends School in Pennsylvania and the associate director of alumni admissions at the University of Pennsylvania. Sara is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and has certificates in nonprofit management and fundraising from the University of Pennsylvania College of General Studies. She is currently an MBA candidate at the University of Southern Maine. Sara serves as a board member for the Maine Public Relations Council, is a member of The Peddie School's Planned Giving Committee, and is a member of the Portland Chamber of Commerce's Economic & City Affairs Committee. Sara lives in Portland with her partner, two children, two cats and her dog, His Holiness the Doggy Lama.
