Leadership

Kathy Annette, MD

Prior to joining the Rural Philanthropy Institute board of directors, Kathy served as president and CEO of Blandin Foundation for 9 years, retiring in 2020. She received both her medical and undergraduate degrees from University of Minnesota. She is the first woman in the Minnesota Ojibwe Nation to become a physician.

Dwight Burlingame, PhD

Dwight is a retired professor of philanthropic studies at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. He has authored and co-authored 10 books, more than 55 articles, and more than 100 book reviews. He is the editor of Philanthropy in America: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopaedia.

Matt Ehlman, PhD

Matt earned a PhD in philanthropy from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, with a research focus on donor motivation, specifically regarding organizations without a traditional pool of donor prospects.  He was named a Eugene R. Tempel Fellow for the merit of his scholarly work, and a Bush Fellow to create the Rural Philanthropy Institute.

David R. Emery

David is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. He previously served on the Board of Directors for the United States Chamber of Commerce, the Edison Electric Institute and the American Gas Association. He is active in state and community affairs, currently serving on three gubernatorial-appointed boards in South Dakota and one in Wyoming.  

David retired as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Black Hills Corporation. 

Kelly Gibson

Kelly has more than 20 years of direct nonprofit management experience. Throughout her career, she has developed and administered nonprofit programs designed to address important community issues, particularly in rural and Native American communities.

Amy Novak, EdD

Amy became the 20th and first female president of Dakota Wesleyan University in June 2013. Under her leadership, DWU has experienced a radical transformation in a short period, showing growth across all critical indicators, including record enrollment, retention, and fundraising. Recently, the university’s commitment to innovation was featured in a new book, “Pivot: A Vision for the New University”.

In February 2021, Amy was named the 14th president of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA.

Ted Stephens III, MFA

Ted has worked in and for the nonprofit sector his entire career, providing leadership and consulting support on strategic communications and design in both rural areas and urban centers. His work encompasses arts, education, and immediate needs. He was the Grinter Fellow at the University of Florida.

Stephen A. Wilcox

Steve is president of the Wilcox Family Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to collaborating with other nonprofits in finding solutions to the issues affecting the poor especially in the areas of health care, education and housing.

He is a retired senior executive of Accenture, LLP.