Circle of Empowerment
In 2018, the Women's Endowment Fund created the Circle of Empowerment to maintain continued sustainability of the fund and increase its grantmaking impact each year. The Circle of Empowerment is a special group of donors who support the Women's Endowment Fund with an annual leadership gift of $1,000 or more. In 2022, the fund introduced a four-tier model for the Circle of Empowerment: Empower - $10,000, Uplift - $5,000, Inspire - $2,500, and Support - $1,000.
Donors to our Circle of Empowerment receive:
- Special recognition at our events, including being listed in all event programs
- Advance First-to-Know communication about the fund's latest news
- An invitation to our annual Circle of Empowerment gathering
- Opportunities to get involved with the fund's various committees
- The knowledge that their gifts uplift women in our community now and forever
To learn more about the Circle of Empowerment, please contact Deb Hoffman.
Give Online Pledge Form WEF Grantees
For online gifts, please select "This is a campaign gift" on the giving form.
Circle of Empowerment
Reflects donors as of Feb. 27, 2025
Sally & Roger Read
Katie & Mark Smucker
Karen & Glenn Leppo
Cheryl Venarge*
Laurie Zuckerman*~
Marcia Adair*
Virginia Addicott
Emily Browning
Paula Christ
Marie Covington*~
Pamela Kiltau
Susan Kinnamon*
Dianne Newman*
Monica Vinay
Jody Bacon~
Ann Amer Brennan*
Joan F. Wessman
Barb & Mike Abbott
Anonymous (2)
Drs. Sandy & Mark Auburn
Sandra & Bruce Bailey
Holly Harris Bane
Julie Carneal
Elizabeth Bartz & John Chames
Nancy Baxter
Sarah Watts Beneke
Beth Boggins
Susan Boggs
Wendy & Mike Bolas
Judge Jane Bond, ret.*
Kathryn Booth*
Diane Bray
Judge Alison Breaux
Candice Jones Carlyon
Theresa Carter
Donna Cerdas-Delgado
Judith Clapsaddle
Kittie Clarke*
Regina & Robert Cooper
Laura Culp
Robyn Cutler
Anita Davis, Esq.
Laura DiCola
Linda Diefendorff
Kathryn (Kitty) Dindo*
Jennifer DiSalvo
Constance Dubick
Dr. Cynthia Ederer
Betsy Engels
Kimberly Haws Falasco
Lashawrida Fellows
Jerilynn Ferguson*
Joni Fitch
Susan Flowers
Nicole & Alan Gaffney
Naomi Ganoe
Ruthie George
Toby Gorant
Barb Greene
Dr. Vivian von Gruenigen
CJ Haines
Louise Kuhns Harvey*
Carrie Herman~
Laura Hnat
Ramona Hood
Kim Huff
Margaret Watts Hunter
Rachel Hurst
Mary Ann Jackson*
Ashlee James
Gizelle Jones
Lisa King
Jill Kolesar
Lori & Mark Krohn
Carla Kun
Quinnie Lane
Laura Lederer - in memory of Shirley P. Stein
Pamela R. Leeson
Karen Lefton*
Margaret Lloyd
Dr. Leia' Love
Rita Kelly Madick
Holli Mallak
Jeannine Marks
Jackie & Greg McDermott
Hope & Chuck McGonigle
Margaret Medzie
Judy Nicely
Susan Novak*
Judge Joy Malek Oldfield
Dr. Ann K. Otto
Erin Palmer
Jill Penrose
Cindy & John T. Petures Jr.
Melodie Phillips, M.D.*
Kendra Philon
Angie Remen
Kathy Ress
Norma Rist~
Alita & Rick Rogers
Kristen Scalise
Renee Lucas Scherick
Ruth Benson Scott
Rev. Dr. Sandra Selby
Ilene Shapiro~
Debra Shifrin
Sandra Smith
Dr. Kathy Stafford
Alice & George Strickler
Valerie Bailey Stutler
V. Rena Suber
Judge Jennifer D. Towell
Sylvia Trundle
Pam Valentine
Marcy Venarge
Jessica Walsh
Jan Weaver
Barb Whiddon
Bernett L. Williams
Dr. Christine Williams
Dr. Evelyn S. Williams
Sonya Williams
Holly Wilt
Lorna Wisham
Becky Guzy Woodford
Christine Yuhasz
Empower tier donor of $10,000+ annually
Uplift tier donor of $5,000+ annually
Inspire tier donor of $2,500+ annually
Memorial donors
*Founding donor
~Founding Mother
Legacy Donors
We're grateful to those who have named the Women's Endowment Fund in a planned gift, such as a bequest, charitable gift annuity or life insurance policy. Their foresight and generosity ensures the fund will continue to empower women and girls in perpetuity.
Anonymous
Dr. Suzanne T. Allen
Drs. Sandy & Mark Auburn
Jody Bacon*
Tracy Carter
Marie & Harry Covington
Sylvia R. Davis
Kimberly Haws Falasco
Louise Kuhns Harvey
Pamela J. Kiltau
Thomas & Angelina Milo
Rev. Dr. Sandra Selby
Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer
*Deceased
Memorial Gifts
From Oct. 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025
Kathleen & Edward Berg by
Anonymous
Seth Canter by
Debra Hoffman
Betty Sandwick by
Susan Kinnamon
Honorary Gifts
From Oct. 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025
Bonnie Estep by
Dr. Ernie Estep
Polly Glanville by
Caritas Tzedakah Fund of Akron Community Foundation
Lisa King by
Athena Akron
John T. Petures, Jr. by
Rev. Dr. Sandra Selby
Katie Smucker by
Bonnie Estep
Ruthie George
Casye Hammer
Valeria Johnson
Lisa Kane
Jackie McDermott
Cindy & John T. Petures Jr.
Sylvia Trundle
Laurie Zuckerman
Sylvia Trundle by
Athena Akron
Mary Whitmer by
Kathryn Belfance
All Donors
From Oct. 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025
ACCESS Inc.
Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank
Akron Community Foundation
Akron Inner City Soccer Club
Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority Community Action Network
Akron Municipal Court
APV Engineered Coatings
Akron Urban League
Janey Ames
Anonymous (7)
Athena Akron
Dr. Sandy Auburn
AxessPointe and Family & Community Services
The Jody Bacon Fund of Akron Community Foundation
Baird
Barberton Community Foundation
Frances S. Buchholzer
Elizabeth Bartz & John Chames
The Phyllis Behrle West Fund of Akron Community Foundation
Judge Eve Belfance
Kathryn A. Belfance
Alecia Bencze
Wendy & Mike Bolas
Mary K. Booth Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation
Dr. Angela Brake
Diane Bray
Alison Breaux
Emily Browning
Marian Calvin
Dr. Cynthia Capers
Caritas Tzedakah Fund of Akron Community Foundation
Julie Carneal
Margaret T. Carroll Memorial Fund of Akron Community Foundation
Tracy Carter
CASA Board Volunteer Association
CBIZ Valuation Group, LLC
Donna Cerdas-Delgado
Paula Christ
Judith Clapsaddle
Cleveland Clinic Akron General
The Cleveland Orchestra
Cohen & Co.
Bailey Cole
Community Legal Aid
Becky Considine
Regina & Robert Cooper
Marie Covington
Culp Family Charitable Fund
Cultura Dynamics, LLC
Anita Davis
Lisa Dean
Laura DiCola
Linda Diefendorff
Kitty Dindo
Dot Org Solutions
W. Scott & Linda Earhart
Cindy Ederer
Emmanuel Christina Academy
Empowered Network
Betsy Engels
Bonnie Estep
Dr. Ernie Estep
Evolve Marketing
Kimberly Haws Falasco
Family Promise of Summit County
John & Sue Fassoles
Sheriff Kandy Fatheree
Lashawrida Fellows
Jerilynn Ferguson
Fifth Third Bank
Joni Fitch
Susan Flowers
GAR Foundation
Ruthie George
Tom & Daralee Ghinder
Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio
Grace House Akron
Greater Akron Chamber
Barb Greene
Dr. Vivian von Gruenigen
Debbie Hagarty
CJ Haines
Casye Hammer
Holly Harris Bane
Wendy Hart
Louise Kuhns Harvey
Kani Hightower
Laura Hnat
Ramona Hood
Hope Meadows Foundation
The Hull Institute
Margaret Watts Hunter
Huntington Bank
Danielle Hupp-Miller
Rachel Hurst
IBH Addiction Recovery
Insurance Service Agency
Valeria Johnson
Johnson-Kazer Foundation
Ashlee Jones
Judge Amy Corrigall Jones
Gizelle Jones
Lisa Kane
Elizabeth Kargbo
Kent State University
Elizabeth Khayyat
Pamela Kiltau
Susan Kinnamon
Thomas Kintz
Jill Kolesar
Jody Miller Konstand
Pearl Leeper Korman and Sandy Kornam Auburn Fund of Akron Community Foundation
Doug Kuczynski
Carla Kun
Quinnie Lane
Leadership Akron
Karen C. Lefton Endowment Fund for Survivors of Domestic Violence of the Women's Endowment Fund
Teresa LeGrair
Leppo Rents
Margaret McDowell Lloyd
Dr. Leia' Love
Eloise & Boyd Mackus
Mayor Shammas Malik
Holli Mallak
Jackie & Greg McDermott
Jackie McDermott
Hope & Chuck McGonigle
Eva McKnight
Meaden & Moore
Margaret Medzie
Millican Family Fund
Traci Mockbee
Monica Morson
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Szymborski
Sherry Neubert
Dianne Newman
Judy Nicely
Northeast Ohio Public Energy
O.E. Strategies
Alisa Benedict O'Brien
Judge Joy Malek Oldfield
Jill Oldham
Ann Otto
Allison Peltz
Cindy & John T. Petures Jr.
Liv Pilon
Alexandra Potter
Carrie Pozsgay
Presper Financial Architects
RAHAB Ministries
The Read Family
Kathy Ress
Rev. Dr. Sandra Selby
Rick & Alita Rogers
Samantha Richardson
Julie Roberts
Roetzel & Andress
Michele L. Root
Lillian and William Rosenblatt Fund of Akron Community Foundation
Bruce & Ann Rowland
The Salvation Army
Renee Lucas Scherick
Sequoia Financial Group
The Sherwin-Williams Foundation
Debra Shifrin
The J.M. Smucker Company
Katie & Mark Smucker
SRS Fund of Akron Community Foundation
State & Federal Communications, Inc.
Stewart's Caring Place
Valerie Bailey Stutler
Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro's Department of Job and Family Services
Summit County Prosecutor's Office
Summit Legal Defenders
Symbiotic Collective
Judge Linda Tucci Teodosio
Time to Spare, LLC
Michelle Togliatti
Judge Jennifer D. Towell
Sylvia Trundle
Johnson Controls
United Way of Summit & Medina
The University of Akron
Pamela Valentine
Cheryl Venarge
Marcy Venarge
Monica Vinay
Jessica Walsh
Jan Weaver
The Well CDC
Karen Widder
Willard E. Smucker Foundation
Evelyn Williams
Robert E. & Judy Everett Wilson Fund of Akron Community Foundation
Holly Wilt
Rebecca Guzy Woodford
Christine Yuhasz
Amber Zibritosky
Laurie Zuckerman