The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation announces the planned retirement of its program director for community and economic development, Mary Hunt. A native of Clarksburg, West Virginia, Ms. Hunt joined the Foundation on December 1, 1999.
Lloyd Jackson, Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees commended Mary’s work saying, “Mary has been a valued member of the Benedum Foundation family for over 20 years. She always was the consummate professional and the value she has added to the organizations, communities, and especially the people she worked with over those years is immeasurable. We will miss Mary, but she leaves the Foundation with a rich legacy, the value of which few people ever create, and for which she forever can be proud.”
Mary came to Benedum with experience in both government, at the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, and the private sector, at Toyota, where she held management roles with responsibilities in finance, human resources, and general administration. During her time at Benedum, Mary championed community-led strategies and brought new thinking to the Foundation about how to shape greater impact. “Mary is completely devoted to community development,” said Benedum President Jen Giovannitti, “and that is why she has successfully forged strategies within Benedum to leverage big federal grants, support housing and entrepreneurship, nurture new sources of investment capital, scale the work of critical capacity building intermediary organizations, and invest in downtown redevelopment.”
In addition to her deep love of West Virginia, Mary has a spirit of optimism. She maintains a passion for Michael Benedum’s viewpoint that “we know not where a seed may sprout.” Brandon Dennison of Coalfields Development Corporation has worked with Mary for years and said, “Mary Hunt believed in Coalfield Development as an innovative organization, and in me as a young leader, very early on in our formation. Without a doubt, I’m one of several hundred young leaders in this state whose lives were changed by Mary. Sometimes, innovation gets messy. It takes grit to stick with the vision. And it takes persistent problem solving to overcome barriers. Her ability to make good work happen is unrivaled.”
In the last decade, Benedum has helped leverage more federal dollars into West Virginia by embracing agencies like the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) as trusted colleagues. Mary set out to build capacity and help communities apply for the larger, more ambitious POWER grants from the ARC. In fact, Mary realized early on that philanthropy alone would never be the answer, so she built partnerships and invited others to add resources. In 2010, under Mary’s leadership, Benedum was part of a small group of foundations with the ARC that envisioned a funders network for central Appalachia, and after over a decade of continual funding, the Appalachia Funders Network has grown to a level of both independence and national recognition as a leader of innovative work.
Stephanie Tyree Executive Director of West Virginia Community Development Hub (The Hub) and Kent Spellman, founding Executive Director of The Hub both worked with Mary for years. Kent Spellman said, “It was Mary who pushed for the development of a Community Development Model that would bring better returns, and Mary who was more responsible than any other individual for the creation of the West Virginia Community Development Hub to implement that model.” Stephanie Tyree explained, “Mary is a sounding board and a thought partner; a dreamer and maker of the future who shows up each day with unreasonable optimism, which helped make all of us who worked with her more optimistic about the change we could make. Her energy and positivity rubbed off on all of us.”
Mary Hunt played such a pivotal role in helping communities help themselves that in 2019 she was recognized by West Virginia Living Magazine as West Virginian of the Year. Her work models how philanthropy can invest in growing rural intermediaries and create the right environment for true systems change. Congratulations to Mary Hunt on an impactful career!
By Jen Hammerstrom | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Hazelwood Green, Transforming a Brownfield
This Hazelwood Green video outlines stunning transformation of former steel mill site into community-guided development
Hazelwood Green is a former steel mill site on 178 acres of Hazelwood’s riverfront along the Monongahela River. The property was purchased out of bankruptcy for $10 million by local foundations in 1999. This foresight ensured that the site could be land banked for a thoughtful redevelopment vision that could benefit the neighborhood, city, and region as a whole. Today the three foundation owners, Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, and Richard King Mellon Foundation, remain committed to the redevelopment of Hazelwood Green. Through deep community partnerships – and guided by tenets of equity and ecological sustainability – the twenty-year project has seen major progress in recent months. The openings of the Plaza at Hazelwood Green and The Roundhouse, the expansion of Mill 19, and significant new investment announcements are sparking international interest in the site. Watch this short video to learn more.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 14, 2021
Contact: Jennifer A. Giovannitti, President
412-246-3642
Benedum Foundation Announces New Program Staff
PITTSBURGH (May 14, 2021) – Melanie Claxton has been named Senior Program Officer of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. She will join the Foundation on June 3, 2021 and will oversee the Foundation’s grants programs in education.
Ms. Claxton comes to Benedum with expertise in learning initiatives aimed at out-of-school time.
As the Coordinator, Out-of- School Time, for Pittsburgh Public Schools, Ms. Claxton implemented flexible policies that adapted to the needs of those served, specifically in informal learning environments. Ms. Claxton has led national sessions on implementing evidence-based, high-quality summer learning programs and continues to push for the advancement and extension of quality learning opportunities for youth.
“Melanie is passionate about helping kids and families and she is joining Benedum at the perfect time to advance our work in education. She has led programs that function alongside the public-school model, which shows the creativity and collaboration we are looking for at Benedum” said Jen Giovannitti, President of the Benedum Foundation. She added, “Melanie has experience with training and evaluation, but it was her focus on policy, partnerships and coalition-building that meant a lot as well.”
Ms. Claxton is currently Co-Chair Elect of the Pennsylvania School-Age Child Care Alliance (PENN SACCA), a committee member of the Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST) Executive Committee, a grant making committee member of the Three Rivers Community Foundation, and a co‑founder of Benevine.
“After working in the second largest school system in the state of Pennsylvania, Melanie brings an existing connection to many of our local and regional partners” said Lloyd Jackson, Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Benedum Foundation.
Ms. Claxton earned her Master of Science in Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College, and her Bachelor of Science in Biology at the University of Michigan.
The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation was established in 1944 by Michael and Sarah Benedum, natives of West Virginia, as a memorial to their only child, Claude Worthington, who died in 1918 at the age of 20. The Foundation is a regional foundation focusing primarily on West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania. For more information on the Foundation, please see: www.benedum.org.
Why is bridging the rural-urban divide so important?
Thursday, April 15, 2021
If you did not have the opportunity to enjoy the April 15 live-stream event and/or would like to share this interview, please view and share using the video found here.
One of our polarized country’s most pronounced challenges is the growing divide between rural and urban America. It is a gap that includes significant variations in economic opportunities and what can be debilitating disparities in critical modern infrastructure, such as access to high-speed internet. It is a gap that also includes sometimes stark social and political differences. Understanding and effectively addressing this divide is essential for the wellbeing of our democracy.
About Our Speaker Jen Giovannitti, President of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, was our guest for a live-stream discussion with Mark Nordenberg on bridging the divide between rural and urban America.
Jen Giovannitti is the President of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, a place-based funder dedicated to rural communities. It generally invests two-thirds of its grant dollars in West Virginia and one-third in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
Prior to joining the Benedum Foundation, Ms. Giovannitti led community-based initiatives for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, working both regionally and nationally on issues facing low income communities and advancing strategies for community investment. Earlier in her career, she lived in West Virginia for 11 years and led a succession of important economic development initiatives.
Sponsored by: The Institute of Politics
The Dick Thornburgh Forum for Law and Public Policy
Co-sponsored by: The Benedum Foundation
Pitt Honors College
Pitt School of Social Work
University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation announces the retirement of esteemed Program Director and Vice President, Jim Denova, effective June 30, 2021.
“Jim Denova has been essential to Benedum’s work over the last twenty years. Everyone knows Jim!” said President Jen Giovannitti. Dr. Denova joined the Foundation on January 1, 2000 as Senior Program Officer for Southwestern Pennsylvania. In his twenty years with the Foundation, he has worked with grantees throughout West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania to support and advance strategies in education, workforce, and economic development. In 2007 he became Vice President and assumed responsibility for regional planning, staff support to the President, and the creation of an interstate Education Grants Program that continues to emphasize innovation in instructional practice, arts education, and career education reform. He has created collegial and integrated systems across state boundaries on the principle that creativity is born of the diversity and cross-pollination of ideas and perspectives. Dr. Denova has established lasting partnerships for the Benedum Foundation with university leaders, nonprofit organizations, and progressive thinkers in public and private education.
Dr. Denova’s passion for education has formed valuable alliances in both Pennsylvania and West Virginia. “I’m losing my partner,” said Gregg Behr, executive director of The Grable Foundation. “And the funny thing is that probably at least a dozen of my colleagues are saying the same thing. You want Jim by your side. When you’re wrestling with complicated matters, Jim takes apart the hard questions and makes them simple and straightforward. When you go places, Jim usually knows who’s doing what because he’s already invested himself in learning and appreciating what’s going on. And when it comes time to make decisions, Jim’s the one who blends wisdom and wit, always making things seem possible.”
In addition to grantmaking, Dr. Denova has advanced the Benedum Foundation’s established commitment to community leadership by co-chairing such regional entities as the Remake Learning Network, the Tri-State Energy & Advanced Manufacturing Consortium, the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative, and the University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics Workforce Committee.
Dr. Denova’s devotion to West Virginia has fueled partnerships around education policy and innovation. “Jim is a fan of piloting ideas and trusting schools and teachers and communities to be leaders. He has a deep belief in quality education and embraces research to think progressively,” noted President Jen Giovannitti. “His list of partners in West Virginia is endless.”
Scott Rotruck, Member of the West Virginia Board of Education, and Co-Chair of the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative with Dr. Denova said, “Personally, Jim has been my lifeline as I climb the steep learning curve of being a Member of the West Virginia Board of Education and the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative. Jim is the master of the public, private, academic, nonprofit partnership. In a time when agreement is rare in the public domain, Jim Denova’s retirement allows us a point of overwhelming consensus; that he has been a pioneering, collaborative leader in education. Jim and his esteemed Benedum colleagues and board have built a launchpad for what comes next.”
Lloyd Jackson, Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, added, “The Foundation and its Board of Trustees congratulate Jim on his well-earned retirement. He has left an indelible mark on the Benedum Foundation and we are grateful for his friendship and service. The board will miss Jim’s leadership and wise counsel.”
The Benedum Foundation is pleased to announce that Cassie Scarano of Koya Leadership Partners will lead the search for the successor position: Program Director for Education.
Part of the Diversified Search Group, Koya is a leading executive search firm working specifically with mission-driven organizations and philanthropic institutions. You can find the full job description here and if you are interested in learning more or nominating potential candidates, please contact Cassie directly at cscarano@koyapartners.com.
The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation was established in 1944 by Michael and Sarah Benedum, natives of West Virginia, as a memorial to their only child, Claude Worthington, who died in 1918 at the age of 20. The Foundation is a regional foundation focusing primarily on West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania following the expressed wish that grantmaking be focused in West Virginia and Pittsburgh, their native and adopted homes. The Benedum Foundation is known for both its leadership in West Virginia as a rural funder and its role as a creative partner with other foundations in the Pittsburgh region. Since inception, the Foundation has distributed in excess of $500,000,000. For more information on the Foundation, please see: www.benedum.org.
The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation was delighted to learn that Christa A. Dotson, of Northeast Natural Energy in Morgantown, nominated Michael Benedum, posthumously, for the American Association of Professional Landmen (“AAPL”) Pioneer Award.
The AAPL is a nationwide professional organization for landmen working in the oil and gas industry. As a member of the AAPL and the local chapter, Michael Late Benedum Chapter, Christa took the initiative to nominate Michael Benedum for the AAPL’s Pioneer Award.
Christa alerted us that on June 18, 2020 at the 2020 AAPL Annual Meeting, Michael Benedum was posthumously selected as the winner of this year’s Pioneer Award. What a tremendous surprise! In receiving this award, the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation will add $1,000 to its grantmaking for the year. 100% of this award will be granted to Benedum grantees in 2020.
Thank you, Christa, on behalf of the Foundation and our West Virginia grantees.
In our 75 years of serving West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania, the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation has worked carefully with our grantees during times of war recovery, economic volatility and community crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic is raising new concerns that will undoubtedly affect many of our grantees who will need to navigate the future in a new way.
The Benedum Foundation has been reaching out to our vast network to see how we can best help. Many of the fundamental organizations that work statewide as core intermediaries are stepping up to meet this crisis head on. We have adapted our own giving priorities for the year to support a COVID-19 response that supports the gaps arising in health, education and community resiliency.
We appreciate the partnership we have with many of our peer foundations during this time.
A list of our grants and the COVID-19 priorities they support can be found here.
By Sandy Harvey | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Rural Health Leader Larry Rhodes, M.D. Joins the Board of the Benedum Foundation
PITTSBURGH (September 17, 2019) – Larry A. Rhodes, M.D., a pediatric cardiologist and one of the nation’s leading advocates for rural children’s health, has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. He will join the board on January 1, 2020. He replaces Robert B. Walker, M.D., who has stepped down after 11 years of service on the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. As Trustee Emeritus, Dr. Walker will continue his commitment to the region and the Foundation.
Dr. Rhodes has served as a Professor of Pediatrics in the West Virginia University School of Medicine since 2005 and is the founding director of the University’s Institute for Community and Rural Health. He was honored by the National Rural Health Association as its Rural Practitioner of the Year. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Cardiology. A graduate of Alderson Broaddus College, he received his medical degree from West Virginia University School of Medicine and completed his residency at WVU Hospital. After fellowships at Boston Children’s Hospital in pediatric cardiology and clinical electrophysiology and lecturing in pediatrics at Harvard University, he returned to WVU School of Medicine. In 1995 he joined the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania as an attending Pediatric Cardiologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia before returning permanently to West Virginia in 2005.
In addition to teaching at the WVU School of Medicine, Dr. Rhodes maintains a clinical practice in Morgantown and also provides outreach pediatric cardiology care in several rural communities including, Lewisburg, Glenville, Summerville, Beckley, Gary and Pineville. He volunteers each summer at Camp Mountain Heart – a week-long adventure where patients aged 8-17 participate in fun activities under close medical supervision. In 2017 he helped establish a second summer camp, Tomorrow is Mine, for children in southern West Virginia to instill in them the belief that their future is bright and under their control. Under his leadership, the WVU Institute for Community and Rural Health has enabled more than 1,000 students to complete rural health training and has provided scholarships to encourage WVU dental and medical students to commit to practice in rural locations.
“Dr. Rhodes’ deep commitment to West Virginia’s children has inspired health leaders throughout the State and the country,” said Jennifer Giovannitti, president of the Benedum Foundation. “We will benefit from his expertise and look forward to learning from him how to address the State’s most critical public health issues.”
The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation was established in 1944 by Michael and Sarah Benedum, natives of West Virginia, as a memorial to their only child, Claude Worthington Benedum, who died in 1918 at the age of 20. The Foundation is a regional foundation focusing primarily on West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania.
