Trustees & Staff

Bill came to the Trust in late 2020 after serving as the President & CEO of the Santa Fe Community Foundation in New Mexico, where his leadership led to significant growth and focus to the agency’s grantmaking and impact investing portfolios. Prior to moving into philanthropy, he spent 25 years in DC and New York City working in the nonprofit sector in policy and advocacy around various health and rights issues, as well as leading a national membership association made up of state, local, and territorial health departments. He also had a life in academia and taught at the University of New Mexico in the area of politics and health. He has served on many advisory groups and Boards of Directors and currently serves on the Board of Funders for LGBT Issues.

Nancy Kartes joined the Trust in 2022 after serving in the public garden sector for nearly 40 years. She began her career in public horticulture at National Tropical Botanical Garden and retired as Director of Bellevue Botanical Garden in 2022. She served on the American Public Gardens Association Board of Directors for 5 years. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Ornamental Horticulture from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. Her role as Grants Director is the culmination of a lifelong passion for public horticulture.

Dan joined the Trust in 2014 and has worked in domestic and international philanthropy and grantmaking for over 20 years. Dan currently serves on the Board of Directors of PEAK Grantmaking (formerly the Grants Managers Network) and previously served various leadership roles in PEAK's Northern California chapter and as a co-chair of the 2018 PEAK Grantmaking national conference. Dan received a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the College of William and Mary, and a Master’s degree in Musicology from the University of Virginia.

Cindy joined the Trust in 2026 and has worked in philanthropy for the past ten years, serving in a variety of roles across programs, learning and evaluation, and grants management functions, all of which have informed her grantee-centered approach. Throughout her career, she has helped foundations learn from data, improve their processes, and operationalize equitable grantmaking practices to better support nonprofit partners. Cindy received a Master’s degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Texas A&M University and is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Janet returned to the Trust in 2021 and brings over 25 years of experience supporting philanthropy, the nonprofit sector, and government. Prior to re-joining the Trust, Janet was the Volunteer Coordinator at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens and a Finance Technician for the City of Fort Bragg, CA. She previously served the Trust for five years as Grants Manager. Janet received a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Virginia Tech and a Master’s degree in Information Management from The George Washington University.