About BoardStrong

Learn more about our organization and the values that drive us.

Our Mission

BoardStrong’s mission is to advance the nonprofit sector and the impact of the work nonprofits do by supporting the achievement of the highest standards of board leadership, governance and oversight. We do this by providing nonprofit board recruitment and placement, board training, and consultation. We provide educational resources for organizations and individuals. Our online board recruitment platform connects organizations to talented and diverse board candidates from outside their networks.

Our Vision

A vibrant, impactful nonprofit sector governed by boards of directors made up of diverse, educated and motivated members.

    Our Core Values

    • Unyielding focus on strengthening nonprofit boards
    • Strong spirit of collaboration
    • Dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion
    • Fundamental belief in the value of citizens serving as volunteer trustees
    • Deep commitment to respectful communication
    • Protection of privacy

    Questions about using BoardStrong’s matching portal? Click here to view our FAQ page.

    Our Board Officers

    David M. Rottkamp, CPA | Board Chair

    David M. Rottkamp, CPA | Board Chair

    Partner, Not-for-Profit Practice Leader, Grassi Advisors & Accountants

    David M. Rottkamp, CPA, is an Audit Partner, Not-for-Profit Practice Leader, at Grassi Advisors & Accountants. David has over 35 years of experience providing audit and advisory services to the not-for-profit and health care industries. David focuses on organizations serving individuals with special needs, religious organizations, educational institutions, membership associations, social service providers, healthcare providers, foundations, and the arts and culture world. David’s technical knowledge allows him to provide specific services, including Single Audits/Uniform Guidance compliance audits and retirement plan audits. David is an active member of the New York State Society of CPAs (NYSSCPA), where he is a previous Chair of the Not-for-Profit Committee and several of its subcommittees, including government funding sources and cost reporting updates. David is a graduate from Pace University, with a BBA in Accounting.

    Janet Farrell | Vice Chair

    Janet Farrell | Vice Chair

    Group Vice President, Education and Nonprofit Banking Group (Retired), M&T Bank

    In May 2021, Janet Farrell ’73 retired from M&T Bank as group vice president for the Education, Not-for-Profit, and Community Development Banking Group, responsible for strategy, products, and service delivery through the bank’s regional specialty teams from Richmond to Boston. She also pioneered and oversaw the growth of the bank’s New Markets Tax Credit portfolio. Farrell’s work was also informed by her prior or current service on numerous nonprofit boards, including Goucher College, BoardStrong, Hispanic College Fund, Latino Economic Development Corporation, CulturalDC, GALA Hispanic Theatre, the IN Series, and Washington Performing Arts. Over her many years in banking, Farrell held positions in retail banking, training and development, and commercial lending and played a key role in the bank’s diversity and inclusion efforts. Farrell holds a B.A. in Spanish from Goucher, where she graduated with high honors and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, and an M.B.A. in finance from Loyola University of Maryland.

    Eleanor (Ellie) Hume | Treasurer

    Eleanor (Ellie) Hume | Treasurer

    Regional Director, Your Part-Time Controller, LLC

    Ellie Hume is the YPTC’s North/Northeast Regional Director and provides support to several physical offices in the region while also seeking out new opportunities to open additional YPTC offices across the country. Ms. Hume has been working with non-profit and governmental organizations to build stronger accounting departments for more than 20 years and takes pride in helping nonprofits reach financial management nirvana through best accounting practices and strong fiscal governance.

    Ellie lives in Long Island, NY with her husband and is an active member of the NYSSCPA, the AICPA and serves on the NYSSCPA’s Not-for-Profit Organizations, CFO, and Diversity and Inclusion Committees and has become a frequent speaker with many NY based nonprofit focused organization such as NYN Media, Nonprofit New York, Philanthropy New York, NYCON and NYSSCPA/FAE. Ms. Hume has also appeared on several of YPTC’s national webinars as well as numerous episodes of The Nonprofit Show.

    Jabari Bell | Secretary

    Jabari Bell | Secretary

    Director, Strategic Development, The Delaine Companies

    Our Board of Directors

         David Birdsell, PhD, ex officio
         Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic
         Affairs
         Kean University

     

         Marina Cvetkovic
         CEO & Lead Executive Advisor
         Heimann Cvetkovic & Partners AG

     

         Hsing Hsing Li
         President
         Illuminate, LLC

     

         

         Kathryn (Kathy) Kessel
         Senior Vice President, Executive and Global                       Compensation
         Metlife, Inc.

     

         Jeremy Tennenbaum
         Principal
         Mercer

     

     

     

         Mary Ellen Cologero
         Vice President, Senior Wealth Manager
         Wilmington Trust

     

     

         Reg Foster
         Principal 
         Reg Foster Consulting

     

         Mike Kear
         Chief of Analytics – Strategy – Transformation –             Operations – Assurance Wireless
         T-Mobile

     

         
         Sheila M. Strong, EdD
         Chief of Staff
         TogetherNow

     

     

    Our Staff

    Megan Allen

    Megan Allen

    CEO

    Megan is a trusted nonprofit leader of two decades with proven managerial, communications, and team-building skills who specializes in organizational growth. She is also a board member with the Capital District Women’s Employment and Resource Center.

    Barbara Paxton

    Barbara Paxton

    Director

    Barbara has years of experience working with nonprofit boards and helping them achieve success. She is an expert in personalized board matching services and has served on boards of The Pearl Theatre Company, Heiress Productions and the New York Junior League.

    Margaret Kilts

    Margaret Kilts

    Community Engagement Coordinator

    Margaret is a recent graduate from Maria College with a degree in Liberal Arts and Communications. She serves a dual role working with both BoardStrong and NYCON’s membership team.