Our Staff
Vernon J. Henricks, President & CEO
Vern has spent his entire career as a development professional and consultant. He has served in several roles during his career. Those include being Vice President of Institutional Advancement for Manhattan Christian College (KS), Senior Vice President for Hartsook & Associates consulting firm (KS), Vice President of Major Gift Programs for the KSU Foundation (KS), Executive Director of Development for the College of Engineering at Iowa State University (IA), Director of Development for the School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburg (PA), Associate Athletic Director at Humboldt State University (CA), and Assistant Athletic Director and Head Baseball Coach at Fort Hays State University (KS). Vern earned both his B.S. and M.S. degrees at Kansas State University. He and Lane were married in 1981 and have two children. Jordan is married to Brittany, and they have three children; Grace, Kaleb, and Luke. Lauren is married to Ross Metheny.
Email: vernh@mcfks.org | Phone: (785) 587-8995 Ext. 101
Marla Brandon, Vice President of Finance
Marla Brandon joined the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation staff in December 2012. She came to the Foundation with over twenty years of experience in the accounting and finance field. Marla grew up in Manhattan. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Friends University and a Master of Business Administration from Baker University. Marla is a graduate of the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program. Marla serves on the Board of Directors of the Manhattan Area Technical College Foundation. She is a former adjunct instructor at Highland Community College, the University of Mary, and Kansas State University. Marla is a member of the Pilot Club of Manhattan.
Email: marlab@mcfks.org | Phone: (785) 587-8995 Ext. 102
Gary Fees, Director of Investments Services
Gary joined the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation in June 2020. He works with our donors, fundholders, and investment advisors. Gary came to GMCF with over twenty years of experience with the City of Manhattan, most recently as city clerk, a position he had served in since 2001 until his retirement. Previously, Gary served as Marketing/Business Manager with Meredith Corporation in Des Moines, IA, and held various positions with the Omaha World-Herald Company at the Huron Plainsman, Huron, SD, and the Kearney Hub, Kearney, NE. Gary holds a master's degree in Personal Financial Planning from Kansas State University and a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Gary is a graduate of the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program and earned the designation of Master Municipal Clerk from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks Association. Gary and his wife, Bronwyn, originally from Nebraska, have called Manhattan home since 1998. They have two grown sons, Isaac and Alex.
Email: garyf@mcfks.org | Phone: (785) 587-8995 Ext. 107
Mitzi Richards, Director of Philanthropy
Mitzi joined the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation in June 2022. She began her leadership career as Chief Executive Officer at Good Shepherd Homecare and Hospice. She then joined the Kansas State University Foundation in 1997, where she led the advancement teams for the College of Engineering and later in Corporate and Foundation Relations. In 2019, Mitzi transitioned into the private sector when joining the financial services industry with Keating & Associates, where she led the marketing efforts for the advisor teams they partnered with. As Director of Philanthropy, Mitzi will advance the philanthropic efforts of the GMCF through her work with community leaders and foundation partners throughout northeast Kansas.
Email: mitzir@mcfks.org | Phone: (785) 587-8995 Ext. 103
Community Philanthropy
MaKenna Eilert, Director of Marketing
MaKenna joined the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation in January 2020. She originally started as an intern, then was promoted to Communications Coordinator, and has now joined the Foundation full-time as the Director of Marketing. As the Director of Marketing, MaKenna curates marketing content and manages social media platforms for GMCF and its Partners. She also manages the GMCF Community Hour radio show, advises the Youth Impacting Community Program, and assists with event planning. MaKenna holds a Master's in Public Administration degree from Kansas State University. She also has a B.S. in Political Science from K-State with a minor in Leadership Studies and certificates in Nonprofit Leadership and Primary Texts. MaKenna received the Olivia P. Collins Nonprofit Leadership Outstanding Graduating Senior Award from K-State in 2021 after completing the Nonprofit Certificate.
Email: makennae@mcfks.org | Phone: (785) 587-8995 Ext. 108
Edee Nichols, Grants & Scholarships Coordinator
Edee started in her role as Scholarship Coordinator at the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation in August 2018 and transitioned into the Grants & Scholarships Coordinator in June 2022. In this position, she communicates with donors, counselors, students, and selection committees to connect deserving students with the funds to help further their education and administer GMCF grant programs. That’s a lot of communicating! Edee and her husband, Justin, have lived in Manhattan for ten years. Before her work at GMCF, she stayed at home with their two sons. She has a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Kansas State University and spent ten years at Sprint in Capital Asset Accounting. Edee loves to read, bake, watch the Royals, and cheer on her sons at their baseball games in her spare time.
Email: edeen@mcfks.org | | Phone: (785) 587-8995 Ext. 105
Felix Jimenez, Digital Marketing Coordinator
Felix joined the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation in June 2021. He is a self-taught graphic designer and photographer. He holds a bachelor’s degree in social science and a minor in entrepreneurship and anthropology from Kansas State University. As the Digital Marketing Coordinator, Felix is responsible for managing the GMCF website and Philanthropy Today Podcast, assisting in social media and marketing strategies, and helping with other various projects around the office. Previously, Felix spent 13 years serving in the United States Army as a Geospatial Engineer.
Email: felixj@mcfks.org| Phone: (785) 587-8995 Ext. 110
Sally Braun, Finance Assistant
Sally joined the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation in May 2019. She came to the Foundation with 22 years of experience in bookkeeping. Sally grew up in Nebraska but has lived in Kansas for 25 years. She has worked in various businesses, including plumbing, hospitality, real estate, and feed merchandising. Sally has three children; Joe is a massage therapist in Manhattan, and Alyson and Brooke are seniors at Manhattan High School.
Email: sallyb@mcfks.org | Phone: (785) 587-8995 Ext. 104
Derrick Jackson, Finance Assistant
Derrick joined the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation in April 2024. He came to the Foundation with roughly 14 years of accounting experience. He is married to his wife Frances, and they have two sons; Jehvios and DJ. Derrick's wife volunteers for the Breadbasket and is actively involved in our church. Their oldest son, Jehvios, is 20 and the youngest, Derrick Jackson, Jr. (DJ), is 7. Quite an age gap! Derricks enjoys fishing, vegetable gardening, reading, singing, and involvement in my local church in his free time.
Email: derrickj@mcfks.org| Phone: (785) 587-8995 Ext. 106
Stacy Smith, Executive Assistant & Grants Manager
Stacy joined the Greater Community Foundation in October 2023. She came to the Foundation with over eight years of experience in administration, federal grants, and finance. In her capacity with GMCF, Stacy will assist the President & CEO. She will also provide grants management for funds received from the State of Kansas regarding the Flint Hills Childcare Accelerator project. Stacy holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with early experience in secondary education. Stacy moved to Manhattan in 2020 - immediately falling in love with the beauty of the terrain and the people. She and her husband, Jason, have eight children and four grandchildren.
Email: stacys@mcfks.org |Phone: (785) 587-8995 Ext. 111
Aimee Nelson, Wamego Community Foundation Executive Director & Partner Liaison: Group 1
Aimee joined the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation in March 2023. As the executive assistant, she provides administrative support to the CEO, manages projects related to the Strategic Plan and other priorities, and monitors correspondence. She has lived in the Greater Manhattan Community for 18 years and, like many, went to K-State for college and never left the area. In her free time, Aimee likes to play golf and spend evenings & weekends at the ball fields with her kids. She currently serves on the board of directors at Wamego Country Club and remains heavily involved in the Wamego Community.
Email: aimeen@mcfks.org |Phone: (785) 410-3508
Leslie Scoby, Partner Liaison: Group 2
Leslie joined the GMCF staff as an Affiliate Coordinator in January 2017. After working as the director of the Nemaha County Step Foundation, Leslie saw a need for a community foundation in Sabetha. The Greater Sabetha Community Foundation was founded in 2015, and later she agreed to help spread the word about community foundations. As a result, in the past few years, many new affiliate foundations have emerged in the northeast Kansas area. Before her work in the community foundation world, she spent 30 years in the classroom teaching American Government, Social Studies, Psychology, and Sociology in Sabetha schools. She lives in Sabetha with her farmer/County Commissioner husband, Gary. Gary and Leslie have four children and fourteen grandchildren living in Sabetha, Overland Park, and Montclair, California. She enjoys playing bridge, reading, traveling, and being with family and friends. She enjoys sharing the "goodness" that can come from an active community foundation in any size community.
Email: leslie@sabethafoundation.org | Phone: (785) 285-1765
Christine Benne, Military Relations Coordinator & Partner Liaison: Group 3
Christine joined the GMCF team in March 2022. She is active in the military community and serves on numerous military-related boards such as the Military Relations Committee, Flint Hills Veterans Coalition, Association of the United States Army, Central Kansas Military Community Foundation, and Fort Riley Museum Board. She has also been active locally, where she serves on the Manhattan Chamber Business Advocacy Committee, Riley County Public Health Advisory Committee, Katie’ Way Board, Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation board, Manhattan Alcohol Risk Prevention Coalition, Manhattan Konza Rotary Club, and has also served as a Supervising Judge for Riley County/City Elections. As our initial Military Relations Coordinator. Christine oversees the Armed Forces Community Foundation and the relationship-building with our active duty and retired military families.
Email: christineb@mcfks.org | Phone: (785) 587-8995 Ext. 109
Military Relations Partners Program
Ivy Stone, South Brown County Community Foundation Executive Director
Ivy joined The Greater Manhattan Community Foundation in March 2024 as the Executive Director for the South Brown County Community Foundation. Ivy leads SBCCF in carrying out their mission “to improve the quality of life in South Brown County by increasing charitable giving, educating, and connecting donors to community need.” Ivy carries out the daily functions of the foundation, working with nearly 40 nonprofits, donors, and the board. Ivy is currently a Kansas State University student working on her B.S. in Education. Outside of work, her three daughters, music/arts, and ministry at her church keep her happy and busy.
Email: ivys@southbrowncountycf.org | Phone: (217) 778-4895
Grace Sammoury, Atchison Area Community Foundation Executive Director
Grace joined The Greater Manhattan Community Foundation in August 2024. She serves as the Executive Director of the Atchison Area Community Foundation, where she is dedicated to supporting local nonprofits in their fundraising efforts and welcoming them into the Foundation family. With a robust background in Marketing, Fine Arts, and English from Benedictine College, Grace brings a unique perspective to her role. Her previous experience as a middle school teacher and assistant director of admissions at Benedictine College has equipped her with valuable skills in communication, relationship-building, and organizational leadership.
Email: gsammoury@atchisonfoundation.org
Connie Joy, Greater Sabetha Community Foundation Executive Director
Connie joined GMCF after serving as the Director at The Child and Family Development Center in Sabetha. Connie is a Missouri State University Graduate with a bachelor's degree in child and family development. While there, she started and directed a free preschool for inner-city kids for five years. She enjoyed participating in the Mayor's Commission for Children Advisory Board and the Early Learning Leadership Academy. She recently served on the GSCF board of directors and the Sabetha Community Preschool board. In 2020, she and her husband moved to Sabetha, KS, with their three children. Connie’s evenings and weekends are spent watching her kids play sports, folding copious amounts of laundry, and working in her flower garden. She can be found serving in her church, working outside, or reading historical fiction books.
Email: connie@sabethafoundation.org | Phone: (417) 763-0505
Taylor Veatch, Intern
Taylor joined the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation in February 2023. As a student intern, Taylor contributes to marketing content and learning relevant skills within the foundation. She hopes to gain valuable work experience on her path toward future careers and connections. Taylor is currently a student at Kansas State University, working on her B.S. in Social Work, with a minor in Leadership Studies and a Nonprofit Leadership certificate.
Email: taylorv@mcfks.org | Phone: (785) 587-8995