Chris Meyer is president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, which started and administers Employees 1st. The Baton Rouge Area Foundation has granted more than $700 million to nonprofits and projects in the U.S. and around the world. The Foundation is among the largest of its kind in the country.

cmeyer@braf.org

Brenna Benson is chief operating officer of Baton Rouge Area Foundation. Previously, she served as the COO of New Schools for Baton Rouge. Brenna has served in a variety of capacities and leadership roles across the education sector, and previously worked at McKinsey & Company, specializing in strategy and operations.

bbenson@braf.org

Deborah Pickell manages the finances of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and Employees 1st. The Foundation has more than $700 million in assets, while Employees 1st grants millions each year to employees of companies that have charitable accounts in the program.

dpickell@braf.org

Edmund Giering serves as General Counsel to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. He manages the legal affairs of Employees 1st. As secretary and a director of the Gulf Coast Restoration and Protection Foundation, a supporting organization of the Foundation, Giering managed grants totaling $100 million.

egiering@braf.org

Lauren Crapanzano Jumonville is Vice President of Enterprise Strategy at the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. She manages the Foundation’s relationships with its supporting organizations, including the Employee Assistance Foundation which is responsible for the Employees 1st program.

ljumonville@braf.org

Randy Riney manages core operational processes, including management of competitive grants, scholarships, and employee relief funds and for overseeing the Foundation’s Customer Relationship Management systems across the enterprise.

rriney@braf.org

Patience Butler-Gaspar supports administrative functions like communication with internal and external stakeholders, document management, and initial grant application evaluation.

pbutlergasper@braf.org