Meet the Grantmakers - January 17, 2024

Jay Williams, President & CEO, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, Hartford, CT

Since July 2017, Jay has served as president of the Hartford Foundation. He currently leads the Foundation’s commitment to dismantle structural racism, achieve equity and improve social and economic mobility, in partnership with nonprofit organizations and community stakeholders in the region. Jay serves on the boards of the MetroHartford Alliance, AdvanceCT, and is a member of the Governor’s Workforce Council.  At the national level, he is a member of the Community Foundation Opportunity Network, board vice chair of the Council on Foundations, and board vice chair of the Center for Community Progress.

Prior to coming to the Foundation, Jay served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development where he led the federal economic development agenda for the United States. As Deputy Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House, Jay was the principal liaison between the President of the United States and local elected officials. Before that, Jay served as the executive director of the federal Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers. Jay arrived in Washington, DC after serving as Mayor of the City of Youngstown, Ohio where he helped lead regional economic development initiatives to improve the city’s global competitiveness.

Lauren Waudé, Program Officer, Collins Foundation, Portland, OR

Lauren joined the Collins Foundation as a Program Officer in January of 2022. Prior to her role at the Foundation, she worked on the Housing Stability Team for Multnomah County and was a Philanthropy NW Momentum Fellow in the Housing Opportunities Portfolio at Meyer Memorial Trust. With over 15 years in direct service and community advocacy, she brings extensive experience in program development, community outreach, and nonprofit management. She’s managed a range of programs including energy assistance, food banks, community resource centers, eviction prevention, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, and tenant education and advocacy programs, and is driven by her passion for community-centered work for social justice. Outside of work, Lauren serves on the boards of the Independent Publishing Resource Center and Friends of Minidoka.

Michael Tipton, President, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation, Baton Rouge, LA

In 2015, Michael joined the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation as its president, where he manages a $50 million endowment and grantmaking programs to improve the wellness and wellbeing of children and communities across Louisiana. Michael is also the head of Community Relations for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, where he oversees corporate giving of more than $1 million annually and supports volunteer efforts for the company’s 3,500 Louisiana-based employees.

During Michael’s tenure, employee-led community impact has grown and diversified substantially. Two examples: in 2022 Blue Cross employees gave 50,000+ hours of community service and for this was named the United States’ Volunteer Leader, the award given to the top volunteering company in the US. In 2020 & 2021 Blue Cross launched a new state-wide platform with the Taproot Foundation allowing volunteers to leverage skills in support of non-profit projects. This was a first-of-its-kind effort and is now being replicated elsewhere in the United States.

Previously, as executive director for Teach for America in South Louisiana, he led a team that grew fundraising from $650,000 to more than $3.7 million and graduated over 400 alumni, many of whom are now serving as non-profit and policy leaders.