Nanette Reynolds, Ed.D.
President and Co-Founder, The Imagine Fund
reynolds@theimaginefund.com
Dr. Reynolds is recognized across Michigan for her distinguished career in State government, including more than ten years service as Director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights under both Republican and Democratic administrations. Nanette holds a B.A. from Howard University and M.S. in Education from Southern Illinois University. She earned a doctorate in higher education administration, planning and social policy from Harvard University and began her career in deanships at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brown University. During the past five years she has been engaged as an administrator and consultant on access and equity issues at three Michigan institutions of higher education (public and private, two and four year), as well as a diversity consultant in the private sector. Nanette’s efforts in co-founding The Imagine Fund bring together her life’s work and devotion to the values of educational attainment and social justice.
Diane M. Purgiel
Vice President of Development, The Imagine Fund
purgiel@theimaginefund.com
Ms. Purgiel has a breadth of experience working with non-profit and philanthropic organizations in Michigan and California. In Michigan, she has held fundraising and leadership positions at Grand Valley State University, The Michigan Women’s Foundation and Western Michigan University Foundation; and California her experience includes initiating the first development office of two AIDS organizations in the Bay Area, and held fundraising positions at the Sierra Club and Golden Gate Park Strybing Arboretum. Diane believes that one of the greatest gifts you can give or receive is the gift of scholarship. She looks forward to working with individuals, corporations, foundations and other organizations throughout Michigan which share her passionate commitment to education and social justice and who want to support access to education for all students. Diane is a graduate of Western Michigan University.
Lona M. Slaughter
Communications Manager, The Imagine Fund
slaughter@theimaginefund.com
Ms. Slaughter started her career serving as the Executive Assistant of The Imagine Fund in 2009 and has recently took on the new position of Communications Manager. In December 2009 she completed her master’s degree in public and nonprofit administration and an American Humanics Nonprofit Leadership Certificate from Grand Valley State University (GVSU). She has served as a graduate assistant for the American Humanics program housed in both the GVSU Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership and the School of Public and Nonprofit Administration. Lona has a bachelor’s in communications with emphases in journalism and film/video, and a minor in public relations from GVSU. Through her interest in public administration and the nonprofit sector, she hopes to continue working with programs and organizations primarily geared toward the further education of minority and low-income students, equal opportunity, and community development. Lona recently served two years on the Board of the Young Nonprofit Professional Network of Greater Grand Rapids (YNPN-GGR) as the Marketing and Communications Chair.
Scholarship Consultant
scholarship@theimaginefund.com
Consultants:
Stephen R. Drew, J.D.
Senior Partner - Drew, Cooper & Anding
Grand Rapids, Michigan
David E. Haddrill, P.C.
Certified Public Accountant
Lansing, Michigan
Darci McConnell
President - McConnell Communications, Inc.
Detroit, Michigan
