Grant Professionals of Lower Hudson |
GPLH Leadership
Our GPLH Board of Directors is a talented, dedicated group of grant writing and fundraising professionals. Individually and collectively, they bring to the table a vast amount of experience, knowledge and expertise. They all volunteer their time to ensure that GPLH is a vibrant and effective organization that brings benefits and enrichment to our members. To reach anyone on our Board of Directors, send an email to info.gplh@gmail.com.
Co-Presidents
Deborah Brown GPLH Member since 2019. Board Member since 2020.
Deborah brings years of experience to socially conscious organizations, helping clients in the non-profit, for-profit and hybrid sectors grow their impact. Via Deborah Brown Consulting LLC she specializes in grant writing, board governance, organizational development and special projects. She enjoys collaborating with visionary individuals and teams, whether they are working on the local or global scale. Deborah has served as corporate secretary for the Romanian-American Foundation and the Romanian-American Enterprise Fund, chief of staff at Riverkeeper, customer relations manager for Barnes & Noble, Inc. and is the former program director of the Alexander Julian Foundation for Aesthetic Understanding and Appreciation.
GPLH Member since 2020. Board Member since 2021. Maureen has spent her career dedicated to improving the communities in which she lived and worked, through raising funds and awareness for many important causes. Maureen began her career as a paralegal in the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office where she worked on her first RFP on reducing recidivism. She has written and secured hundreds of grants throughout her career and advised on many more. She is currently her own boss, taking on a variety of contractual assignments. Maureen is grateful for the support and learning opportunities provided by GPLH and its members. Secretary 
Joanne Stewart Founding Board Member, Secretary since 2019 Joanne is President of goodworks Advisory Group, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in grant writing, marketing and communications, and board development for nonprofit organizations. Joanne has over 30 years of nonprofit and corporate experience in fundraising, grant writing, advertising, and marketing. She has helped raise millions of dollars for her nonprofit clients through effective prospect research, and the development of winning grant proposals and funder cultivation strategies. In 2016, the Association of Development Officers named Joanne Development Professional of the Year. Joanne also serves as Secretary of Phelps Healthcare Foundation. Treasurer
GPLH Member since 2018. Board Member since 2023. Maddy has 25+ years of experience in non-profit management and has secured over $15 million in funding. As Co-Principal of Sheer Strategy, Maddy focuses on strategic and operational plans, board development, and grants management for non-profit clients. Prior to starting her own consulting company, Maddy served as the Grants & Donor Communications Manager for Meals on Wheels of Rockland. She also held the positions of Chief Operating Officer, Director of Development and Conference Director at Autism NJ. Maddy has served on several boards and committees and is the proud recipient of the Rockland Development Council’s 2022 Outstanding Non-Profit Professional Award. President Emeritus: Alison Paul  Directors
GPLH member since 2021. Board Member since 2023 Membership Sheba has worked in the non-profit sector for more than twenty-five years. Her initial experience was with the well-known and well-respected College Fund/UNCF (United Negro College Fund). She also co-founded a political radio program called “The Greater Good,” where she was a co-host. Sheba is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and serves as their Diversity Chair. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in International Business from Lehman College and a Master’s degree in Non-Profit Leadership from Fordham University. She also serves on the Board of the League of Women Voter’s Mid-Hudson Valley Region. |
Maureen Fox, CFRE
Maddy Schiering
Sheba Abrahaim
GPLH Member since 2021. Board Member since 2024. Chair, Communications Marci brings 17 years’ experience as a non-profit fundraising and communications professional to her grant writing and consulting practice, MG Consulting, launched in 2021. She helps small and mid-size organizations raise more money with less effort, and enjoys helping clients articulate the heart and impact of their work. She has raised $54M to date, with a concentration on youth intervention, race and gender equity, social services, and veterans. Throughout her career, Marci has served as Director of Development for youth and housing organizations, with most recent employment positions at the West Point Association of Graduates at USMA and at Columbia University Teachers College. |
Marci Gurton, MA, GPC
Jill Levey
GPLH Member since 2017. Board Member since 2021.
Chair, Membership and Job Listings
Jill has worked in the nonprofit sector as a grant writer and fundraiser since 1992. She is the principal of Levey Consulting, a grant writing and fundraising consulting firm formed in 2000, which has served nonprofits in a wide range of fields. Before launching her business, she held full-time fundraising positions at Columbia University and The Brooklyn Historical Society. She is a founder and leader of the Grant Professionals of New York City.
Michelle Nepton
GPLH Member since 2018. Board Member since 2021.
Chair, Programs
Michelle is Donor Development Director for United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region, and is a fundraiser and advocate for the community. With five years of experience as a grant writer, Michelle has worked to expand the diversity of her organization’s grant portfolio. Relatively new to the field, she appreciates the support offered by GPLH and from its members.
Sherry Rose, MA, MPH
GPLH member since 2019. Board Member since 2022
Membership and Job Listings
Sherry has been a grant writer for over 25 years, leading institutional giving programs for New York City nonprofit organizations across wide-ranging sectors. Since 2014, when she launched her own consulting business, GrantWritingPro, she has helped nonprofits of varied size and scope in the U.S. and internationally increase their grant seeking success. Sherry is a founder and leader of Grant Professionals of New York City.
Eric Roth
GPLH Member since 2018. Board Member since 2021.
Chair, Internship/Mentoring
Eric has over 20 years of experience in nonprofit and fundraising work. He is currently the Associate Director of Development and Grants at Mohonk Preserve, where he has been since 2012. Eric has also worked as Grant Writer for Orange County Community College (SUNY Orange) and as an intermittent contract grant writer for Choice Words, LLC. Prior to becoming a grants professional, he worked for Historic Huguenot Street, first as Archivist/Librarian and then as Executive Director. Eric has also been a grant reviewer with the New York State Archives and has taught undergraduate history classes at SUNY New Paltz.
GPLH Member since 2022. Board member since 2024 Membership Jeff has over 13 years of experience in grant writing, conducting program and policy evaluations, and implementing community-based programs in the non-profit sector. He is currently the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Foundation Relations at the United Way of Westchester and Putnam that oversees all grant proposal development and submissions. He is also pursuing his Ph.D. in Community and Public Affairs at Binghamton University with research interests in immigration, community navigators, and community schools. |
Jeff Winthal