BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Cheryl Demmert Fairbanks, Esq. supports AVF through her collaboration with the Life Comes From It Foundation. She is Tlingit-Tsimshian. was born in Ketchikan, Alaska, and works in the area of Indian law as an attorney and tribal court of appeals justice. Currently she is the Interim Executive Director of the UNM Native American Budget and Policy Institute. She recently was in Oregon serving as the Walter R. Echo-Hawk Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law at Lewis and Clark; and also she was a visiting Professor of Law at the University of New Mexico’s Southwest Indian Law Clinic.  Formerly a Partner at Cuddy McCarthy LLP, she had a general practice in Indian law, including tribal-state relations, personnel, tribal courts, peacemaking and family conferencing, mediation, family, school, education, and indigenous law.

Collette Ruoff is a Transformational Coach who has been leading workshops, coaching engagements and team journeys for more than 20 years.  Ever since she was a child growing up on Long Island, she sought out the wilderness.  In 2013, she launched an arts based non-profit organization to celebrate the lives of elders in our community through original songs.  She lives in the Hudson Valley, NY.  Her training includes, PCC Coach with International Coaching Federation, Integral Coaching Certification, New Ventures West, Organizational and Relationship Systems Coaching, CRR Global, Deep Democracy Training, Anima Training, Transformational Facilitation Training, Aberkyn, Certified Gestalt Psychotherapist, Gestalt Associates for Psychotherapy, NYC, BBA, Finance and Marketing, Hofstra University, MBA, Economics and International Business, NYU, Yoga Teacher Certification, ISHTA Yoga, Plant Spirit Medicine Certification, Blue Deer Center, Myers Briggs Type Indicator, Tracom Social Styles, Leadership Circle Profile and Culture Survey, and the School of Lost Borders and The Ecology of Leadership Training with the Regenerative Design Institute.

Jo-Ellen Reilley is the Director of Donor Relations at Ashesi University Foundation. She is an experienced fundraising and donor relations professional. She enjoys cultivating and securing long-lasting relationships and partnerships to aid in the growth of non-profit organizations. She has a proven history of building stewardship and engagement programs to improve donor retention. She began her career at Bard College at Simon’s Rock as their Stewardship Associate for two years, and then worked for The Hotchkiss School as their Assistant Director of Stewardship and was promoted to Associate Director of Donor Relations. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Cultural Relations and Environmental Studies from Bard College at Simon’s Rock. Click here to read her LinkedIn profile.