Back row (Left to right): Richard Pierson, Staff Accountant; Mark Hurtubise, President & CEO; Lauren Nissen, Marketing Associate; Kathy Johnson, Executive Assistant
Front row (Left to right): PJ Watters, Director of Gift Planning; Molly Sanchez, Grants Program Officer; Troy Braga, Controller/Manager; Robbie Beyer, Administrative Assistant

President & CEO
Mark Hurtubise

Mark Hurtubise has been president & CEO of Inland Northwest Community Foundation since May 2005. Before joining the Foundation, he held various administrative and faculty positions in higher education. He has served as president of Mount Marty College in South Dakota and academic vice-president and president of Sierra Nevada College, Lake Tahoe. Prior to a career in higher education, he was an attorney in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mark holds a doctorate in Education in organizational leadership from the University of San Francisco, a law degree from Lincoln University Law School, a Master of Arts in History from Santa Clara University and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from St. Joseph’s College in Indiana.  Mark brings to the Foundation a unique blend of executive leadership, fund development and law as well as years of community service.

Manager/Controller
Troy Braga

Troy Braga manages the Foundation’s business operations including information systems, human resources and accounting. He joined the Foundation in August 2010. Troy previously held a variety of positions in accounting, finance and management with a four-season resort in North Idaho. He was responsible for the operation’s accounting, as well as real estate development accounting during the construction of a condo-hotel facility, a waterpark and a golf course. Troy’s experience includes four years as a financial analyst for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington and serving as an adjunct economics instructor for North Idaho College. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Washington State University and a BS in Business with a duel-major in Finance and Human Resources Management from the University of Idaho..

Director of Gift Planning
PJ Watters

PJ Watters joined the Foundation in October 2005 to develop programs, products and services that assist donors and professional advisors in achieving donors’ philanthropic goals. PJ has a Master’s degree from Whitworth, more than 10 years experience as a development officer and more than 20 years of leadership in nonprofit organizations, such as Group Health and Morning Star Boys’ Ranch. Her volunteer leadership includes chairing local Boards for the American Red Cross, American Heart Association and Chase Youth Commission. PJ also served as an examiner for the National Institute of Standards and Technology Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Her goal is to help donors with effective charitable giving in their areas of interest and design legacies that will be long remembered.

Acting Director of Grants
Molly Sanchez

Molly oversees the grant programs of Inland Northwest Community Foundation, ensuring adherence to the organization’s mission of fostering vibrant and sustainable communities throughout the region.  She works closely with grant seekers to help them understand the community foundation's grant programs and application processes. With our grants committee and other volunteers, she reviews proposals and administers grants that are in keeping with the Foundation’s goals and funding priorities. Molly also coordinates INWCF’s scholarship program, helping students throughout our service area achieve their higher education goals. An experienced grant writer and communications professional, Molly began her career in journalism and invested 10 years working for a nonprofit organization. She has been with INWCF for three years.

Executive Assistant
Kathy Johnson

Kathy oversees administrative staff and provides administrative support for the President & CEO and the Director of Gift Planning. She provides staff support for all board and committee meetings and manages data tracking of gift acknowledgments and donor-advised grant recommendations, as well as maintaining donor information and correspondence. Kathy’s prior experience includes 12 years in the planning and production of special events in the Spokane region and 11 years as a city clerk.

Administrative Assistant
Robbie Beyer

Robbie provides administrative support for the office.  Her prior experience includes 30+ years as a legal secretary in Spokane.

Marketing Associate
Lauren Nissen

Lauren oversees the marketing efforts for the Foundation, including publications, press releases and the Web site. She started at the Foundation in June of 2010 as an Intern and was later promoted to the Marketing Associate. Lauren is a Graduate Student at Eastern Washington University receiving her degree in Public Administration. She has a passion for the nonprofit sector and is committed to continuously building the Foundation.

Accountant
Richard Pierson

Richard Pierson is responsible for the Foundation financial accounting systems. He joined the Foundation in 2001 with more than 30 years of experience in accounting and finance positions. He formerly served as financial analyst, director of budgets, and assistant vice president of accounting for 12 years at Farm Credit Banks of Spokane, a lending bank with $6 billion in assets. He was director of finance at two Spokane nonprofit organizations, and controller for a local corporation. Richard served as director of finance, an instructor, and part owner of Kinman Business University of Spokane. He holds a BA in Accounting and Minor in Economics from Washington State University. He has an inherent understanding of fund accounting, sound financial management, and financial reporting.