The WaWF collective is a wealth of knowledge, experience, perspective, and expertise. We’re excited to continue this Member focused series: Member 2 Member, where members are invited to nominate their fellow members to present on a subject with which they hold special proficiency or expertise.

Join us Thursday, May 8th, at 4:30PM to hear from one of WaWF’s longtime members, Kathy Edwards, on her life’s work of philanthropy and the decision to sunset her family foundation, Cedarmere Foundation. Kathy will be joined in conversation by  fellow WaWF member, Mercedes Luna.

Kathy Edwards attained a Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Systems and spent 30 years doing organization development work with nonprofit organizations throughout the US and internationally.  She has had numerous articles on nonprofit governance and leadership published in regional and national publications. Kathy has also served on numerous nonprofit boards including the Washington Women’s Foundation, Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest, World Neighbors (an international development organization headquartered in Oklahoma City), and Saint George’s School (Spokane, WA).  After retiring in 2005, Kathy and her husband, George, founded the Cedarmere Foundation.  For the past 18 years, Kathy has served as the foundation’s President and led its efforts to strengthen the leadership and infrastructure of nonprofit organizations in the Puget Sound region through capacity building grants.  In recent years, under Kathy’s leadership, the foundation has narrowed its focus by being intentional about building the capacity of BIPOC-led or BIPOC-serving nonprofits in order to better meet the needs of under-resourced communities and give their members a voice.  Kathy served two years as the co-chair of the Washington Statewide Capacity Collaborative in 2021-2022. She and her board have recently completed the process of distributing the foundation’s entire endowment through grants to capacity building organizations and sunsetting the Cedarmere Foundation.

Mercedes Luna (Tlingit) is the Associate Director for Advancement at the University of Washington School of Nursing. In her work as a fundraiser, Mercedes is passionate about changing the field of philanthropy to create a more equitable and just future for the next generation. As a fourth-generation Seattleite, Yonsei (fourth-generation Japanese), Filipino American, and enrolled member of the Tlingit tribe, her mixed heritage fuels her, and she is proud to volunteer and support her local communities and cultural preservation. In addition to being an active member of the Washington Women’s Foundation, Mercedes also serves on the Executive Board of Trustees of Look, Listen + Learn TV and on the Pulling Together Committee of Friends of Waterfront Seattle.

Click here to register for M2M with Kathy Edwards! 

Please email programs@wawomensfdn.org with your Member 2 Member nominations and any questions about the event. This event is in person at the Washington Women’s Foundation on Thursday, May 8th!