foundation board of trustees

foundation president

Susanne Wolff Vander Heyden

Chapter: Gamma Eta, Washington State

Susanne has volunteered with Kappa since 1988 and has since served in multiple positions, including Director of Alumnae. Graduating from Washington State University with a Bachelor of Science in nursing, Susanne worked as an emergency department nurse before “retiring” to raise her three, now-adult children. Susanne has served on several boards, including PTSA/Site Council and 4-H. Both of her daughters as well as her sister and niece are proud members of Kappa. She resides near Seattle.

foundation vice president

Marion Wilson Rich

Chapter: Beta Rho Deuteron, Cincinnati

Thirty years of community volunteerism in Tampa Bay, Florida, define Marion’s passion for giving back. She is a lifetime Girl Scout and currently serves as the second vice president on the board of directors of the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida. Her commitment to health care led Marion to her current involvement with her local hospital’s board and community health needs task force. Marion’s love of film recently landed her a seat on the board of directors of the Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York City. She has been an engaged alumna member for 30 years and has served in several officer positions for the Clearwater Bay Alumnae Association. An avid photographer, Marion travels worldwide and captures cultural images. She has a daughter, Mimi, in New York as well as a son, Tom, in Orlando, Florida. 

foundation treasurer

Amanda Brown Lang

Chapter: Epsilon Iota, Puget Sound

Amanda currently serves as senior vice president with Tiedemann Advisors, one of the largest independent investment and wealth advisers for high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, foundations and endowments. She brings extensive financial experience and knowledge to the board. Her expertise includes private foundations, investments, impact investing, estate planning, tax planning and performance reporting. Amanda holds a master’s in financial analysis and is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and a Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor.

Amanda started volunteering with Kappa in 2004 and has since served as a chapter adviser, President of both the Portland and Seattle Alumnae Associations, Province Director of Alumnae, Assistant to the Director of Alumnae, and Regional Director of Alumnae. She currently is a member of the Foundation Finance Committee and Foundation Investment Subcommittee. In addition to her Kappa volunteer roles, she serves on the board of Financial Beginnings USA and as the board chair at Financial Beginnings Washington, a nonprofit dedicated to providing accessible and unbiased financial education to youth and adults to empower them to take control of their financial futures.

Amanda resides in Seattle with her husband, Phil, as well as her two stepsons and, soon, a baby girl. 

foundation trustee

Cynthia Heaberlin Beaird

Chapter: Beta Omicron, Tulane

With undergraduate and graduate degrees from Tulane University, Cynthia Heaberlin Heaird spent 15 years in the restaurant industry in management operations with Victoria Station restaurants and as director of human resources for the Chili's restaurant chain (Brinker International Inc.). Utilizing her business and management skills, she transitioned to residential real estate, where she is a 30-year industry leader. A founding partner and senior executive vice president with Allie Beth Allman and Associates since 2002, she was the first recipient of the MetroTex Association of Realtors Community Service Award. A community leader, Cynthia serves on the boards of the Junior League of Dallas, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra League, the Tulane Fund, the Dallas Summer Musicals, and the Park Cities Historic and Preservation Society. Additionally, she is a member of the Crystal Charity Ball. Involved with Kappa Kappa Gamma since college, she was President of her chapter, President of the Dallas Alumnae Association, and adviser for Gamma Phi Chapter, SMU. Cynthia has three Kappa sisters, six Kappa nieces, and she and her husband, Brice, have a Kappa daughter and son.

foundation trustee

Jennifer "Jennie" Jackson Beckham

Chapter: Epsilon Alpha, TCU

A lifelong Texan, Jennie was born in El Paso, Texas, and joined Kappa Kappa Gamma at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. She currently lives in Houston and has been married for 36 years. Jennie has two grown children — a son who works in the oil business in Houston as well as a daughter who works in finance in Seattle. Jennie was an airline pilot with Southwest Airlines and recently retired after 26 years. Her downtime has been limited, but special interests include Kappa, P.E.O., Junior League, church, and book clubs. Jennie now lives part time in Park City, Utah, where she skis, hikes, and walks with her black lab.

foundation trustee

Christina Frank Erwin

Chapter: Gamma Iota, Washington Univ. (St. Louis)

For more than 15 years, Christina held director-level positions in corporate strategy and consumer marketing at AT&T. In 2017, she joined Lumen Technologies, where she guides the company's fiber internet marketing strategy. She joined Kappa at Washington University in St. Louis and later earned her MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. Christina has served as a Province Director of Alumnae and Province Director of Chapters as well as a variety of roles within the San Antonio and Kansas City Alumnae Associations, including co-chairman of the Kansas City Alumnae Association's 2013 Holiday Homes Tour. She is a member of P.E.O. and Junior League and actively volunteers at her children's parish school. Christina lives in Overland Park, Kansas, with her husband, Marty, their children, Ethan and Caroline, and German shorthaired pointers, Ellie and Frost. When busy schedules permit, they enjoy spending time together at Table Rock Lake.

foundation trustee

Nancy Foland

Chapter: Delta Pi, Tulsa

Nancy has volunteered with Kappa Kappa Gamma for over 25 years, previously serving on Fraternity Council as Treasurer (2012–16) and Vice President (2016–18). She has also served as Foundation Treasurer (2012–15), District Director (2018–20), and currently sits as a Fraternity House Corporation Trustee. She has extensive knowledge of Kappa’s operations, finances and strategic vision. Nancy resides in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, with her husband, Greg.

foundation trustee

Elizabeth Quadracci Harned

Chapter: Eta, Wisconsin

Elizabeth grew up in Chenequa, Wisconsin. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1993, where she earned her bachelor’s in political science.

Elizabeth is married to Christopher B. Harned, who graduated from Williams College. Together, they have four children: Ellie, Kit, William and Alec. The Harneds reside in Riverside, Connecticut.

Elizabeth is Vice President of the Windhover Foundation and a trustee of Quad/Graphics Inc., a global marketing solutions company. She is on the board of the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association for the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also serves on the advisory board for Girls With Impact.

In her free time, Elizabeth loves to sail, ski, play tennis, golf and do yoga. She also loves being part of the sisterhood of Kappa — a highlight of her college experience.

foundation trustee

Gail Simpson Owen

Chapter: Alpha Deuteron, Monmouth

The regional superintendent of schools for her county in Illinois, Gail has spent her career as an educator in elementary, middle and high school as well as at the university level. She assists community efforts as a volunteer in a variety of capacities and, among other commitments, currently serves on a regional economic development council and the board of trustees for her alma mater, Monmouth College. A member of the Fraternity Council that created the Kappa Foundation, Gail has been a devoted Fraternity and Foundation volunteer since her college graduation. She is currently serving as President on Fraternity Council. Gail and her husband, Tim, are the parents of three sons and one grandson.

foundation trustee

Jan Radke Pishny

Chapter: Gamma Nu, Arkansas

Jan is a retired family dentist. She led a dental practice in Kansas City, Missouri, for the past 31 years. She believes in equipping and encouraging women in their professional careers. She is also a mentor to rising dental students. Jan received her bachelor’s in horticulture from the University of Arkansas and her Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. A lifelong outdoorswoman, Jan raises grass-fed beef on her family’s farm in northeastern Kansas. Additionally, Jan serves as the president of the Greater Kansas City Alumnae Panhellenic. Jan and her husband, Lyle, serve on the board of trustees of the Kansas State University Foundation as well as the Johnson County Community College Foundation. Furthermore, they have three grown daughters.

foundation trustee

Mary Pat Rooney

Chapter: Gamma Theta, Drake

Mary Pat is the Major Gift Officer at the United Way of Metro Chicago and facilitates donor investment in the foundational and strategic neighborhood-based work of the organization and its partners. Mary Pat has eight years of experience as a development professional, including fundraising for the arts, cultural, and educational organizations in both Denver and Chicago. Mary Pat began volunteering with Kappa in 2008 in varied roles, most recently as the Academic Excellence Director and now as Vice President. Mary Pat lives in Chicago and is an active member of the Junior League of Chicago,  loves to read and explore the city with her golden retriever puppy, Stanley.

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