Forman Acton Foundation Expands Board of Trustees
Following its annual meeting, the Forman Acton Foundation is pleased to announce a handful of changes to its Board of Trustees. Melissa Litwin, MBA; Stephen R. Burns, CFA; Jackie Edwards, M.A.; Rick Wilson, M.Ed.; and Evelyn Campbell, Ph.D., have been appointed to serve as Trustees. In addition, Najwa Tatum, Ken Aldridge and Madinah Thomas have concluded their service to the Board as Trustees. With the addition of the Foundation’s five new Trustees, the Board has officially expanded to eleven members, including interim President and CEO Kortney Swanson Davis, Esq. Larry Van Meter, former CEO and President of the Foundation, has already assumed a non-voting role on the Board as Trustee Emeritus.
“The expansion of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees parallels the continued growth of our organization’s impact, as we are supporting educational attainment for more young people in the Salem community and beyond than ever before,” said Darrell Edmonds, M.S., Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. “Melissa, Stephen, Jackie, Rick and Evelyn each bring a wealth of knowledge and a deep commitment to the Foundation’s mission. I am grateful for their willingness to serve on our Board, and I look forward to their insights and input. I also extend my deepest thanks to Najwa, Ken and Madinah for their many years of dedicated service to the Foundation. They remain treasured members of our community whose contributions have ensured the Foundation remains true to its mission and aligned with the educational needs of Salem’s students.”
Melissa Litwin, MBA, currently serves as the Early Childhood Director at The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation, where she works in partnership with trustees to manage a portfolio of grants in support of positive outcomes for children. The organization works in Bergen and Passaic Counties, striving for all children in those communities to read at grade level by the time they finish third grade. Grants are also made in an effort to strengthen community, enhance education and support health research. Litwin received her undergraduate education from the University of Washington, where she graduated cum laude with an honors Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She also holds a Master of Business Administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Stephen R. Burns, CFA, is a Portfolio Manager for Endowments and Foundations in the Philadelphia office of Glenmede Trust Co., an investment and wealth management firm. Along with other members of his team, he provides investment advice and portfolio management for foundations, endowments and other not-for-profit organizations. Previously, he served as chair of the Foundation’s Finance Committee for four years. Burns received a Bachelor of Science in finance and management from Georgetown University.
Jackie Edwards, M.A., is the former Vice President of Strategic Engagement at the Pascale Sykes Foundation. With a deep understanding of the many challenges faced by disadvantaged, low-income families, she has been a steadfast and outspoken advocate for those within our society for more than 30 years. Edwards holds a master’s degree in human services from Lincoln University and is certified in addiction services, person-centered thinking and essential lifestyle planning. She also serves on the Board of the Mercer Alliance to End Homelessness, the Trenton/Mercer Continuum of Care Program, and the Ocean County Homeless Prevention and Assistance Coalition.
Rick Wilson, M.Ed., is the Foundation’s former Scholarship Director, a position he served in until December 2021. Prior to joining the Foundation, he built a career in education, first as a music specialist in the Salem Public Schools. He then moved to Maine and began teaching music in the Maranacook Area Schools, before being named Principal of Manchester Elementary School. Today, Wilson continues to live in Maine and though now retired, he remains very active by serving on the boards of several community and educational organizations. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Boston University and a Master of Elementary Education from the University of Maine.
Evelyn Campbell, Ph.D., is a native of Salem and a member of Salem High School’s Class of 2012. She is among the Foundation’s first Forman Scholars, and she continues the Foundation’s proud tradition of including Scholars on its Board of Trustees. Throughout her undergraduate education at Rider University, Dr. Campbell remained a heavily involved student, serving as a resident advisor, a research assistant, and a member of multiple student organizations. In 2016, she graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in biology. Following graduation, she immediately entered a doctoral program in microbiology at the University of Chicago, where she pursued her research interests in host-microbe interactions and their contribution to disease and health. During her graduate school tenure, Dr. Campbell worked in various positions promoting educational opportunity, professional development and the creation of inclusive environments. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy in 2022.