Letter from Foundation Board Chair
What an exciting time to be an Alpha Phi! I am proud to share not only our collective accomplishments and impact from this past year, but I invite you to continue leading the way for the next generation of Alpha Phis.
Alpha Phi Foundation is in an exceptionally strong and advantageous position as we build upon our successes and advancements equipped with an inspiring new strategic plan.
Emboldened with a new vision, we remain steadfast in our mission: to advance women’s lives through the power of philanthropy. Throughout this report you will see examples of sisters in all stages of life, thriving in unique opportunities afforded by your generosity and supported through challenges due to your compassion.
A gift to Alpha Phi Foundation is an investment in the future, empowering Alpha Phis everywhere to give back and be the best versions of themselves.
Join us as we embrace our future and new opportunities, together.
Our values and the vibrancy with which we pursue limitless excellence, hand in hand with our beloved Fraternity, are stronger than ever and reinvigorated by our pride in the women and impact so brightly featured throughout our story.
Rebecca Andrew Zanatta
(Beta Rho – Washington State)
Foundation Board Chair
Funding Priorities
Leadership
Enriching leadership opportunities are a cornerstone of the Alpha Phi experience, helping sisters thrive at every stage of life.
In FY24, Alpha Phi Foundation granted $1.5M to Alpha Phi Fraternity in support of continuing leadership education for collegians and alumnae.
And we fully endowed three new Chapter leadership funds, providing even more opportunities for Alpha Phis to learn and grow.
Leadership
Beta Beta – Michigan State
Beta Sigma – Utah
Alpha Phi Foundation proudly funds programming offered at the individual and chapter level, to both collegians and alumnae. Alpha Phi utilizes an innovative series of powerful programs for our members: Stand Together, Live Courageously, Legacy of Leaders, Generous Hearts, and League of Coaches.
New in 2024, The Career Lab, is an online workshop available to all Alpha Phis featuring action-oriented and interactive career development sessions designed to support career exploration, growth, and advancement.
If we provide leadership training for our collegiate members, the long term leadership needs of the Fraternity will be met.
Kathleen Feeney Hiemstra
(Delta Theta – Western Michigan)
Heart Health
In 2024, Alpha Phi Foundation proudly announced two recipients of the Heart to Heart Grant for for the first time.
The $100,000 Heart to Heart Clinical Grant was awarded to Barnes-Jewish Hospital affiliated with Washington University in St. Louis.
The inaugural Alpha Phi Foundation $25,000 Heart to Heart Community Grant was awarded to the University of Missouri for their project “Missouri CARES Heart Squad.”
Heart Health
Since its inception in 1993, the Heart to Heart Grant has provided over $1.5M to fund more than 30 cutting-edge projects focused on the improvement of women’s cardiovascular care. In its thirty-first year, the Foundation created a new arm of eligibility for the Heart to Heart Grant to better serve funding in the cardiac space, ensuring our impact extends to include educational resources, specifically in underserved communities.
Led by Dr. Zayed at Barnes-Jewish Hospital will use the grant to fund their project “cFAS Blood Biomarker to Diagnose Peripheral Arterial Disease in Women”.
Dr. Julie Stilley and Kayla Riel, both emergency medicine professionals at University of Missouri on a mission to increase the rate of bystander CPR and AED usage across the state focusing on the utilization of female training manikins.
It’s a wonderful thing that Alpha Phi Foundation does and I hope they continue this grant forever. We are already making progress in our research and that would not be possible without the Heart to Heart Grant and Alpha Phi Foundation.
Dr. Ellen Keeley, MD
University of Florida Health
2023 Heart to Heart Grant Recipient
Learn more about our 2024 recipients.
Scholarship
Alpha Phi Foundation proudly awarded scholarships to 83 outstanding Alpha Phis whose academic excellence and achievements make us proud to count them as members of our sisterhood.
- $254,500 awarded
- 27 Graduate
- 56 Undergraduate
Scholarship
Three new and fully-funded scholarship funds:
- Margaret Riecker Thompson Memorial Scholarship (Beta – Northwestern)
- Live Like Eileen Memorial Scholarship (Theta – Michigan)
- Gamma Rho (Penn State)
As a first-generation medical student, I am honored to receive the Helen Bradford Graduate Scholarship as I pursue my dreams of being a compassionate, community-centered physician. My Alpha Phi community has been with me every step of the way, from undergraduate to post-grad, and I am so grateful for the support of the Alpha Phi Foundation scholarship program.
Roosha Mandal
Helen Bradford Graduate Scholarship
(Iota Sigma – Carnegie Mellon)
Pursuing Medicine at University of Illinois
I love reading the scholarship applications, and you can very clearly see there is a need out there. I so look forward to being able to impact Gamma Rho sisters the way Alpha Phi has impacted me.
I personally believe that giving back to Alpha Phi Foundation is a commitment we make when joining as an Alpha Phi sister.
I encourage more of my sisters to give back to Alpha Phi Foundation.
Kim Brown Brannon
(Gamma Rho – Penn State)
Gamma Rho Scholarship Fund Initiator & Scholarship Reader
Forget-Me-Not
Forget-Me-Not Grants offer Alpha Phis in need the greatest gift of all: the knowledge that their sisters care and are always there to help.
In FY24, Alpha Phi Foundation granted more than $72,000 to 44 sisters in need. 21 Collegian, 23 Alumnae.
Forget-Me-Not
Alpha Phis are sisters for life, supporting one another through every life stage and helping each other in times of need. Alpha Phi Foundation exemplifies this life-long support through the Forget-Me-Not Grant Fund.
Begin a Forget-Me-Not Grant request for yourself or on behalf of a sister.
Heritage
Alpha Phi Foundation is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing the history of our organization—a history rich in leadership, both within our fraternity and in the community as a whole.
In the 2022-2024 biennium, Alpha Phi Foundation funded $485,000 to preserve the digital history of Alpha Phi Fraternity through HistoryIT.
Heritage
I invite you to join me on a journey of discovery—or perhaps rediscovery—of the dynamic, innovative, and loving sisterhood of Alpha Phi International Fraternity.
Jennifer Gromada
(Gamma Rho – Penn State)
“Ivy & Forget-Me-Not” Author
Red Dress Impact
Since their introduction in 2005, Red Dress events developed into beloved chapter traditions. Collegiate and alumnae chapters raise hundreds of thousands of dollars annually through Red Dress Galas and other events increasing awareness of women’s heart health in addition to funds to support the work of Alpha Phi Foundation.
During the 74th Biennial Alpha Phi Convention, Alpha Phi Foundation celebrated 20 years of Red Dress events and impact by raising $115,000+ towards heart health initiatives from 230+ gifts in three hours.
Red Dress Impact
Watch the Red Dress Impact Celebration video.
Read more about our Red Dress Impact Celebration at Convention.
Donor Listing
Thank you to our sisters who led with their hearts and loyally supported our vision for the future of Alpha Phi Foundation. Your gifts this last fiscal year (July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024) were transformational and are impacting Alpha Phis every day and will continue to for generations.
Meet our Board of Directors
Click here to read more about the professional accomplishments of each of our esteemed Board members.
Rebecca Andrew Zanatta
Chair
Beta Rho
Washington State
Janelle Del Carlo
Vice Chair – Development
Beta Delta
UCLA
Jackee Schools
Vice Chair – Funding Priorities
Eta Lambda
George Mason
Claire Costin
Treasurer
Omega
Texas
Shana Goss Smith
Secretary
Chi
Montana
Barbara Chappell Tingley
Assistant Treasurer
Beta Pi
USC
Janis Coughlin-Piester
Assistant Secretary
Theta Kappa
Rochester
Susan McNeice
Director
Epsilon Nu
Delaware
Sheryl Barden
Director
Delta Tau – LSU
Gamma Rho – Penn State
Dara Goldsmith
Director
Epsilon Upsilon
CSU Northridge
Jennifer Johnston
Director
Zeta Gamma
Santa Clara
Kate Boyle-Halfon
Ex Officio & Alpha Phi Fraternity International President
Eta Delta
CSU East Bay
Outgoing Directors
Thank you to our outgoing Board members for their years of dedicated service to Alpha Phi Foundation.
Jenny Concepciòn Hansen
Elected to Alpha Phi Fraternity International Executive Board in 2024
Beta Pi
USC
Coree Smith
Epsilon Theta
Northern Iowa