Sisters and Friends,
When you look back over seven decades of Alpha Phi Foundation, a single, powerful truth becomes clear: our mission lives in the everyday moments where sisters show up for one another. It was built by visionary women in 1956 who believed that our collective generosity could change lives—and it has been sustained ever since by donors like you who make that belief a reality.
As I step into my role as Chair of the Board of Directors, I do so with a profound sense of responsibility and optimism. Alpha Phi has been a defining part of my life, and I believe deeply in the transformational power of women supporting women. Celebrating 70 years of impact is about honoring those who paved the way, but even more than that, it is about recognizing the incredible momentum we hold right now.
The trust you place in us when you make a gift to the Foundation is one of our greatest responsibilities. My commitment to you as we begin this new fiscal year is simple: our Board and professional staff will lead with transparency, steward every dollar with purpose, and ensure that our philanthropy reflects the absolute best of who we are.
The next 70 years of this Foundation will not be written by a single Board or a single Chair. They will be written by you – by the way you lead, the stories you share, and the love you pour back into our sisterhood. Every one of us has been strengthened by Alpha Phi in some way, and together, we have the opportunity to carry that strength forward for the women who will follow us.
I invite you to dive into the impact of the past year and take pride in what your loyalty has accomplished. As you read, I hope you will share these stories with your own networks, spark conversations about the “why” behind our mission, and continue walking hand in hand with us as we shape the future of Alpha Phi Foundation with purpose, generosity, and heart.
Thank you for choosing to invest in our sisters.
Loyally,
Janis Coughlin-Piester (Theta Kappa-Rochester)
Alpha Phi Foundation Board Chair
See Your Generosity in Action
Ever wondered how your gifts make a real-world difference? From lifelong leadership lessons learned as a collegian being used in careers decades later to emergency financial relief during life’s hardest moments, see how your support empowers our community and has inspired impact for 70 years.
Our Funding Priorities
Leadership & Wellness
In FY26, Alpha Phi Foundation invested $1,610,650 across 19 leadership and wellness programs, providing our sisters with lifelong tools for personal and professional success. In 2025, we also celebrated our fifth cohort of the dynamic Alpha Phi Disney Leadership Institute.
Alpha Phi Foundation is proud to fund educational and experiential programs that cultivate the holistic qualities of effective leadership, recognizing that our sisterhood and chapters are only ever as strong as the individual women who comprise them.
From launching the Live Well: Nutrition Guide to bringing alumnae coaches directly into chapters and expanding interactive learning with Leadership Hand in Hand, your generosity builds resilient, confident leaders who will continue to use these tools and lessons for years to come.
Programs
Empowering Personal Well-Being: The Live Well Nutrition Guide
A holistic approach to leadership requires caring for the physical body as well as the mind. Transitioning into college often marks the first time young women take full ownership of their daily health and nutrition. In a cultural landscape increasingly dominated by extreme diet trends, rapid-fix expectations, and intense social pressure surrounding body image, Alpha Phi offers a grounded, compassionate alternative through the Live Well Nutrition Guide.
“In response to outreach from our collegians and advisors, we recognized an ever-present, unhealthy conversation around food and body image in college culture—and a clear gap in our educational support. We knew our members deserved expert, medically sound guidance. By listening to their feedback, we partnered with alumna Ellen Scot (Gamma Nu-Miami) to launch the Live Well program, delivering trusted, evidence-based nutrition education and resources directly to our sisters.” – Robbie Miller-Grant, Alpha Phi Director of Health, Wellness & Accountability
Heart Health
In FY26, Alpha Phi Foundation awarded a $100,000 Clinical Grant to Brigham and Women’s Hospital to develop AI tools that detect heart disease during routine mammograms alongside a $25,000 Community Grant to Prairie View A&M University to empower women with education and early detection for late-diagnosed congenital heart defects.
Led by Dr. Sophie Gu, MD, PhD, the clinical project recipient uses AI to analyze subtle markers within these images. Dr. Gu shared this work will “transform a test millions of women already receive into a tool for both breast and heart health.” This approach has the potential to be seamlessly integrated into women’s everyday care.
Developed by Dr. Jacklyn Sanders, the Rhythm of the Heart community grant initiative will first be deployed across the Houston, Texas region, with the curriculum designed for adoption across the country.
Impact in Action
The inaugural recipient of the $25,000 community grant, the University of Missouri’s Missouri CARES Heart Squad, has beautifully demonstrated just how powerful community-focused philanthropy can be.
Why the “Heart Squad” Matters: Breaking Barriers in Women’s Health
When sudden cardiac arrest occurs, death can take place within a matter of four to six minutes. In those high-stakes moments, high-quality bystander CPR is the definitive line between life and death. Yet, the data reveals a stark, gender-based disparity: according to the Missouri Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES), only 13% of females in Missouri receive bystander CPR during a cardiac event.
Click here to read more about how the Heart Squad is changing this statistic.
Scholarship
In 2025, Alpha Phi Foundation awarded $358,900 in scholarships to 89 outstanding Alpha Phis – supporting 61 undergraduate sisters and 28 graduate scholars as they pursue their educational goals.
The leadership, collaboration, and resilience developed during their collegiate years will serve as the launchpad for their professional goals. By turning chapter experience into career readiness, these women are proving that the skills learned in sisterhood open doors for a lifetime.
Beyond the dollars granted, these scholarships deliver something far more meaningful: the confidence that comes from an entire sisterhood standing behind your dreams.
From a Scholar:
I can’t thank you enough for your generous support through the Alpha Phi Foundation Scholarship. Receiving this scholarship means so much to me, especially as I prepare to begin medical school this fall.
There were times when I doubted whether I’d ever be in this position. The journey to medical school was never easy, and financial stress has been a constant weight on my shoulders. This scholarship has given me not only financial relief, but also peace of mind, encouragement, and a sense of continued support from Alpha Phi in this next chapter of my academic journey.
Looking back, my experience in Alpha Phi was one of the most formative parts of my undergraduate years. The leadership roles I took on, the philanthropic work we did, and the sisterhood I found all played a huge part in shaping who I am today. Many of the values I wrote about in my medical school applications — compassion, integrity, and service — were ones I first lived out through Alpha Phi. I truly don’t think I would’ve made it here without that foundation.
Being supported by the Alpha Phi Foundation as an alumna is a meaningful reminder of the strength and reach of our sisterhood, and of how women like you continue to invest in the futures of so many. You’ve helped fuel the dreams and confidence of countless young women in our chapter, and I’m so proud and grateful to be one of them.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for believing in me.
With love and gratitude,
Natalie Mahgerefteh
Beta Delta-UCLA
Screenshot
Forget Me Not
Because of generous donors who remember every sister, the Forget Me Not Fund delivered $125,780 in life-changing aid to 54 members during FY26.
From providing nearly $24,000 in urgent flood relief to backing 26 collegiate members navigating sudden hardship, these grants prove that Alpha Phi is a lifelong anchor.
Your support transforms critical moments of crisis into stories of hope, resilience, and real relief.
I am so thankful to the Alpha Phi Foundation for believing in and supporting members like me. Your kindness and generosity mean more than I can express. – Collegiate Recipient
The Power of a Pin
In the fast-paced flow of daily work life, workplace connections often remain strictly professional. But for Jackee and Rachael, a casual lunch conversation led to an unexpected discovery: despite graduating years apart from different collegiate chapters, both were Alpha Phis.
“It had been years since I knowingly met an Alpha Phi ‘in the wild,’” Rachael reflected. “Meeting Jackee at work was an instant connection. When we later discovered the shared sisterhood over lunch, it suddenly made perfect sense why she felt so familiar.”
That shared bond took on a whole new meaning just a few weeks later.
Read the Full Story: For Every Season: How a Small Symbol Proved the Power of Lifelong Sisterhood
Celebrating OurLoyal Donors
Board of Directors
Janis Coughlin-Piester
Chair
Theta Kappa
Rochester
Janelle Del Carlo
Vice Chair, Development
Beta Delta
UCLA
Jackee Schools
Vice Chair, Funding Priorities
Eta Lambda
George Mason
Shana Goss Smith
Secretary
Chi
Montana
Barbara Chappell Tingley
Treasurer
Beta Pi
USC
Jennifer Johnston
Assistant Treasurer
Zeta Gamma
Santa Clara
Rebecca Andrew Zanatta
Director
Beta Rho
Washington State
Sheryl Barden
Director
Delta Tau/Gamma Rho
LSU/Penn State
Lisa Dahl Dwyer
Director
Tau
Oregon
Dara Goldsmith
Director
Epsilon Upsilon
CSU Northridge
Cathleen Marine
Director
Zeta Theta
Tufts
Billie Battiato
Ex Officio International President
Phi
Oklahoma
Outgoing Directors
Thank you to our outgoing Board members for their years of dedicated service to Alpha Phi Foundation.
Claire Costin
Treasurer
Omega
Texas
Susan McNeice
Epsilon Nu
Delaware
Kate Boyle Halfon
Ex-Officio International President
Eta Delta
CSU East Bay