About Us
"To empower youth to have crisis-free lives, strong families and
excellent education."
The Mead Family Foundation partners with local tax-exempt organizations
that effectively address community needs. Its program priorities derive from the
active involvement of family board members in their own communities. It seeks to
empower youth to have crisis-free lives, strong families and excellent education.
It seeks visionary leaders, staff and volunteers, who develop innovative projects
producing significant results.
The Mead Family Foundation was formed by Gilbert and Jaylee Mead in September 1989,
a year after the death of Gil's father, Stanton W. Mead, a Wisconsin industrialist. For many years,
the elder Mead headed the family-controlled Wisconsin-based Consolidated Papers, Inc.,
a company highly respected by its peers.
Many initial grants were to performing arts groups in the Washington area.
This interest stemmed from Gil and Jaylee's involvement since 1970 in an employee theater group at
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., where both were employed as research scientists.
Jaylee produced many of the shows and performed onstage, and Gil, with skills ranging from piano,
accordion and barbershop quartet, was often the musical director.
In December 1989 Gil's four children were invited to join the Board, and the focus was
expanded to encompass several of their interests. Originally board members, serving without compensation,
assisted grant seekers in preparing meaningful proposals, participated in the evaluation of proposals,
and conducted follow-up site visits to grantees. Since 1996, paid staff have aided the growing foundation
in achieving its mission. The Foundation is currently managed by Intentional Philanthropy in Bethesda, Md.
The Board has expanded over the years and, as of 2014, includes four grandchildren of Gilbert Mead. Extended family
members also serve on the Board or as Special Advisors to the Board. The Board meets annually to review grant proposals.
About $750,000 is awarded annually; assets are around $21,000,000.
A valuable spin-off of the Foundation for the Mead family is the learning experience from
shared philanthropy, increased closeness while learning to compromise, and the eagerness of the next generation
to give according to their passions.
Board of Directors
Betsy Mead - President, Treasurer
Diana Mead - Secretary, Vice President
Christelle Siohan - Co-President
Rita Berg - Board Member
Marilyn Mead - Board Member
Stephen Mead - Board Member
Jonathan Staub - Board Member
William Tuegel - Board Member
Jeff Greenhut - Special Advisor
Staff
Holli Rivera - Executive Director
Carmen Wong - Director, Grants and Operations
