Executive Director

LESLIE MEAD

A thirty-five-year veteran of cooperatives, Leslie spearheads CDF’s home care industry focus including coordinating the Development Steering Committee, managing the research agenda, coordinating the National Homecare Cooperative Conference as well as managing outreach and communications on homecare cooperatives to policy makers and the cooperative community. She was an early champion of worker cooperatives in her position as president of The Cooperative Foundation. At CDF, she stewards $11,000,000 of assets for cooperative development and oversees development, fundraising and administration. 

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Leslie began her career with the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, rising from assistant general counsel to the position of vice president for legal, tax and accounting policy and vice president for education. At NCFC, she built consensus among the 100 members of the Legal, Tax and Accounting Committee to develop support for the legislative and regulatory priorities of US farmer cooperatives. In the foundation world, in addition to her work with TCF and CDF, Leslie developed the grant making strategy for the Ralph K. Morris Foundation which targets leadership development in the cooperative sector.

She also previously served as executive administrator of the Association of Cooperative Educators, an international organization of cooperative educators.

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Senior Financial Project Analyst

MINNA JIA

Minna is a graduate of The George Washington University with a Masters of Accountancy. She is an active CPA license holder, and has been working as a Senior Financial Project Analyst at NCBA CLUSA for 6 years where she is responsible for the financials of multiple international projects.

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Fundraising & Funds Manager

KIRSTIE BOYETTE

Born in the Philippines, Kirstie moved to the United States at a young age and grew up in North Central Florida. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Florida, Kirstie served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand. Her favorite project was organizing the inaugural Student Friendly Schools program to combat gender-based violence in communities where Peace Corps volunteers work. 

Upon returning to the United States, Kirstie served as a Center Manager at an ESL School in Bethesda, MD. During her time there, she had the pleasure of helping students from 65 countries adjust to life in the United States and improve their English language skills. She later came to work at NCBA CLUSA as an Office Manager & Administrator with a focus on event planning and strategic initiatives support.

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RICHARD LAROCHELLE

  Board Chair

                                    NRUCFC, Retired

     DEVIN FUHRMAN

 Board Member

                                            Nationwide

         LINDA TANK

 Board Member

                                                  CHS Inc.

    LARRY BLANCHARD

   Board Member

                                     CUNA Mutual Group

  CHRISTINA JENNINGS

  Board Member

                                Shared Capital Cooperative

    DEBORAH TROCHA

   Board Member

                   Indiana Cooperative Development Center

CORNELIUS BLANDING

   Board Member

                            Federation of Southern Cooperatives  

     CHARLES SNYDER

   Board Member

                                  National Cooperative Bank

      JUDY ZIEWACZ

 Board Member

                                  NCBA CLUSA, Retired