Robert J. Cotter Named Next Chair of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley. G. Angela Henry and Mary Etta Schneider Join as New Trustees

POUGHKEEPSIE, New York, July 1, 2024 – The Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley (CFHV) announce the appointment of Robert J. Cotter as the new Chairperson of the Board of Trustees. G. Angela Henry and Mary Etta Schneider will join the Board as Trustees.

CFHV’s President and CEO, Laura Washington, expressed her enthusiasm, sharing, “I am delighted to welcome our new Board Chair and two new esteemed Trustees. We are honored to have such accomplished and dedicated individuals on our Board. Their collective expertise will be instrumental as we advance our strategic initiatives and address the evolving needs of our Hudson Valley communities.”

Robert J. Cotter, previously First Vice Chair, has been an active Board member since 2020. He succeeds Chip Simon, who has served as Board Chair since 2022, and who will remain a Trustee. A longtime resident of the Hudson Valley, Cotter brings over 30 years of leadership and strategic planning experience from his tenure at IBM in Poughkeepsie. Bob’s extensive volunteer work includes contributions to Guiding Eyes for the Blind and F.I.S.H. Philipstown. “We are in an exciting time. We are on the verge of getting to the next level, which means having an even greater impact on all three counties we serve. As a Hudson Valley native, I am really excited to see how we can better work with the community for positive change.”

Former Chair, Chip Simon, who penned the Community Foundations mission — “Inspiring and celebrating local charitable giving and civic engagement” and was key in the development of our strategic plan said, “The Foundations is in excellent hands with Bob in the role of Board Chair. During the last two years he has been a member of the CFHV Executive Committee. He spear-headed the Transition Task Force that ultimately identified and selected our current President & CEO, and he made significant contributions as head of our HR Committee. Add to this Bob’s innate ability to connect with people and you have a Board Chair who is ready and able to help the Foundations move forward with its strategic plan and expand its role as a community leader.”

Dutchess County resident G. Angela Henry has many talents. An accomplished actor and voice – over artist, she is a popular emcee at fundraising events. Henry has an incredible resume of philanthropic endeavors. She served as the COO for the International Women’s Health Coalition and was also Director of Operations at the Mali office for CARE. She currently serves as the Executive Director for the Poughkeepsie Public Schools Foundation, where she helps raise money to help bridge opportunity gaps in the Poughkeepsie school district. Henry’s deep-rooted community involvement will be invaluable to CFHV. “Community Foundations play an increasingly important role in the lives of their partners, and CFHV is no exception. It is an honor and privilege to serve alongside the highly engaged and committed members of the CFHV Board, and it is exciting to be on the forefront of meaningful impact in our three-county region.”

Mary Etta Schneider, a former banking executive with a storied career at Citibank and Bank of America, currently serves as Board Chair of  Historic Huguenot Street. Schneider has also been a dedicated volunteer with the Hudson River Valley Institute at Marist, the SUNY New Paltz Foundation Board, and the Metropolitan Opera. Schneider’s extensive experience and insights will greatly benefit the CFHV Board of Trustees. “Some of the primary functions of the Board are to provide good governance and oversight as well as to support the Chief Executive Officer in execution of the organization’s strategic plan. I look forward to leveraging my business background to help move the organization forward.”

About Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley

Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley (CFHV) is a trusted partner in philanthropy, empowering individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to establish charitable funds that address the needs of Ulster, Dutchess, and Putnam counties. CFHV offers expert planning that aligns charitable giving with both personal priorities and community needs. Established in 1969 as the Area Fund, CFHV has grown to manage over $100 million in assets and administers nearly 600 charitable funds, distributing over $11.3 million in grants and scholarships in 2023 alone. As a tax-exempt organization under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3), contributions to CFHV are tax-deductible within IRS guidelines. More at  communityfoundationshv.org.