Meet Our Staff & Board of Directors

Kathy Smith

Executive Director

Kathy Smith has been with the Community Foundation since 2013 and involved with development for over fifteen years in the West Orange and South Lake communities. Kathy played an integral role in developing a new campus for a private school in the area. After successfully completing the campus, she was invited to join the Community Foundation with a new role working with donors to connect their passions with the needs in the South Lake community. Before moving into the development field, Kathy was a professor at Valencia College for many years. She has a Bachelor’s degree from University of Missouri-Kansas City and an MBA from the Florida Institute of Technology. Kathy recently moved to Clermont with her husband and has two adult children.

Haleigh Smith

Director of Finance

Haleigh Smith joined the Community Foundation of South Lake as the Director of Finance in 2017. She attended the University of Kentucky, where she was on the swim team and pursued her undergraduate degree in Accounting. Following her 4 years at UK, she received her Masters in Accounting from the University of Central Florida while working towards her CPA certification. Before joining our team, Haleigh served as the Director of Finance for an international non-profit and worked in the public accounting sector. She is excited share her accounting and financial knowledge with an organization committed to developing personal relationships and enriching the local community.

Haleigh is originally from Mobile, AL but has enjoyed settling and starting her family in Central Florida. When she’s not crunching numbers, Haleigh can be found spending time with her family, baking or on the pool deck at the National Training Center. She enjoys sharing her passion for the sport of swimming with the future swimmers of Central Florida!

Brittany Timmons

Director of Community Strategies and Initiatives

Brittany Timmons joined the Foundation in 2015 to serve as the DREAM Scholarship Program Coordinator, and quickly assumed the role of Director of Community Strategies and Initiatives. She is a Florida native, born and raised in Eustis, but currently resides in Ocoee, FL. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work with a Certificate in Substance Abuse from the University of Central Florida. She has also obtained a Certificate in Non-profit Management from the Edyth Bush Institute at Rollins College. Passionate about the well-being of children and families, Brittany began her career at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Florida, where she spent over 7 years specializing in mentor and program management as the Director of Programs. Brittany currently oversees community initiatives, grant management and scholarship management at the Foundation. Brittany, her husband, and four beautiful children enjoy living in Central Florida. She believes her divine purpose and passion is to help youth and families thrive.

Board of Directors

Michael Bucher

Board President

United Southern Bank

Sandy Simmonds

Board Vice President

Sellstate Innovation Realty

Don Rose

Board Treasurer

Retired, Comtech Corporation, Director of Finance

Doni Keene

Board Secretary

President of Keene Creative Ideas

Lance Sewell

Immediate Past President

Orlando Health

Matt Manzari

Inspirational Speaker

Dr. Reginald B. Riley, Ph.D., M.S.W.

Director of Psychosocial Services

Cornerstone Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc.

Becky Elswick

Retired Guardian Ad Litem

Wade Boyette, J.D.

BCN Law Firm

Michael Spartz

Financial Advisor – Vice President

Moors & Cabot, Inc.

Mark Starcher

Evergreen Construction, President

Paula Hoisington

Net Communications, Senior Vice-President, Policy & Government Affairs

Kim Sams

Disney, Director (retired)