In 1921 the Leagues joined forces as an association, which is today known as The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc., in order to bolster their power and amplify their voice through shared knowledge and common causes.
These are the women who have led the Association.
Dona Ponepinto is a change agent. With her steadfast and thoughtful nature, she has broken down barriers in communities surrounding her, both in her career and volunteer service. For more than three decades, Dona has worked for United Way—currently as President and CEO of United Way of Pierce County—and the Junior League—where she is a Sustainer and a member of the Junior League of Tacoma (JLT) Sustainer Council— to harness the collective power of people for social change.
Before she joined JLT, Dona was a member of the Junior League of Long Beach (JLLB) and the Junior League of Detroit (JLD). Her expertise in nonprofit management, strategic planning, and community development informed her leadership as President of each League, as well as Chair of Membership Outreach, Chair of Project Research, Chair of Community Assistance Grants, and Chair of Long Range Planning.
Training has been an important element of all the Junior Leagues in which Dona has been involved. In her current role as member of JLT’s Sustainer Council, Dona is Chair of the Training Team, finding opportunities to incorporate trainings into general membership meetings even through the pandemic. She has also served on The Association for Junior Leagues International (AJLI) Board and Governance Committee as Chair, Vice Chair, and At-Large Director. As an At-Large Director, she strategized to strengthen the relationship between the Leagues and Board and contributed to the creation of AJLI’s diversity and inclusion statement, among other projects.
Dona’s wealth of volunteer experience extends beyond the Junior League. She is Secretary of the board for the Pierce County AIDS Foundation and a member of the Tacoma Community College Board of Trustees, appointed by Governor Jay Inslee. Inslee also appointed Dona to the Governor’s Poverty Reduction Work Group, a two-year enterprise that resulted in a 10-year plan to reduce poverty and inequality in Washington State.
Evident in Dona’s career with four different United Ways is her talent for bringing people together to change community conditions for the common good. For all four, she took charge in redesigning how to invest funds in the community. Most recently, she brought a national wealth building model to Pierce County focused on helping more families become financially stable. It has raised over $2.6 million.
Dona holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Counseling, both from Creighton University.
Bett is a passionate and tireless advocate for The Junior League as it sets the standard for women’s leadership. Through her work with the Junior League of Columbia and The Association of Junior Leagues International, she champions how the organization can help its members develop critical skills through experiential learning and community leadership opportunities.
She believes advancing diversity and inclusion is essential to The Junior League Mission and its relevance in the 21st century. With experience bringing strategy to action, Bett has a keen interest and enthusiasm in non-profit governance. For these reasons, Bett has been a valuable leader to her Junior League and to AJLI.
At the Junior League of Columbia, Bett served as a council Vice President and President. She led a community grants process to fund project investments and updated the budget processes to maximize funds for community programming. While she was President, the Junior League of Columbia significantly expanded its community work, including increased reach of the League’s signature project, Kids in the Kitchen, a partnership with Meals on Wheels and an international refugee project. Bett previously served on the AJLI Board of Directors and chaired the AJLI Governance Committee. Bett’s work with The Junior League is complemented by her years of serving as chair of the Governance Committee for the Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands, another historic leadership development organization facing similar challenges as The Junior League. Bett currently is the Vice Chair of the Communications Committee for the National Alliance for Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds, the national membership organization for state Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds. Bett also is a regular parent volunteer in her children’s activities, schools and church.
Her civic work dovetails with her professional work as Chief Communications Officer for Children’s Trust of South Carolina, the state organization working to strengthen families and lead communities to prevent child abuse, neglect and injuries. Bett leads the organization’s communications team, including branding, marketing and media relations.
Bett is a graduate of Wake Forest University, earning her B.A. in English and Politics.
Laurel is a member and Past President of the Junior League of Monterey County.
She has served on numerous community boards and committees. Her AJLI governance service includes AJLI Board of Directors (Governance Chair, Governance Vice Chair and At-Large Director) and the AJLI Governance Committee (At-Large Member).
Laurel is Vice President of Community Impact at the Community Foundation for Monterey County where she leads grant making and nonprofit capacity building programs. She has served in philanthropy and nonprofit resource development positions, as well as marketing management positions with the Walt Disney Company and the Colgate-Palmolive Company.
She currently serves on the Community Foundations National Standards Board. Laurel has worked and studied in the U.K., Norway and Hong Kong.
Carol is an active member of the Junior League of Pasadena, California, where she has served as President, Administrative VP and Community VP.
As well as AJLI President she served on the AJLI Board, Chair of the Resolutions Committee, Executive Committee and Equity Task Force.
Carol has a history of motivating and leading organizations to accomplish goals. Professionally, she she serves as a consultant and trainer to nonprofits and is the past President/CEO of The Children's Museum of the Desert, The Children’s Museum of the Upstate South Carolina and Kidspace Children’s Museum in Pasadena, leading the Museum's in development of program and new facilities. Carol has served on numerous nonprofit boards and currently serves on the Board of the National Women’s Hall of Fame in New York.
Ellen Kratzer is a member of The Junior League of the City of New York, where she has served in a number of leadership roles, including President. Throughout her volunteer career, Ellen has built a reputation for leading and motivating others. Ellen previously served on the AJLI Nominating Committee and Board. Most recently, she chaired the board of the U.S. Association for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Professionally, Ellen is a Managing Director at Fiduciary Trust Company International in New York City. She was a 2013 recipient of the Wall Street Women of Excellence Award given by Traders Magazine and a 2014 recipient of the National Council of Jewish Women – New York Chapter Women Who Dared Award. She holds an AB from Princeton University and an MBA from New York University.
Toni Freeman provides consulting services about philanthropy and support for nonprofits. She has over 20 years of executive management experience.
She recently served as the Executive Vice President of the Arts & Science Council. The ASC is the designated “Office of Cultural Resources” for Mecklenburg County and six suburban towns. Previously, Toni served as the Chief Operating Officer of The Mint Museum, which has the largest art collection in the Southeast. She served as the Director of Community Engagement at MeckEd, and she served as the Director of Project Research and Evaluation at The Duke Endowment which is one largest foundations in the United States. Prior to joining The Duke Endowment, she was Senior Vice President of Finance, Administration and Membership at the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (Visit Charlotte), and Corporate Associate Vice President at SunHealth (Premier).
Toni has served on numerous boards. She was elected chair of the Walden University (Laureate International Universities) board of directors in 2021 and previously served on the finance and governance committees.
Toni was the Past President of the Association of Junior Leagues International (2012-2014). Also, she is a past President of the Junior League of Charlotte and Women Executives. She is a founding board member and past chair of the Women's Impact Fund. She served as chair of Women Executives for Community Services, which provides scholarships for nontraditional students. She served as a board director and trustee for the YWCA of the Central Carolinas, a board director of Hospice of Charlotte and Lincoln counties, NPower Charlotte Region (Apparo), Teen Health Connection, and Habitat for Humanity.
Toni is a member of the Links, Inc. and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Delly Beekman has been an Active member of the Junior League of Monmouth County, NJ since 1977 where her leadership roles included President.
She served on the AJLI Area I Council from 1990-92 and the AJLI Board of Directors from 1994 – 96, followed by terms on the Board as Nominating Committee Chair, Secretary, and President from 2010 – 2012.
Professionally, Delly managed Leadership Shore for ten years. She served for more than two decades on the Board of Directors of Family & Children’s Service where she was appointed CEO in 2012; she retired in 2018. She also served on the Nominating Committee and Board of Directors of the Monmouth Council of Girl Scouts, the Children’s Research Triangle, Chicago, and the Parents Council of Boston College.
Debbie Brown Robinson is a 31 year member of The Junior League of Houston. During her Active years, Debbie served in numerous leadership positions, including President in 1996-97. Debbie continues to serve the Houston League in numerous advisory capacities. She served on the AJLI Board of Directors as the Area V Representative, Board Representative to the Nominating Committee, Nominating Committee Vice Chair and Chair, Vice President and President of The Association from 2008-2010.
Debbie has served as Chair of the Board of The Gladney Center for Adoption, and on the boards of the Episcopal Health Foundation, St. Luke's Episcopal Health Charities, and The Health Museum of Houston. She is an active member of the Altar Guild of St. Martin's Episcopal Church.
Professionally, Debbie is the Assistant to the Dean of Faculty at The Kinkaid School.
Sandi (Kemmish) May is a community leader and consultant for Ivy Tech Community College Northeast. She was previously the director of Lincoln Financial Foundation and managed Lincoln’s corporate philanthropy in six major locations, its matching gift program, and national disaster relief. Prior to joining Lincoln Financial in 2002, Sandi taught English and French in Tennessee, Virginia and Pennsylvania. She has a master’s degree from Virginia Tech and served as a Doctoral Fellow at East Tennessee State University before moving to Fort Wayne in 1991.
During the past 20 years in Fort Wayne, IN, Sandi has served on several not-for-profit boards in leadership positions, including Lincoln Financial Foundation, Ivy Tech Northeast Regional Board, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Junior League of Fort Wayne, YWCA, Arts United, and Super Shot. From 1997-2008, Sandi served on the board of directors of The Association of Junior Leagues International, and was president from 2006-2008. Currently, she is a board member for Indiana State Museum, Northeast IN Fund, and Fort Wayne Trails.
Christine Benero is President and Chief Executive Officer of Mile High United Way, the first United Way in the world.
Christine is currently a sustaining member of the Junior League of Denver and a Junior League of Denver Foundation Investment Committee member.
Formerly, she was an Association of Junior League International President (2002 -2004) and Director of Public Affairs (1992-1996).
Outside of Junior League, Christine is the former Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross Mile High Chapter. She served in two Presidential administrations working for both Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Additionally, she has also served on multiple Boards including the National Domestic Violence Hotline and the Denver Public School Foundation.
Christine holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston University, a Masters in Education from Harvard University, Graduate School of Education.
A graduate of Howard University, Deborah is a Past President and Chairman of the Board of the Association of Junior Leagues International and the former Executive Vice President of Preod Corporation, an executive search firm founded by her late husband Willard Brittain, Jr. Her volunteer service has expanded the fields of education, family and child services, health, social justice and the arts. In part, she served 15 years as a trustee of Simmons University where she earned her MSW; 10 years on the Advisory Board to the Dean of Harvard Business School; 7 years on the board of the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation; 5 years on the board of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra; and over 17 years on the National Advisory Board of The Salvation Army.
The former Dean of the Scott Hawkins Leadership Institute sponsored by The Links, Incorporated, Deborah was also a 2010 Charter Member of The Leadership Circle of Vision 2020: Equity Insight sponsored by Drexel University. A life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and The NAACP, Deborah is an Alumna member of the Links, Incorporated and a Sustaining member of The Junior League of Northern Virginia.
Since 2013, Deborah has managed private scholarships in partnership with the NAACP of Arlington, Virginia; the Progressive Life Center of Washington, District of Columbia and Delaware; The KEO Foundation of Maryland and The Women of the Dream program in Camden, New Jersey.
Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker is the former President and CEO of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and a nationally recognized spokeswoman on strategic philanthropy, community service and cultural diversity.
Service highlights include a White House appointment to the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation; U.S. Committee co-chair of the United Nations International Year of the Volunteer; President of The Association of Junior Leagues International; and Board Member on CFLeads. Her current board service includes The Foundation Center (now Candid), FSG and CharitySTRONG.
Clotilde’s work has been recognized by many, including the Governor’s Award for Service and the President’s Award for Service. She holds a Master’s degree in Education from the State University of New York at Buffalo and is a naturalized U.S. citizen, native of Cuba.
Nancy Evans is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and served as AJLI president from 1994-1996. Nancy recently retired as a faculty member at Coe College teaching Constitutional Law. In her community she was elected Commissioner of Public Safety and served as a full time city council member. She continues to be involved in her community and currently chairs the city's Civil Service Commission and is on several corporate and community boards, including the Guarantee Bank and Trust Co. as well as the Belin & Blank International Center for Gifted Education. In 2010 she was awarded “Woman of Influence” from the Corridor Business Journal. Nancy loves "Ole and Lena" jokes.
Maridel Moulton is an independent organizational development consultant and meeting facilitator based in Moraga, California. The major emphasis of her work is in organizational capacity building and strategic planning. Her clients cross sectors and include state and local government agencies, corporations, industry associations, foundations (private, family and community), educational institutions and not-for-profit organizations. A unique benefit she brings to her work includes her broad past and current involvement and leadership across a spectrum of national, state and local organizations.
She has served as a Trustee of the California State University system, as Chair of the Board of Overseers for the UCSF School of Nursing, as a Trustee and President of the Moraga School District Board of Education, as Chair of the California Student Aid Commission, and as President of The Association of Junior Leagues International. This continuing involvement provides her with practical and specific experience in implementing organizational change and strategic plans.
