Your Partners in Philanthropy
The Community Foundation of Howard County (CFHC) has long been recognized for the expertise of its team.
Whether you are a donor exploring how to make the greatest impact, a nonprofit navigating evolving community needs, a company seeking to align its values with meaningful community investment, or a community member interested in learning more about philanthropy in Howard County, our dedicated staff team is here to serve as your partners in philanthropy.
Collectively, our team has over 100 years of combined professional experience in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. Our passion for serving Howard County and for increasing philanthropic resources to better meet community needs is evident in every team member from the moment you meet us.
We are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside our generous donors, nonprofit and business partners, and community leaders. We hope you’ll be in touch soon!
Melissa Curtin
President & CEO
As President & CEO, Melissa drives our strategic direction and implementation, and partners closely with our Board of Trustees, donors, nonprofit partners, and community leaders to advance our mission and impact. Please reach out to Melissa with questions about our vision, mission, strategic priorities, and how we can partner with you to meet your financial and philanthropic goals.
Melissa joined the Foundation as President & CEO in June 2025. She brings extensive experience in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership to CFHC, including a successful tenure as President & CEO of the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County, where she, the Board of Trustees and the staff team tripled annual grantmaking and assets under management in less than three years.
Throughout her career, she has demonstrated excellence in board development, communications, community engagement, fund development, and strategic planning. Her experience includes leadership roles at the Partnership for Nonprofit Excellence in Richmond, Virginia, the Forum for Youth Investment in Washington, D.C. and Corporate Voices for Working Families. She also managed a corporate foundation with a $32 million grantmaking budget for youth development programs.
Melissa holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Wyoming, along with numerous professional certifications.
Dee Athey
Director, Grants & Community Engagement
Dee stewards our grantmaking, scholarship, and community engagement efforts. Reach out to Dee with questions about fund-related grantmaking, our Community Grants Program, scholarships, community needs, nonprofit partnerships, or our responsive funding initiatives.
She has more than 30 years of experience in nonprofit work and program development, management and evaluation. She led community service initiatives, developed funding proposals, managed grant programs, directed fundraising efforts, worked with donors and built strategic partnerships benefiting nonprofit organizations.
Dee and her husband love summer weather, reading, cooking and spending time in nature. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Austin College in Sherman, Texas and a Master of Science from The University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. As a Texas native, Dee loves football and is always on the quest for good Tex-Mex food.
Dee’s favorite things about Howard County are the county’s diverse population, Patapsco Valley State Park and being able to enjoy a true Fall Season every year.
Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz
Senior Advisor, Philanthropy & Communications
Buffy leads our communications strategy, advances collective giving, and supports the growth of community philanthropy through thoughtful, creative approaches across our branding, monthly newsletter, website, and social media. Contact Buffy with questions about communications strategy, collective giving, or philanthropic storytelling.
Buffy is a founder and former Executive Director of the Women’s Giving Circle, where she spent more than two decades building one of the region’s leading women’s collective giving organizations. She previously served as Communications Director for the Maryland Philanthropy Network and as a Board Member of the Community Foundation of Howard County, where she also served as Co-Chair of the Communications Committee. She currently serves on the national Board of Directors of Philanos, the national women’s collective giving network, where she is Co-Chair of the Philanos Communications Committee, and is a co-author of the award-winning book Women & Philanthropy: Boldly Shaping a Better World.
Buffy holds a degree in Russian History from the University of Maryland. She lives in Howard County with her husband, Howard, and is the proud parent of four children and two grandchildren.
She values the strong camaraderie and collaboration among Howard County’s nonprofit and funding community, which she believes strengthens local impact.
Dan Flynn
Director, Development & External Relations
Dan leads fundraising, donor engagement, sponsorships, and events. Reach out to Dan to discuss giving opportunities, business partnerships, donor-advised funds, agency funds, estate planning, or to explore other ways to support our community.
Dan joined the CFHC team in 2020. Prior to joining the Community Foundation of Howard County, Dan served as Director of Business Development and Events for Inside Lacrosse, a media and events company, where he led brand development and new business and revenue growth.
Dan previously served as Assistant Director of Athletics for corporate sales, marketing and promotions for Towson University and Director of Marketing, Promotions and Community Relations for the University of Pennsylvania. He also directed Blue Jays Unlimited, the athletics annual fund for Johns Hopkins University.
Dan earned both his MBA in management and bachelor’s degree in biology from Johns Hopkins University. He also has taught as an adjunct professor of sport marketing at Towson University.
Dan and his wife, Amy, live in Columbia with their two children, Hannah and Bennett. Dan loves to spend time with family and friends, and his hobbies include music, cooking, reading, coaching his kids and cheering on his favorite sports teams.
Dan’s favorite things about Howard County are the diversity of people and places, the incredible parks and open spaces, along with the wonderful community of families in his neighborhood.
Juliet Gomez
Assistant, Executive & Operations
Juliet supports the team in a variety of ways that ensure greater efficiency and effectiveness day-to-day at Athol Manor, home of the Community Foundation of Howard County. Contact Juliet for scheduling, general inquiries, registering for one of our programs or events, or assistance with accessing your donor portal or resetting your password.
Juliet joined the CFHC team in February of 2021. She brings two decades of executive office management experience, primarily in the field of healthcare. Before coming to the foundation, she was the practice manager for Prudent Medical Associates at Providence Hospital. Prior to that, she spent 18 years with the University of Maryland Capital Region Health Medical Group, primarily as the Assistant to the President and Vice President of Medical Affairs. She also served as a legal administrative assistant and client coordinator during her time at the university.
She earned both an MBA and a bachelors of science in business management from the University of Phoenix.
Born in Trinidad and Tobago, she grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Before relocating to Maryland in 1990 with her three children, she served as a legal secretary in the Department of Investigations for Mayor Ed Koch.
Juliet enjoys sightseeing and spending quality time with her family. Juliet’s favorite things about Howard County are the cultural diversity, the beautiful parks and open space areas to visit and the many fine dining options.
Jay Vidyarthi
Vice President, Finance & Operations
Jay oversees finance, operations, and compliance, and serves as our resident historian for Athol Manor. Reach out to Jay with questions related to financial stewardship, operations, internal systems, and Athol Manor.
He began working at the foundation in 2018 in the role of Operations Manager. In November of 2020, Jay was promoted to Director of Operations, Compliance and Human Resources. He became the Vice President of Operations in January of 2023, and in August of 2025 became the VP of Finance and Operations.
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Jay earned a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and his J.D. from Temple University.
Jay’s favorite thing about Howard County is the diversity of people.
Diane Zanko
Philanthropic Services Assistant
Diane supports data management, grant processing, and special projects.
Diane comes from a computer programming and data management background and has been with CFHoCo since 2015. Diane has a daughter, a son, six grandsons and lives in York with her sister.
Diane’s favorite thing about Howard County is working with the team at CFHC.
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