Meet the Grantmakers - JULY 12, 2023

Anne Aslett, Chief Executive Officer, Elton John AIDS Foundation, London/NYC

Anne is the global Chief Executive Officer of the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) which she has served for almost 20 years. As International Development Director to EJAF UK, she managed more than £60m in grants to programmes in Europe, Africa and Asia, before taking over the UK Foundation as its Executive Director in 2008.  When the US and UK Foundations merged their operations in 2018, Anne assumed her current role.

During Anne’s tenure, the Foundation has become the 6th largest AIDS funder globally; has saved the lives of over 5m of the most marginalized people in the world and raised awareness of HIV amongst more than 100m people.

Anne joined the Foundation from the commercial sector, where she managed a news information service for the UK leading print and electronic media, following over 5 years in print journalism and documentary film making on health and current affairs issues.  She has served on a number of boards including for Comic Relief, the European Funders Group and most recently the UK’s HIV Commission.

Mark S. Lewis, President & Chief Executive Officer, POISE Foundation, Pittsburgh, PA

Mark has led the POISE Foundation since 2002, as its second president, continuing a legacy of community wealth building through philanthropy. The Foundation promotes equity, helping the Black community achieve self-sustaining practices through strategic leadership, collective giving, grantmaking and advocacy.

Formally established in 1980, built upon visionary work begun in 1957, the Foundation promotes self-sufficiency and economic sustainability supporting organizations that provide mastery of life, business, social, and entrepreneurial skills, uplifting generations. The Foundation has grown from an initial capitalization of $164K to a present value in excess of $13M, returning more than $30M in grants and scholarships to its community. Grants address: Aging, Arts and Culture, Children and Youth, Education, Health and Human Services, and Urban Affairs/Economic Development. The Foundation’s unrestricted grants support organizations using a ‘family lens’ to develop more positive family interactions.

Mr. Lewis is co-founder of African American Funders Group, was instrumental in establishing the Sankofa Fund of Southwest PA, a giving circle comprised of African Americans, and has served on many boards including: Habitat for Humanity Greater Pittsburgh, The Heinz Endowments Advisory Board on Equity, Boy Scouts Laurel Valley,  August Wilson Center, Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, and Grantmakers of Western PA.

Randy Royster, President & CEO, Albuquerque Community Foundation, Albuquerque, NM

Since 2005, Randy has led the Albuquerque Community Foundation as President and CEO. The Foundation administers a permanent endowment of gifts, large and small, using earnings to make grants to nonprofit organizations and educational institutions. The goal is to empower donations of all sizes to have a larger and longer impact than they would have on their own, creating a vibrant Albuquerque community.

Since 1981, the Foundation has awarded over $74 million to nonprofits serving Albuquerque. Under Randy’s leadership, the Foundation’s assets have surpassed $140M. The endowment is managed so it will continue in perpetuity, to support Albuquerque’s future forever. Working with donors, leadership groups and nonprofits, grantmaking is focused on: Animal Welfare, Arts & Culture, Economic & Workforce Development, Education, Environmental & Historic Preservation, Health, and Human Services.

Randy has been instrumental in collaborative initiatives including “Healthy Neighborhoods Albuquerque,” a place-based, wealth initiative which brings area “anchor institutions” together for buying, hiring, and contracting locally to create significant economic benefit. Because of his work as a director of the Council on Foundations, which has a membership of more than 700 corporate, private, family, and community foundations, and his work as a director with CFLeads, Randy has positively impacted state, regional and national communities.