Leadership and History

Leadership

The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation is governed by a Presidentially appointed bipartisan Board of Trustees. The Board guides teams of volunteer mentors, coaches, judges and staff in pursuit of the Foundation’s mission.

Executive Director and CEO

Hall Northcott
Kensington, Maryland

General Counsel

Anthony C. Wisniewski, J.D.
Annapolis, Maryland

History

Our Founder

Representative Frank Annunzio (D lL) first conceived of a philanthropic federal foundation that would honor the memory of Christopher Columbus through community service when he chaired the House Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs and Coinage in the 1980s. It finally came to fruition in 1992 via Public Law 102-281.

Trustee Emeriti

Jason E. Allen
Lansing, Michigan

Rosalyn Queen Alonso*
Flemington, West Virginia

Maria P. Aristigueta, Ph.D.
Newark, Delaware

Arun Bhumitra
Torrance, California

Cynthia Butler-McIntyre
New Orleans, Louisiana

Salvador Diaz-Verson, Jr.
Columbus, Georgia

Valentino F. DiGiorgio, III, J.D.
Malvern, Pennsylvania

Gerard D. DiMarco, J.D.
Rochester, New York

William S. Gates
Phoenix, Arizona

E. Gordon Gee, Ph.D.
Columbus, Ohio

Robert J. Glovitz*, J.D.
Scottsdale, Arizona

James H. Herring**, J.D.
Canton, Mississippi

Warren G. Hioki, Ph.D.
Henderson, Nevada

John H. Kuhnle, Ph.D.
Washington, District of Columbia

Maria Lombardo, Ed.D.*
Newton Center, Massachusetts

* former chairperson
** former vice-chairperson

Kimberly A. Owens*
Avondale, Arizona

A. Michael Perry
Huntington, West Virginia

John C. Pierce, Ph.D.
Portland, Oregon

Paul S. Polo, Sr.
Manchester, Connecticut

Curtis A. Prins
Middleburg, Virginia

Ronald B. Rapoport, Ph.D.
Williamsburg, Virginia

John Salamone
Mt. Holly, Virginia

Sima F. Sarrafan, J.D.
Bellevue, Washington

Joyce Savocchio**
Erie, Pennsylvania

Peter C. Schaumber
Washington, District of Columbia

Lynda H. Scribante**
Sanibel, Florida

William A. Seavey**, J.D.
San Francisco, California

Thomas K. Thomas
East Peoria, Illinois

M. Joyce Van Schaack
Laguna Niguel, California