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Natalee Gunderson

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Bio

Jane Conover has worked to build stronger, inclusive communities for the past 30 years both in York and in Baltimore.  Jane earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Fairfield University in Connecticut and, after a short stint in the finance sector in New York City, decided to join the Jesuit Volunteer Corps as a housing counselor in Baltimore.  This ignited her passion for community service and she decided to pursue a career in social work and community development.  She earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work and Community Development at the University of Maryland and went on to become the Housing Director at Citizens Planning and Housing Association in Baltimore, MD.

 

She currently serves as President and CEO of the York County Community Foundation (YCCF) with a mission to create a vibrant York County and vision of a united and prosperous community for all.  Through philanthropy, grantmaking and advocacy, YCCF seeks to improve educational and employment opportunities, revitalize core communities across York County and create an age-friendly community.  

 

Before joining the Foundation, Jane was Chief Community Officer at the YWCA of York. While at the YWCA, Jane led revitalization of the Olde Towne East neighborhood in York City.  Jane worked with residents and stakeholders to be designated the first Elm Street neighborhood by the PA Department of Community and Economic Development.  The project leveraged over $6 million to revitalize the neighborhood which included new and rehabbed housing, streetscape improvements and a community policing station.  Jane established partnerships with the York City police, Habitat for Humanity, artists, the Garden Club, York College and the business community to reduce crime rates, increase home ownership rates, create an active neighborhood association and a community park.  As Chair of the Board of the Pennsylvania Downtown Center at the time, Jane was a voice statewide for investing in urban communities. 

 

Jane believes strongly in building relationships among diverse groups to collaboratively work towards solutions that strengthen our community. To that end, Jane initiated the YW's Race Against Racism, Walk-a-Mile in Her Shoes event, led a community-wide gang prevention initiative and led the effort to create the Community Foundation's Embracing Aging initiative to make York County more age-friendly.  Early in her York career, she served on the board of directors for the York County Alliance Against Racism and Worlds Apart, a local television show that engaged leaders in dialogue around race issues.

In 2018, Jane joined with other leaders at Better York, Downtown Inc, United Way and York County Economic Alliance to write an opinion letter calling for an end to racism in York County.  Subsequently, she has helped organize a coalition of stakeholders to create an equitable community of opportunity called the Confronting Racism Coalition.

 

Jane currently serves on the Board of Directors of WITF public radio and television, and the Advisory Boards of York College's Center for Community Engagement and Graham School of Business.  She is also a member of the Rotary Club of York and is the Chair of its Global Grants Committee.  She lives in Springettsbury Township with her husband Steve where they grow vegetables and use solar panels for electricity.