About Us

The Women’s Foundation Board of Directors demonstrates the character of the Foundation, itself. Inspired. Determined. Fearless. They have refused to accept the hand dealt to women in Mississippi. Each of these insightful and resourceful leaders has made a stand to create new solutions. Their collective strength, support, and wisdom fuel our mission.

Every day, our staff works with determination and compassion to foster real change. They work together with Mississippi’s politicians, schools, and communities to ensure Mississippi’s women thrive.

Our Guiding Principles.
Learn about the history of our organization here.

Staff

Melanie Powell

Executive Director

Melanie Powell’s experience in nonprofit management spans over 25 years, most recently serving as the Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Washington County in Greenville, MS. She also served as a member of the Board of Directors for Families USA, a national non-partisan voice for health care consumers, and Teen Health Mississippi.

In addition to her work in the nonprofit space, Powell has used her training as a licensed Social Worker for the State of Ohio to advance community support. Her work as the Sociology Instructor at Bryant and Stratton College and as the Center Coordinator for the Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland helped young people successfully transition out of rehabilitation programs and expanded local mental health resources and education in the area through several community initiatives. Powell is the proud parent of one adult son, Demetrius.

Melanie Powell

Executive Director

melanie@womensfoundationms.org
Marqueta Perkins

Chief Operating Officer

Marqueta Perkins, a native of Jackson, Mississippi, joined the Women’s Foundation in December of 2021. Her focus is operation management. Marqueta has a background in human resources and speech communication. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Jackson State University and a Masters in Organizational Leadership from Belhaven University. Marqueta lives in Northeast Jackson with her husband and three children. She enjoys walking outside, football, traveling, and great food!

Marqueta Perkins
Chief Operating Officer
marqueta@womensfoundationms.org
601-326-3001

Board of Directors

Michelle Owens

Chair

Dr. Owens is a Maternal Fetal Medicine subspecialist who completed her residency training in Obstetrics
and Gynecology at Johns Hopkins Hospital and her fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) at the
University of Mississippi Medical Center. Dr. Owens is MFM faculty at Ascension St. Vincent’s Hospital
and is a Lead for Maternal Health in the State of MS. Prior to that, she held the positions of Tenured
Professor and Chief of the MFM Division as well as serving as Program Director of the MFM fellowship at
the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Her research and clinical interests are in hypertensive and
substance use disorders in pregnancy, maternal and Infant mortality, sickle cell disease, and health
disparities. She has authored numerous articles and book chapters, and serves as the President of the
MS State Board of Medical Licensure. Dr. Owens is a passionate advocate for women’s health and
health equity both locally and nationally. She has served as a District and National officer of the
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and member of its Board of Directors.

Dr. Owens was the inaugural host of Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s “Southern Remedy for Women”, a
talk-radio show focused on health issues for women and the people that love them. She is a lover of
music, books, and sports. She and her husband Jody have three children.
Mary Largent Purvis

Past Chair

Mary Largent Purvis is the Director of Legal Analysis and Communication at Mississippi College School of Law, where she has taught Legal Analysis and Communication, Criminal Law, Secured Transactions, Sales and Leasing, and Advanced Legal Analysis. Mary previously served as the Executive Director of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Mississippi. She graduated magna cum laude from Millsaps College in 1998, and she graduated summa cum Laude from Mississippi College School of Law in 2001, where she was a member of the Law Review. Mary serves on the Mississippi College School of Law Child Advocacy Advisory Board and the Child Welfare and Advocacy Committee of the Mississippi Bar Association. Mary also serves on the Board of Directors for CASA Mississippi, Habitat for Humanity, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She is the past Chair of the St. Andrew’s Parents’ Association, and she served on the Board of Trustees for St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. She previously served on the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Women Lawyers Association, the Young Lawyers Division of the Mississippi Bar as the Chair of the Bar Admissions Ceremony Committee, and the Board of Directors for Operation Shoestring, the Mississippi Children’s Museum and the Junior League of Jackson. She is a member of the Capital Area Bar Association, the Association of Legal Writing Directors, and the Association of Academic Support Educators, where she has served as Chair of the Bar and Bar Advocacy Committee. Mary lives in Ridgeland with her husband, Alex, and her children, Cate and Jack.
Kathryn York

Treasurer

Kathryn joins the Women’s Foundation Board with over a decade of experience in the non-profit sector. She started a choral music program in Marks, Mississippi in 2004; ran a statewide arts non-profit (the Thacker Mountain Radio Hour); and worked for Teach For America as the Chief of Staff for the Greater Delta region. Currently, she works as Chief of Business Development for Chism Strategies, a political consulting firm. After a run for State Senate in 2019, she was elected to her local school board in 2020. Kathryn and her partner, Joe, live in Water Valley, Mississippi with their two children (Emma and Herschel).
Bethany Tarpley

Secretary

Bethany Tarpley is a partner at Jacks Griffith Luciano and has a diverse practice but specializes in appeals and Section 1983 litigation. Currently, she focuses on defense of public officials, defense of public sector claims under the Mississippi Tort Claims Act, defense of public sector employment claims under Title VII and the Civil Rights Act, and liability claims arising from law enforcement. She graduated from Florida State University, earning her BA and master’s degree, and is a huge Seminoles’ fan. After graduation, Bethany moved to London to work for the International Bar Association (IBA) in its Human Rights Institute. She is honored to currently serve as an IBA Foundation Trustee. When she moved back, she received her JD from Mississippi College School of Law.
Donna Barksdale

As an entrepreneur, Donna started her own company in 1991 as the founder and owner of Mississippi River Trading Company, an importer from China. As part of Mississippi River Trading Company, Donna designed and manufactured her own clothing line which she branded under the name of Hamilton Kennedy. She travelled extensively throughout China and Mongolia for 10 years. She is currently serving on the board of The Aspen Institute, an international nonprofit forum for values-based leadership and the exchange of ideas. She is also Chair of the Board of MississippiToday, a digital nonprofit, nonbiased news organization dedicated to making Mississippi a better place for all. She is chair of the Board of Nunoerin, an interactive digital play experience company that works around the globe providing creative solutions for companies. She currently serves on the board of the Miss. Civil Rights Museum Foundation and the Ms. Women’s Foundation. In the past she has been President of the Jr. League of Jackson, a founding director of Leadership Jackson, Habitat for Humanity, Ms Arts Commission, America’s Promise and many other civic organizations. Her three children, Jay Sones, Ken Sones and Dr. Megan Clapton are her pride and joy. She and Jim collectively have 12 grandchildren. They feel very blessed and fortunate to be involved with their entire family in many ways.
Rita Brent

Rita Brent is an award-winning comedian, musician, and military veteran. She grew up in Jackson, MS where she played music in Baptist churches alongside her mother and singer-pianist, Angela. She credits her mother for single-handedly cultivating her talents and preparing her for the entertainment business. By 18, she joined the Army National Guard where she served as a drummer in the 41st Army Band, ending her time in service as a sergeant. She began her radio broadcasting career at WJSU 88.5 FM as a student at THEE Jackson State University from which she graduated, and later spent six years at Mississippi Public Broadcasting as a host and producer. In 2013, she made a big leap into standup comedy. 9 years later, she has appeared on Comedy Central, truTV, Epix TV, LOL Network, Circle TV, CNN, and more. She tours as an opening act with her mentors, Rickey Smiley and Cedric the Entertainer. She wrote for the 73rd Primetime EMMY Awards, the Academy of Country Music Awards, The People’s Choice Awards, and Stand Out: An LGBTQ Celebration on Netflix. In 2023, she became a first-time Writers Guild Awards Nominee in two categories. When she’s not on the road as a standup comedian, she’s an up and coming music performance artist. Her most popular singles are Kamala, I Deserve to Be Alive, and Can You Rock Me Like a Pothole. She recently released the hilarious hit song, “Do the Hoochie Daddy”. She’s a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated.
Felicia Brown-Williams
Margaret Oertling Cupples

Margaret Oertling Cupples writes briefs and motions, and manages other lawyers who write them, in civil
appeals and commercial litigation. As litigators and their clients know, a vanishingly small percentage of
cases actually get to trial; for the rest, a great brief is the way to win.

As national legal writing counsel in major litigation for 3M Company, Margaret’s individual contributions
and her strong collaboration with colleagues have brought significant value to 3M for two decades. Her
experience also includes dozens of appeals in Mississippi’s Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, in the
Fifth and Sixth Circuit Courts of Appeals, and in other states’ appellate courts. She also handles
insurance sales practices, consumer finance, and general commercial litigation.

Margaret is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for Appellate Law and Products Liability Litigation, in
Chambers USA for Appellate Law, and in Benchmark Litigation as a “Litigation Star” and as one of the
“Top 250 Business Women in Litigation.” She frequently presents seminars on legal writing and helps to
mentor younger lawyers seeking to improve their writing.

Margaret is the managing partner of Bradley’s Jackson office, and complements her practice with pro
bono work and community service on a number of nonprofit boards. Her volunteer work has given her
significant experience in nonprofit governance and problem-solving. She is a committed advocate for
Mississippi’s capital city and her historic neighborhood.
Lindsay Thomas Dowdle

Lindsay is a Special Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Litigation Division with the Office of the Mississippi Attorney General. She received her J.D. from the Mississippi College School of Law, and she also earned a Master of Education in Counseling Education from the University of Mississippi and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Appalachian State University. The Mississippi Business Journal has named Lindsay one of “Mississippi’s 50 Leading Business Women” and “Top 50 Under 40.”
Robbye Good

Robbye Good Smalley is Senior Vice President of Investor Relations at Hope Credit Union, Hope Enterprise Corporation and Hope Policy Institute – collectively known as HOPE. In this role, she leads the team responsible for cultivating and managing trust-based, enduring relationships with the donors, depositors and other investors critical to sustaining and growing HOPE’s impact. A Black and woman owned financial institution, HOPE provides financial services, aggregates resources and engages in advocacy to mitigate the extent to which factors such as race, gender, birthplace and wealth limit one’s ability to prosper. Since 1994, HOPE has generated over $3.6 billion in financing and related services that have benefited more than 2 million individuals across Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Before joining HOPE, Robbye served as Director of Talent Retention Initiatives at the New Memphis Institute, a nonprofit with a mission to forge a more prosperous and vital Memphis, TN by attracting, developing, activating and retaining talent. She led a comprehensive strategy for activating and committing professionals to the continuous improvement of the city. Robbye’s work at New Memphis, earlier organizations and now at HOPE comprise a career dedicated to empowering others to pursue a brighter future for themselves and this world.

Robbye also serves on the Steering Committee of the Arkansas Chapter of the Asset Funders Network (www.assetfunders.org) and the Fund Development Working Group of the Partners for Rural Transformation (www.ruraltransformation.org/). She earned a Bachelor’s degree at the University of Southern California and Master’s degree at Vanderbilt University. She lives in Jackson, MS with her husband Zach Smalley and son Theodore.
Medora Justus

Medora Justus, CFP®, AIF serves as Vice President of Wealth Management at Hardy Reed, a wealth
management firm with offices in Tupelo, MS and Oxford, MS. Medora graduated from The
University of Mississippi with a B.B.A. in 1999 and earned her M.B.A. in 2002. From there, Medora
started her career in the financial services industry in 2003, and she joined Hardy Reed in Medora is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM professional and is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®). She also has served as an adjunct instructor at The University of Mississippi, School of Business Administration teaching upper-level finance courses.

Originally from Greenville, Mississippi, Medora now lives in Oxford, MS with her spouse, Benjamin
and two children, Charlie and McCoy. From 2012 to 2014, she served as Treasurer for St. Peter’s
Episcopal Church and as a member of the Finance and Investment Committee. Medora also served on the Friends of the Museum and Historic Houses Board from 2017 to 2022 as Treasurer, as well as Co-Chair of Harvest Supper in 2022. Currently, Medora is serving on LOFT (Lafayette Oxford Foundation for Tomorrow) organization and the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi as a Board member.
Greta Kemp Martin

A lifelong resident of Mississippi, Greta currently serves as the Litigation Director for Disability Rights Mississippi, dedicating her legal career to fighting for justice and equality. Born and raised in Tishomingo County, Greta is a proud 2007 alumna of the University of Mississippi and earned her juris doctorate from Mississippi College School of Law in 2010. She began her career in private practice, working
alongside former Mississippi Supreme Court Justices Chuck McRae and Oliver Diaz, where she specialized in civil rights litigation, medical malpractice, and alienation of affection cases. Her career continued at Langston & Langston, focusing on birth trauma medical litigation.

In 2018, Greta joined Disability Rights Mississippi, the state’s protection and advocacy agency, where
she works to safeguard the rights of individuals with disabilities. Throughout her career, Greta has
argued cases at various levels, including the Mississippi Supreme Court and the 5th Circuit Court of
Appeals. She has served as President of both the Mississippi Association for Justice (formerly
Mississippi Trial Lawyers’ Association) and the Mississippi Women Lawyers’ Association. She is
actively involved in the American Association for Justice, Capital Area Bar Association, and the
Mississippi Bar, contributing to the Women in the Profession and Litigation committees. She also
works to address the legal needs of underserved communities through her service on the Mississippi
Access to Justice Commission.

In 2023, Greta had the honor of being the Democratic candidate for Mississippi Attorney General,
running against the incumbent who led the charge to overturn Roe v. Wade. In 2024, she was
recognized by Mississippi Women for Progress as one of the Women on the Rise Empowerment
Leaders and, in June 2024, she received the Fannie Lou Hamer Spirit of Humanity Award from the
Mississippi Association for Justice. She is also a past recipient of the Woman of Achievement and
Legacy of Leadership Awards also awarded by the Mississippi Association for Justice.

Outside of the legal community, Greta has been an advisory council member for Planned Parenthood
Southeast as well as a member of the Mississippi Federation of Democratic Women. She currently
serves on the board of New Disabled South, a coalition which serves to improve the lives of people with
disabilities across the Southeastern United States. She is a graduate of the Women’s Foundation Public
Policy Institute and the Mississippi Bar’s Leadership Forum.

Residing in Jackson with her husband, Drew, three bonus kids, and their three spoiled dogs—Arya,
Biden, and Dolly—Greta continues to be a steadfast advocate for justice and a proud contributor to
her community.
Erin Shirley Orey

Erin Shirley Orey, the co-founder of the Drs. Aaron and Ollye Shirley Foundation (The Shirley Foundation), a nonprofit 501c3 organization established to honor her parents, Dr. Aaron Shirley and Dr. Ollye Shirley, who spent their lives and professional careers on the health and well-being of people in underserved communities.

Erin is also a project manager at the University of MS Medical Center. She manages an opioid use disorder grant-funded project that addresses the opioid crisis by increasing access to medication-assisted treatment via telehealth for clients in Mississippi.

Erin is a doctoral student at Jackson State University’s School of Public Health, where her research interests include analyzing insurance type and medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorders among African Americans in the state of Mississippi.

Erin is married to D’Andra Orey. They have a son, Kalen, a daughter-in-law, Iesha, and a granddaughter, Kali Dior.
Ashley Sanders

Ashley graduated from Mississippi State University in 1996 with a Master’s degree in Professional Accountancy. She started her accounting career as an auditor with Deloitte & Touche and remained in public accounting for 15+ years before transitioning into industry. Ashley currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer for Barbour International, Inc., in Brandon, MS.

Ashley lives in Madison, MS with her son and daughter and spends most of her free time supporting them in various sports and civil endeavors.
Holly Smith

Holly Smith brings over 15 years of experience in financial management and program administration to her role on the board of the Women’s Foundation. She currently serves as Budget Manager at Teaching Lab, where she oversees budgets exceeding $25 million across client contracts, foundation contributions, and federal grants, while collaborating cross-functionally to optimize impact and compliance. Previously, Holly was a project director at Horne LLP where she managed federally funded disaster recovery programs totaling over $5 billion and advised clients on strategies to aid vulnerable populations.

She is deeply committed to community service, volunteering as Treasurer for organizations such as Big House Books and Teen Health Mississippi, where she supports initiatives to promote education and literacy for incarcerated people and youth health and well-being. Holly holds both a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on Accounting from Millsaps College. A proud Jacksonian, Holly enjoys spending her free time with family and friends, volunteering weekly at Big House Books, and keeping up with current events.
Ashley Wicks

As a member of Butler Snow LLP, Business Services and Public Finance Groups, Ashley’s practice focuses on public finance, general corporate transactions, and tax issues such as: public finance tax, state and local taxation, controversy matters, and tax credits. With over twelve years of experience, she has represented qualified active low-income community businesses, leverage lenders, guarantors, source lenders, state credit investors, and community development entities in $600+ million federal New Markets Tax Credit (“NMTC”) transactions. She has also represented developers in hybrid NMTC transactions, historic rehabilitation tax credits, and/or renewable energy tax credit transactions. As bond counsel in tax-exempt bond financings, Ashley has worked with mass transit agencies in the exercise of early buy-out options and voluntary terminations of tax-advantaged leases, including payment undertaking. In addition, she has represented taxpayers in controversy matters with the Mississippi Department of Revenue and the Internal Revenue Service, and served as counsel to banks in financing transactions.

Ashley received her J.D. from Tulane University, a M.P.A. from Jackson State University, and a LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Alabama. She is admitted to the State Bars of Mississippi and Texas, the U.S. Districts Courts for both districts of Mississippi, and also serves as a certified public accountant. Ashley is a member of the American, National, Magnolia, Mississippi, Texas, and Capital Bar Associations, as well as the National Association of Bond Lawyers and the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants. She has served in various leadership positions, including President of the Magnolia Bar Association, and chaired various committees. She was named in the top 10 of Mississippi Business Journal; Top 50 Under 40 (2018) and Leaders in Law (2021) Rising Star tax by Mid-South Super Lawyers.

During Ashley’s free time, she enjoys volunteering and community and civic involvement. Currently, she is a member of the Beta Delta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Junior League of Jackson (having served in various leadership positions in both organizations). When Ashley is not pursuing her volunteer and service-driven efforts, she loves to travel. She hopes to cross Italy, Egypt and Africa off her travel bucket list. Ashley also enjoy spending time with family and friends, listening to music (which naturally leads to dancing) and attending concerts.

Our History

1999
Origin

The Women’s Foundation of Mississippi began as a field-of-interest fund within the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson.
1999
Inaugural Power of the Purse

The first Power of the Purse event, an informative session on how women could get involved in philanthropy, was hosted.
2003
Public Launch

The Community Foundation officially launched the Women’s Fund.
2005
New Events

The Fund hosted several new events, including the first Lunch and Learn, Change by Design, and Dining by Fireflies
2006
International Women’s Day in Mississippi

Former governor Haley Barbour declared March 8th “International Women’s Day” in Mississippi.
2007
First Executive Directcor

Carol Penick appointed as the first Executive Director.
2008
W.K. Kellogg Foundation funding

W.K. Kellogg Foundation awarded The Fund a two-year, $375,500 capacity-building grant to support future endeavors.
2008
Independent Organization

The Fund officially separated from the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson and became an independent, statewide organization.
2011
Teen Pregnancy Focus

The Foundation committed to addressing proper sex education and teen pregnancy, and released an informational packet on the cost of teen pregnancy in Mississippi.
2012
Partnership for Women’s Prosperity

The Foundation joined the Partnership for Women’s Prosperity (PWP), an organization focused on supporting economically vulnerable women by providing opportunities in education, job training, and employment.
2012
Fact Not Fiction

The Foundation launched Fact Not Fiction, a website and statewide advertising campaign with the goal of lowering Mississippi’s rate of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STI’s).
2013
Mature Endowment

The Foundation’s endowment was valued at $1 million, and it awarded $235,000 in grants.
2014
Two-Generation

The Foundation implemented the Two-Generation model, awarding grants to community colleges throughout Mississippi.
2014
Policy Success

The Foundation worked with the Community College Board to pass Senate Bill 2563, which requires community colleges to address the needs of women.
2015
David & Lucile Packard Foundation Funding

The Foundation continued to gain recognition locally and nationally, receiving a $1 million grant from the Packard Foundation.
2016
Retirement

Carol Penick announced her retirement after serving as the Executive Director of the Foundation for 9 years.
2017
Tracy DeVries

Tracy DeVries became the new Executive Director of the Women’s Foundation, effective January 1, 2017.
2017
New Research Released

The Foundation released research on women’s access to quality jobs in Mississippi showing that closing the wage gap between similar men and women workers would cut the poverty rate in Mississippi BY HALF.
2018
She’s on Board

The Foundation hosted its first annual “She’s on Board” training seminar where more than 130 women received board governance training.
2019
Mississippi Women’s Policy Institute

The Foundation recruited, trained, and supported its first-ever class of Women’s Policy Institute fellows. The fellowship is a program designed to train community-based leaders in Mississippi in public policy advocacy.
2020
Rapid Response Funding

No one could’ve imagined what 2020 would have in store. In response to the once-in-a-century pandemic, the Foundation awarded more than $160,000 in Rapid Response funding to help support women and girls.
2024
Melanie Powell

Melanie Powell became the new Executive Director of the Women’s Foundation, effective March 1, 2024.