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August 26
3:10 p.m. - 4:10 p.m.
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Inside the Funder's Lens - Trends, Priorities, and What's Next
Hear directly from leading regional corporate and private foundation funders as they share timely insights into today’s philanthropic landscape. Panelists will explore emerging funding priorities, shifts in corporate and foundation strategy, evolving expectations for grantees, and the realities shaping decision-making behind the scenes. Attendees will gain practical guidance on how to strengthen proposals, build more authentic relationships, and align their work with what funders are truly looking for in today’s environment.
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 Kelly Pollock
Chief Executive Officer
Berges Family Foundation
Kelly Pollock serves as the Berges Family Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, guiding the Foundation’s philanthropic investments and
community partnerships aimed at making St. Louis a great place to live, visit, work, and invest. Working alongside the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, Pollock oversees an annual grantmaking portfolio of $15- 20 million and works closely with approximately 90 nonprofit partner organizations across the Foundation’s funding priorities.
Prior to this role, for more than 24 years, Pollock served an integral leader at COCA-Center of Creative Arts. As Executive Director, she expanded COCA’s impact through innovative programs, significantly grew its reserves and endowment, and forged key partnerships. Committed to using the arts to address inequities, she shaped COCA’s vision: to use the power of the arts and education to build a vibrant St. Louis that is creative, connected and inclusive. Additionally, she led COCA’s successful Create Our Future Campaign, securing $50 million to build the organization’s endowment and expand its historic building. COCA’s 52,000 square foot addition – including the Catherine B. Berges Theatre - was completed and opened in August 2020.
Pollock has been recognized as a U.S.A. Eisenhower Fellow; a YWCA Leader of Distinction; a Saint Louis Visionary Award winner; a Tedx Speaker on Creative Leadership; and a Most Influential Business Woman by the St. Louis Business Journal. She currently serves as a Board member for Pedal the Cause and Urban Sprouts Child Development Center, and as the Chapter President for the St. Louis Eisenhower Fellows. She earned a B.A. in History from Washington University and a Master of Public Policy Administration degree from University of Missouri.
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Marissa Rosen
Executive Director
Trio Foundation of St. Louis
As the Executive Director of the Trio Foundation of St. Louis, Marissa Rosen leads the organization’s mission to enhance the St. Louis community via the fulfillment of human potential and a focus on ecological impact. With a strong background in nonprofit management, philanthropy and development, Marissa brings strategic vision and operational expertise to drive meaningful change.
Prior to joining the Trio Foundation of St. Louis, Marissa served as the Director of Development at the National Council of
Jewish Women St. Louis, where she created and implemented an annual giving program, executed a successful capital campaign and forged key relationships in the community. Her career spans 20 years of leadership in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, with a focus on development, relationship building, and community service.
A passionate advocate for family philanthropy, Marissa believes in the power of collaboration to create sustainable impact. She holds both a BA and an MSW from Washington University in St. Louis and has been recognized for her contributions to Philanthropy Missouri, JFS St. Louis and the National Council of Jewish Women.
Outside of work, Marissa enjoys traveling, playing pickleball and mahjong and keeping up with her teens. She is also proud to serve as a Director on the Ladue School District Board of Education.
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Laura Horwitz
Executive Director
JF Roblee Foundation
Laura is a catalyst for learning, change, and giving. She has 20+ years of experience in nonprofit management and leadership with a specific focus on community organizing, systems change, and grant-making organizations. She is the Executive Director of the JF Roblee Foundation, a family foundation dedicated to promoting racial, ethnic, and gender equity, with a preference for early, upstream, catalytic, and movement-building approaches.
Laura is based in St. Louis, having returned to her hometown in 2014 after working for large national and international NGOs such as American Friends Service Committee and The Pew Charitable Trusts. After the Ferguson uprising, Laura co-founded and served for four years as the Executive Director of We Stories, which engaged white families in changing the conversation about and building momentum toward racial equity. More recently, Laura led the wind-down of a participatory grant-making portfolio for Generate Health, a maternal and infant health organization, which included managing five grant cycles and distributing ~$3M to more than 105 community-based nonprofit organizations, the majority of which were Black-led grassroots organizations with budgets of less than $250,000. Laura has a BA in American Studies from Tufts University and an MA in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University.
Jasmina Schue
Director, Community Outreach
Reinsurance Group of America (RGA)
As Director of Community Outreach at Reinsurance Group of America (RGA), Jasmina Schue leads the company’s global charitable giving, employee engagement, and volunteerism initiatives across more than 20 locations worldwide. She is dedicated to strengthening communities, fostering strategic partnerships, and creating sustainable social impact through corporate philanthropy and community investment.
Prior to joining RGA, Jasmina served as Director of Operations for Angels’ Arms, a St. Louis-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting foster youth and families. With more than 15 years of nonprofit leadership experience, she has developed deep expertise in nonprofit management, fundraising, stakeholder engagement, strategic partnerships, and organizational operations.
She currently serves on the Board of Directors for FamilyForward and is a member of the Regional Business Council St. Louis Social Venture Partners. Jasmina holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Lindenwood University.
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Genevieve Otto
Corporate Marketing Manager
Emerson
Genevieve Otto brings a corporate perspective to community investment, helping direct Emerson's philanthropic strategy toward expanding educational opportunity and strengthening communities around the world. As Senior Manager, Social Responsibility, she oversees Emerson's annual corporate community investment portfolio, helping guide more than $25 million in philanthropic investments each year. She collaborates with business leaders across Emerson and nonprofit partners to align these investments with both business priorities and community needs.
With more than 15 years of experience spanning marketing strategy, digital marketing, and corporate philanthropy, Genevieve is passionate about building bridges between the corporate and nonprofit worlds.
She serves on the Board of Directors for Girls Inc. of St. Louis, where she is honored to support the organization's mission of inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. She's also a longtime supporter of the Animal Protective Association of Missouri.
Genevieve holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis and an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. Outside of work, she's a new mom who is enjoying learning the ropes of parenthood.
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