February 25, 2026, Williamsburg, Va. – As it enters the second year of its three-year strategic plan, the Williamsburg Community Foundation has elected new board officers and trustees whose experience reflects the evolving challenges and opportunities facing Williamsburg, James City County, and York County.

Each year, the foundation invests in local nonprofits, awards scholarships to area students, and brings partners together to address emerging challenges. Its board members serve as volunteer stewards of the community’s charitable resources, helping guide how those dollars are invested across the region.

“We are fortunate to have leaders who understand this community from many angles,” said Melinda Morgan, WCF’s board chair. “Their experience strengthens our ability to support local organizations, invest in students, and expand opportunity for every one of our neighbors.”

During its February 12 meeting, the Board of Trustees elected three new officers and one continuing officer to help guide the organization’s governance and strategic priorities in the year ahead:

• Melinda B. Morgan, Chair
• Jeanne Zeidler, Vice Chair
• David E. Bush, CPA, CFP, PFS, Treasurer
• Barbara Watson, Secretary

The Board also welcomed three newly elected trustees: Loretta K. “Lori” Conen; Philip G. “Phil” Emerson; and T. Montgomery “Monty” Mason. Each brings extensive professional experience and a deep commitment to community service.

• Lori Conen retired from Siemens after a 30-year career in human resources management. She served as VP, HR for the global water technologies business and led the corporate leadership & executive development function for Siemens. Lori volunteered for several years as an Advocate with CASA and currently volunteers as an Executive Partner with the College of William & Mary, lending business and leadership expertise to MBA students in the Mason School of Business. Lori has a Master’s in Human Resources from Michigan State University and certifications from the Duke Fuqua School of Business, the Center for Creative Leadership and the Society for Human Resources Management. She has been involved in numerous community and educational initiatives during her career, including a governor’s appointment on the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Workforce Council and Board positions on the Thomas Nelson Community College Foundation, the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, and the Girl Scouts Council of the Colonial Coast.
• Phil Emerson, executive director emeritus of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation (JYF), guided the transformation of its commemorative sites into nationally acclaimed accredited museums. During his 33 years, he worked with governors, board members, staff and volunteers to invest more than $160 million to improve facilities, exhibits, educational programs, and build the collection of artifacts. He provided key leadership to national commemorations in 2007 and 2019. Phil has served on numerous boards and is currently a Trustee of the George Washington Foundation. He is past President of the Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce, former chair of Visit Williamsburg, a graduate of the Virginia Executive Institute, and is active in his church and the Kiwanis Club. A graduate of Randolph-Macon College, he is a former Trustee of the College.
• Monty Mason, a 1989 graduate of the College of William & Mary, leads community affairs and draws on his experience as chair of the Williamsburg Economic Development Authority to build partnerships between the university and public and private partners. He previously served in the Virginia General Assembly, representing the Williamsburg region in the 93^rd district in the House of Delegates from 2014-2016 and then the Virginia Peninsula in the Virginia State Senate from 2016-2023. Monty serves on the board of the Sorensen Institute of Political Leadership, the Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce, and the advisory board of Literacy for Life.

The Williamsburg Community Foundation board also honored the work and leadership of retiring Chair Alison Lennarz and retiring trustees Lisa McDonald Lucas and John Fogarty.

For more information, visit WilliamsburgCommunityFoundation.org.

About Williamsburg Community Foundation

The Williamsburg Community Foundation is a public charity founded in 1999 as the Greater Williamsburg Community Trust to connect people who care with causes that matter. With assets of over $44.5 million, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $1.5 million last year to students and nonprofit organizations in Williamsburg, James City County and York County. The Community Foundation’s work is made possible by the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit www.williamsburgcommunityfoundation.org or call (757) 259-1660.