Valerie S. Lies

Valerie S. Lies was appointed President and CEO of Donors Forum, an association of Illinois funders, nonprofit, and advisors, in 1987. The founding chair of the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, Valerie is on the board of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) as well as the Diversity in Philanthropy Project. She is co-chair of the Illinois Attorney General's Charitable Advisory Council and is a member of the Governor’s Commission on Human Services. She also serves on the Governor's Task Force on Social Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Enterprise Development. Valerie has received numerous awards and honors; including being named, most recently in 2012, by The Nonprofit Times as one of the sector’s “Top 50 Power and Influence Leaders” in the United States.