Meet The Team

Kim Joyce, GPC

President and CEO
Scottsdale, AZ

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Kim Joyce, GPC (Grant Professional Certified), a native of Phoenix, began her career in education and has been involved with the nonprofit sector as a grant professional, fundraising professional, and volunteer for over 20 years. In 2010, Kim founded her grant writing firm, Kim Joyce & Associates, that provides services in the areas of grant writing, prospect research, grant writing training, grant office assessments, donor cultivation coaching, and nonprofit capacity building.

Kim’s clients have included nonprofits providing services in the areas of health and human services, education, at-risk youth, homelessness, healthcare, the arts, charter schools, and faith-based organizations, as well as institutes of higher education, school districts, tribes, and units of local government. Her firm, one of the largest in Arizona, is comprised of highly skilled employees and subcontractors from across the nation and has assisted clients in receiving grant awards of more than $112 million.

Two distinctions set Kim apart from her peers in the industry: she is one of only 20 GPCs in the state of Arizona, and she is one of only 32 GPA Grant Professionals Association (GPA) Approved Trainers in the world. Kim earned her GPC certification through the Grant Professionals Certification Institute (GPCI) and is also a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) Continuing Education Approved Provider.

Kim is a proud member of GPA – Arizona Founding Chapter, the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the National Grants Management Association (NGMA), and also serves as a Board Member of the GPCI. She enjoys giving back to the community, both personally, and professionally. Kim previously served as the Board Secretary of the GPA – Arizona Founding Chapter and on various local foundation and government review panels, such as Valley of the Sun United Way, the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, and the City of Phoenix CDBG grant review panel.

Meredith Burke Hammons

Grants Associate
Smyrna, GA

Meredith Burke Hammons has a varied career in education. She taught at the high school, college, and graduate levels, worked as a librarian in public and academic libraries, and served as the assistant director of the local office of a national, education-based nonprofit. Through her library work and love for research, she began grant writing, primarily focusing on youth development, education, human services, and faith-based organizations. She is active in the Georgia Grant Professionals Association, currently serving as treasurer, and is a long-time volunteer in a local mentoring program for elementary school children. Meredith holds a Ph.D. in Religion from Vanderbilt University, a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Religion from Davidson College.

Laurie Pierce

Senior Grants Associate
Scottsdale, AZ

After working in the for-profit world of hospitality, banking, and architecture, Laurie Pierce began her nonprofit career at Valle del Sol in Arizona. Now she has 20 years of experience developing proposals for integrated health care, behavioral health, IT health care, health and wellness related family/youth programs, and housing for a variety of federal, state, corporate, and foundation funders. She is passionate about innovative community-based integrated health approaches that show promise. Laurie earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. She has been involved with the Grant Professionals Association for more than a decade and served locally as Vice President of the Arizona Founding Chapter.

Lynn McRae

Senior Grants Consultant
Charlotte, NC

Lynn McRae is a consultant providing expertise in proposal development, strategic planning, program evaluation, and project management. Her grants experiences have primarily focused on health and human services, public education, higher education, and STEM initiatives. Ms. McRae began her career in the healthcare industry as Special Projects Manager for the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. Residing in Charlotte, NC since that time, she has served in various grant-related roles including: Human Services Planner for the county of Mecklenburg; Research Analyst in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System; and as Program Manager and Program Director at Johnson C. Smith University, securing millions in funding for the STEM College. She currently serves as Development Director at Lake Norman Community Health Clinic in Huntersville, NC. Ms. McRae received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Delaware and Master of Arts in Public Administration from The Pennsylvania State University. She is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

Allison Boyd, GPC

Senior Consultant
Cleveland, TX

Allison Boyd, GPC, brings to Kim Joyce & Associates 15 years of experience in grant writing and project management. She is an active member of the Grant Professionals Association, and one of 23 Grants Professionals Certified in Texas. Allison has experience on all sides of development, from co-chairing a fundraising campaign to proposal development and implementation. Over the last 15 years, she has successfully procured over $58 million in federal, state, local, and foundation funds. Allison earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

Audra Davis

Senior Consultant
Nashville, TN

Audra Davis provides grant writing, strategy, and research expertise, successfully securing funding from diverse federal sources (Departments of Labor, Education, Health & Human Services, CDFI and others) and from corporate and foundation sources. Since 2011, she has helped clients raise more than $31 million for programs, operations, and capital projects such as affordable housing, foster care, healthcare, higher education, mental health, and research. Audra earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from Texas Tech University. Her community involvement includes serving as an expert consultant for the Center for Nonprofit Management, past-president of the Middle Tennessee Chapter of Grant Professionals Association, and board member for the Nashville Adult Literacy Council.

Cindy Dewitt, GPC

Senior Consultant
Fayetteville, AR

Cindy DeWitt brings over 20 years of experience in community assessment, diverse partnership development, capacity building, strategic planning, grant management, evaluation, and sustainability. She has successfully written, administered, and reported on grant funding in the federal, state, and private foundation sectors. Her work focuses on health equity, food insecurity, substance abuse prevention and treatment, mental health, parent education, foster care, city infrastructure, outdoor recreation, and more. Cindy received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from Arkansas Tech University and her Master of Science Degree in Community and Economic Development from the University of Central Arkansas. A Grant Professional Certified (GPC) and a member of the Grant Professionals Association, Arkansas Chapter, she is committed to ethical practices and staying current on trends in the world of nonprofit funding.

Peggy Irwin

Senior Consultant
Cleveland Heights, OH

Peggy Irwin brings to Kim Joyce and Associates over 25 years of experience in higher education, informal science, and healthcare, with a particular focus on coordinating complex grants in STEM. Peggy teaches grant writing at Cleveland State University (CSU) Monte Ahuja College of Business and served as manager, Strategic Initiatives for the CSU-Northeast Ohio Medical School Partnership for Urban Health. Previously, she worked for CSU’s College of Sciences and Health Professions with a focus on securing and stewarding grants and gifts to advance research, education, and service. Peggy holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in biological anthropology from Western Washington University. She also earned a certificate in fundraising from the Mandel Center and Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University.

Michelle Thomas

Grants Associate
Cave Creek, AZ

Michelle Thomas has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 20 years. She has held many positions throughout her work history and has an extensive knowledge of grant writing, reporting, database management, and program and quality assurance. Michelle has worked in multiple sectors of the nonprofit world including homelessness, behavioral health, and working with persons with disabilities. She earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration from University of Phoenix, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Family Studies and Human Development from Arizona State University. Michelle also is a graduate of the ASU Lodestar Generation Next Nonprofit Leadership Academy. She is in her sixth year of serving as a Girl Scout Leader, while she also serves on the Board of her daughter’s nonprofit dance competition team.

Lori Dennehy

Grants Associate
Phoenix, AZ

Diversity Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate

Born and raised in Arizona, Lori Dennehy earned both her Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees at Arizona State University, graduating from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law in 2008.

She became passionate about community building, leadership, and social justice issues through volunteering with Anytown programs for over a decade, and carried that experience into her career.

After a few unfulfilling years in law, Lori made an early career change into nonprofit work to pursue those passions. She has since spent the last decade building, managing, and fundraising for community-serving organizations. Dedicated to improving communities throughout Arizona,

Lori has a love of learning, language, and logic, making professional writing a natural talent and pleasure.

Angie Bardsley

Prospect Research & Grants Associate
Moline, IL

An Illinois native, Angie Bardsley has 14 years’ experience in the nonprofit sector, working in higher education, the arts, and healthcare. Her roles have involved writing grants, conducting research, raising annual funds, leading fundraising events, and creating donor relations strategies. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Organizational Leadership from St. Ambrose University, as well as a copyediting certificate from UC San Diego Extension. She has served on the board of a local animal shelter, been the Chapter Administrator for her area’s Association of Fundraising Professionals chapter, and volunteers for a nonprofit that offers art opportunities to people impacted by cancer.

Maryann Bloomfield

Human Resources Coordinator
Phoenix, AZ

Maryann Bloomfield follows her passion for helping great people run great businesses by serving as Human Resources Coordinator for Kim Joyce and Associates. Maryann’s background includes working in operations for a variety of small businesses, in the areas of architecture, mortgage brokerage, and diversity and inclusion consulting. A third-generation Arizona native, Maryann earned an Associate of Arts degree from Phoenix College, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix.

Sophie Fullen

Marketing Coordinator
Scottsdale, AZ

Sophie Fullen is a recent graduate of Azusa Pacific University where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing. She has varied skillsets including content creation, digital marketing, creative planning, customer relations management, and public relations. She has always had a love for working with non-profits and has been a part of numerous volunteer activities both in the Valley, throughout the United States, and internationally. She brings hands-on experience to Kim Joyce and Associates through her personal experience and involvement in the business sector.

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