Meet The Team

Kim Joyce, GPC

President and CEO
Scottsdale, AZ

grant writing certification logos - ngma gpci afp gpa cfre aan

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 $147 million.

Two distinctions set Kim apart from her peers in the industry: she is one of only 21 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.

Shayla Grayson

Executive Assistant to the CEO
Phoenix, AZ

Shayla Grayson brings 20+ years of executive assistance, office management, professionalism, customer service, and smiles to Kim Joyce & Associates. She began her professional administrative career as Student Assistant to the High School Principal’s Office in 1993 at beginning of her freshman year, and maintained the role all the way through graduating (Class of 1997). Following years of being a Legal Assistant, Shayla earned her Bachelor of Arts in Business at University of Phoenix in 2012. The following year she detoured away from Legal Administration to pursue a career in hospitality in Vail, Colorado, as the Senior Lead Concierge for the Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, VIP Club. There, she developed her ability to “move Heaven and Earth for her Club Level guests in 15 minutes or less, or at least give them the feeling of such.” After being promoted to position of Staff Manager for the Club Level, Shayla remained dedicated for 5 years to her Hospitality endeavors. Near that 5-year mark, she began developing an intolerance for the year-long winter weather in the Rocky Mountains and decided to happily cruise down to the fabulous Phoenix Arizona desert – where she resides with her Husband of 12 years and 7 year-old Rottweiler “puppy lap dog.”

Kimberly Rogers, GPC

Senior Project Manager - Grant Writing Division
Crossville, AL

Kimberly Rogers, GPC, has a diverse background and over 20 years of grant writing experience at the local, county, state, and federal level. With a passion for public health, she has held numerous positions in the public health, behavioral health, and social service fields, giving her the opportunity to improve her programmatic and grants management skills in the governmental and nonprofit sectors. She received her GPC grant credential in 2017, was a presenter at the 2018 Grant Professional Association Annual Conference, and currently serves on the Grant Professional Certification Institute Board of Directors. As a former Vice President of Grants for a national behavioral health organization, Kimberly is well rounded in her understanding of grant management and fiscal accountability at the federal, state, and local levels. Her grant portfolio includes primary and behavioral health care proposals, as well as innovative grants focusing on special populations or issues, including veterans' services, youth development, LGBTQ+ programs, as well as social justice, corrections, and the southern border crisis. Kimberly graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from American Military University.

Susan Brittain

Senior Grants Specialist
Clemmons, NC

Susan has over 25 years of experience in nonprofit management; program/project development; proposal, policy, and budget development; and grants and contracts research, development, writing, and management. She was born in Washington, DC, grew up in Winston-Salem, NC, and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a bachelor’s degree in English. She also has a master’s degree in Education/Counseling from Wake Forest University and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management also from Wake Forest University. Susan has traveled all over the world, worked on a documentary film, and is always up for a new adventure!

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.

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, GPC

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.

Lori Dennehy, J.D.

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.

Cindy Dewitt, GPC

Senior Consultant
Fayetteville, AR

Cindy DeWitt, GPC 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.

Dale Braden, GPC

Senior Grants Management Specialist
Amarillo, TX

Dale Braden, GPC, is a Colorado native and moved to Portland, Oregon after graduating from Colorado State University. Dale worked as a post-award grant administrator at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) for 8.5 years before leaving to work with an international nonprofit organization, Youth With A Mission. He returned to OHSU in March 2006 as research grant administrator, ensuring grant applications were complete, as well as assisting with budget preparation and application assembly. Dale worked with investigators on internal compliance, provided monthly spending projections, approved expenditure documents to ensure compliance with funding agency and internal spending policies, and managed grant effort certification. He brings grant writing and post-award grants management expertise to Kim Joyce & Associates. Dale has a passion for helping humanitarian causes such as food insecurity, housing, medical care, education, and disaster relief. He lives in Amarillo, Texas with his wife of 33 years, Pepper the dog, and Felix and Fritz the cats!

Meredith Burke Hammons, Ph.D.

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.

Chloe Juriansz

Junior Grant Writer
Gilbert, AZ

Chloe Juriansz is a recent graduate of Haverford College where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology and a minor in Spanish and Latin American Studies. She has experience working in a variety of different roles in the nonprofit sector, including working in an afterschool program for migrant youth in Philadelphia, to running social media and fundraising efforts for a Head Start agency in Utah. She is excited to combine this experience and her strong background in research and writing to her work at Kim Joyce & Associates.

Jenna Joyce

Data Entry Specialist
Scottsdale, AZ

Jenna Joyce is a senior at Grand Canyon University where she is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Behavioral Health Sciences. She has varied skillsets including data entry, writing, customer relations management, and more. She has volunteered with nonprofits and youth serving organizations both nationally and internationally. She is excited to bring her love of serving others, strong academic background and attention to detail to Kim Joyce & Associates.

Keri McDonald, GPC

Senior Consultant
Round Rock, TX

Keri McDonald brings over 20 years of experience in health and human services and education policy to Kim Joyce and Associates. Since 2008, Keri has raised over $98 million in private and public sector grants. She attributes this success to her Jane-of-All-Trades work experience on both the administrative and programmatic sides of non-profits as a caseworker, communications manager, project manager, grants manager, and board member. Keri has a Master of Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. She lives in Round Rock, TX, and is a proud Board Member of the Lone Star Justice Alliance.

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).

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.

Tomi Simmons

Junior Grant Writer
Phoenix, AZ

Tomi Simmons was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. After graduating high school, she went to McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas, and earned her Bachelor of Science in Political Science. There Tomi was involved in sports, journalism, creative writing, and theatre on campus. She did a full year of AmeriCorps VISTA with a nonprofit that helps families overcome poverty in McPherson County. Tomi became passionate about community and the development of nonprofits through her experience of serving as a VISTA.

Barbara Mason, MPA, BA

Senior Grants Specialist
Bradenton FL /Marshall MI

Originally from Michigan and graduating from Western Michigan University, Barbara (Barb) has an interesting and varied professional life. She currently holds a Master of Public Administration degree with a concentration in Local Land Use, and a Bachelor of Art degree in Political Science with a concentration in Economics from WMU.

Barb’s background includes experience in county planning, writing, administering, and reviewing federal (HUD) grant funding, affordable housing, Veteran housing programs, Department of Transportation funding, and entitlement work on large economic development projects, as well as strategic planning, and CIP initiatives. As the former National Grant and Development Officer for a large non-profit, she located and applied for capital funding opportunities for (162) properties and facilities in eighteen (18) states and three (3) U.S. territories and worked daily with a newly restructured Development Department.

Barb has served on Historic Preservation Boards in Nevada and in Michigan and is a member of the Marshall Historic Society where she recently bought and is restoring an 1875 Gothic Revival home. In her free time, Barb enjoys biking, hiking, boating, backpacking, running, and snorkeling, and has been fortunate to experience these hobbies across the U.S. and in different countries throughout the years.

Contact Us Today!

We serve clients in Arizona and nationwide!

Request Consultation