Virginia, Minn. –The Virginia Community Foundation (VCF) is proud to announce the appointment of Leah Ryan as Chair and Brenda Skorich as Vice Chair of its Board of Directors. Both leaders bring deep community connections, professional expertise, and a shared vision for strengthening the greater Virginia area through philanthropy and collaboration.
Leah Ryan, a journalist for Iron Range Today and a member of the VCF Board since 2016, steps into the role of Chair with a passion for community service and meaningful impact.
“The Virginia Community Foundation is here to serve the greater Virginia community,” Ryan said. “I am here to serve you, my neighbor and friend. The Foundation is here to make a positive financial impact for our region and I am here to make a positive impact through those decisions. I am excited to see what my time as Chair has in store and look forward to continuing to build fruitful relationships with board and community members.”
Brenda Skorich, a faculty member at Minnesota North College and a VCF Board member since 2023, will serve as Vice Chair. She brings a strong commitment to education and community growth. “I look forward to working with Executive Director Maija Biondich, Chair Leah Ryan, and the entire VCF Board and CommunityGiving staff to help position the Virginia Community Foundation to grow and support community needs for years to come,” Skorich said. “It is truly an exciting time for the Virginia Community Foundation!”
Executive Director Maija Biondich expressed enthusiasm for the new leadership team, noting that Ryan’s long-standing involvement and Skorich’s fresh perspective will help the organization thrive.
The Virginia Community Foundation (VCF) attracts and administers charitable funds for the benefit of the local community. Since 1991, VCF has grown to $5.8 million in assets. The VCF is governed by a local board of directors and is a partner of CommunityGiving, which is a network of community foundations united under a single framework to create efficiencies that maximize the impact of our donors. Collectively, CommunityGiving administers over 1,300 funds totaling over $283 million in assets. Learn more at www.virginiafoundation.com
(Left) Leah Ryan, new VCF Board Chair and (Right) Brenda Skorich, new VCF Vice Chair