Meyer Foundation Elects Two New Board Members

The Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, a private foundation in Washington, DC has elected two new members to its board of directors: James W. Dyke Jr., a partner at McGuire Woods LLP and Kerrie B. Wilson, chief executive officer of Reston Interfaith, Inc.

Mr. Dyke is a partner at McGuire Woods LLP. His broad practice covers corporate, legislative, education, governmental relations, and municipal law. He previously served as Virginia’s Secretary of Education under Virginia Governor L. Douglas Wilder, and as Domestic Policy Advisor to former Vice President Walter Mondale.

He is an active leader in the Northern Virginia business community having served as chairman of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce; chairman of the Northern Virginia Business Roundtable; chairman of the Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation; and chairman of the Emerging Business Forum, an organization focused on enhancing minority and women entrepreneurs’ access to capital. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Washington Gas Holding. Mr. Dyke has served or is serving on various commissions and committees including the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV), the Commission to Restructure Virginia’s Tax Structure, the Board of Directors of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of the District of Columbia. He is a frequent speaker on educational, political, and legal issues.

In 2007, Mr. Dyke was included in Washingtonian magazine’s list of “150 Most Powerful People” in the Washington region. In 2006, he was a finalist for the Washington Business Journal’s “Top Washington Lawyer in State and Local Lobbying.” He also won the J. Michael Brown award from DuPont for his accomplishments in diversity, recruiting, and mentoring in the legal profession.

Kerrie B. Wilson has been CEO of Reston Interfaith, Inc. since February 2001, and has 20 years of experience in health and human services advocacy, public health policy, and nonprofit management. She worked previously as the National Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy for the American Cancer Society. She has served on the Board of Directors of the National Breast Cancer Coalition and the Intercultural Cancer Council, and was active in organizations specializing in issues relating to women, minorities, and the medically underserved.

Since joining Reston Interfaith she has served as chair of the Human Services Coalition of Northern Virginia and as a member of the 211 Regional Planning Task Force appointed by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. She was appointed by Fairfax County Board Chairman Gerry Connolly to serve on the Affordable Housing Preservation Action Committee which established the Penny for Housing trust fund that has preserved over 1,300 homes to date, and she will now be working on implementation of the Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness. Kerrie is also active in the Greater Reston and Dulles Regional chambers on the board and policy committees. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington and the Board of Directors of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy.

Kerrie Wilson was named an Exponent Award recipient by the Meyer Foundation in 2006, in recognition of her leadership in the sector. Ms. Wilson received her degree in Sociology (Criminal Justice) and Political Science from Clemson University. She is a 30+ year resident of Herndon, Virginia, married and active in Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Herndon Swim League, and other activities that allow her to spend time with her husband and three children.

“We’re honored to have Kerrie and Jim on the Meyer board,” says Julie L. Rogers, President and CEO of the Meyer Foundation. “They are both deeply thoughtful and strategic leaders on critical issues in the Greater Washington region.”

Established in 1944, the Meyer Foundation is one of the Washington area’s oldest and most experienced private grantmaking foundations. The Meyer Foundation supports capable, community-based nonprofit organizations that foster the well-being of all people in the region. The Foundation is especially concerned about low-income people and creating healthy neighborhoods, and seeks to promote the region’s diversity.