Foundation Staff

Abigail Sarmac, Program Officer

Abby joined the Foundation in April 2005 after living and working in Senegal, Ecuador, Italy and the US with several international environmental organizations, including the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Abby earned her M.Sc. in Environmental Science from Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. She also holds a B.Sc. in International Politics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Abby was born and raised in Virginia.

Claudia Jimenez, Accountant

Claudia, who joined the Foundation in April 2008, previously worked in public accounting for nearly five years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with concentrations in Accounting and International Business from Eastern Oregon University, a master’s degree in Financial Analysis from Portland State University, and is certified with the Oregon Board of Accountancy. She was born and raised in Mexico, and has resided in Oregon for the past fifteen years.

Erin Conlon, Grants & Program Associate

Erin joined the Foundation in October 2004. She previously worked in organizational and marketing communications as well as academic publishing. Erin earned a bachelor's degree in English from Santa Clara University and recently completed her master's degree in Management Communication from the University of Portland. She grew up in the Bay Area, and has resided in Portland since moving there in 2002 to pursue her graduate studies.

Jill Tucker, Senior Program Officer

Jill, who joined the Foundation in January 2006, is the former Director of Reebok International's Asia Human Rights Programs, and previously worked for the Asia Foundation in Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Nepal. She earned a master of education degree from the Center for International Education at the University of Massachusetts, a bachelor of arts degree from Stanford University, and was a Fulbright Scholar at Gadjah Mada University in Indonesia. She is fluent in Bahasa Indonesia.

Jea Martin, Administrative Assistant

Prior to joining the Foundation in August 2007, Jea worked as the Admissions\Development Coordinator and Director of Alumni Relations for the Rapid City Catholic School System. She earned a BBA with a double major in Finance and Business Administration from Houston Baptist University, Houston Texas. Jea moved to Portland in June, 2007.

Kelly Kost, Communications Director & Executive Assistant

Prior to joining the Foundation in April 2002, Kelly worked in marketing for an investment business and was a buyer and manager for boutique retail outlets. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Washington State University’s Edward R. Murrow School of Communications; her minor is in Spanish. Born and raised in Hawaii, for most of the last twenty years she has resided in the Pacific Northwest.

Patrick Maloney, Senior Program Officer

Patrick joined the Foundation in February 2008. Prior to that, he worked in northern California with mission-driven investors and donors in emerging technologies. He has also worked for a number of technology start-ups. He began his career with Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, recipient of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize. Patrick holds an MBA from UC Berkeley and a BS in International Politics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

Peggy Reid, Program Director

Peggy joined the Lemelson Foundation in 2008 as Program Director overseeing the Foundation’s grant-making, program-related investing, and monitoring and evaluation efforts. Before joining Lemelson, Peggy served for seven years as director of Stanford Business School’s social enterprise programs where she worked with MBA students, faculty, and practitioners to apply business principles to social and environmental ventures. Prior to this, Peggy worked in the private sector in product development, management consulting, and mergers and acquisitions. She sits on several nonprofit boards of directors and has been a judge for Coro Northern California and the Global Social Venture Competition. Peggy earned an MBA from Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, a master’s degree in Theology from Harvard University, and a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College.

Philip Varnum, Chief Financial & Administrative Officer

Philip joined the Foundation in June 2007. Prior to joining the Lemelson Foundation, he was with Portland State University Foundation for nearly ten years where he was responsible for accounting, investment, human resources, real estate and entrepreneurial functions. Philip earned an MBA degree from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.