The Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation staff is committed to growing, serving, and supporting the communities of Berkeley, Jefferson, Hampshire, Hardy and Morgan Counties.
Pictured left to right:
Rebecca Knight, is originally from Leesburg, Virginia, and has lived in West Virginia since 2004. She graduated with honors from Shepherd University in 2017 with a degree in Sociology and a minor in English. Prior to joining EWVCF, she spent four years working at the Wonder Book and Video Warehouse in Frederick, Maryland, doing a myriad of jobs and buying far too many used books. She joined the Foundation team in 2021 as Administrative Assistant and now serves as the Foundation’s Office and Grants Program Manager. She resides in Martinsburg.
Karin Hammann Dunn is the Scholarship Program Manager and oversees the scholarship program assisting local students secure scholarships and grants. Before joining EWVCF in July 2017, she worked at Habitat for Humanity of the Eastern Panhandle as both Director of Operations and Interim Executive Director. She was Assistant Project Manager at Shepherd University and early in her career, was General Manager of Tanger Outlet Centers in Martinsburg. Karin is a graduate of Shepherd University and cousin of the founding EWVCF board member, the late Connie Hammann. She lives in Martinsburg with her husband, Larry. They have two children, Frances Ann, a graduate of WVU and Adam (wife Ashlyn), a Chowan University graduate who recently “gifted” Karin and Larry their first grandchild, Jack Edward.
Elaine Bobo, was born and raised in Berkeley County. As a Martinsburg High School graduate, she earned a BA from James Madison University and a MA from WVU. She gathered work and life experience through her varied career path in print media, shopping mall marketing/management, specialty food marketing, banking, and public education communications/public relations all of which will play a key role in her EWVCF position as Donor Relations & Communications Director. She has volunteered with many area organizations and served on many local nonprofit boards. She is a care giver for her 97-year-old father and is a volunteer with Meals on Wheels. She and Mark are parents of two children and three grandchildren…and they live next door to her, one on each side!
Amy Pancake has worked in the Eastern Panhandle in the nonprofit sector for the past 26 years. She served the area as Assistant Director and then Director of the Eastern Regional Family Resource Network from 1998 to 2008. She joined the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation in 2008, and currently serves as the Associate Director/COO, leading the Foundation’s operations, and serving Hampshire and Hardy counties from our offices in Romney. Amy earned her BA from Shepherd University and MA from Marshall University. She currently serves on the board for the West Virginia Humanities Council. Together with their children she and her husband preserved a log home in Hampshire County dating from the late 1700s, deconstructing, moving, and re-building it on the family’s acreage, where they still live today.
Susan Caperton joined the staff in 2023 after serving many years on the Board of Directors, including terms as Secretary and Vice President. In 2024, she became our new Executive Director! Originally from Rockford, IL, she earned a BA with Distinction from Northwestern University with degrees in Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences and Political Science, and a JD from the University of Michigan Law School. She worked as an attorney with Bowles Rice in Martinsburg, WV and as the Executive Director of the Morgan County Partnership in Berkeley Springs, WV. She has volunteered with many organizations in the area and served on many nonprofit boards, including Morgan County Starting Points, Morgan County Partnership, Tom and Virginia Seely Foundation, Morgan Arts Council and CASA of the Eastern Panhandle, where she served as President for four years. She and her husband Gat have three daughters: Eliza, who works for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra; Katie, who works for Experience Learning in Circleville, WV; and Evie, who is a student at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa.
Kirsten Avey brings over 25 years of experience in administrative leadership, project coordination, and strategic operations, with a proven ability to manage complex projects, streamline processes, and foster collaboration across teams. Her professional background includes extensive work in higher education and organizational operations, providing her with the skills to enhance systems, support teams, and improve day-to-day efficiency. In her role as Systems Manager for the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation, Kirsten leads efforts to optimize organizational systems, enhance operational efficiency, and support the Foundation’s mission of building stronger communities across the region. Known for her steady leadership and attention to detail, she has a strong track record of building high-performing teams and bringing structure to evolving organizations. Kirsten has called West Virginia home for over 35 years and lives in Martinsburg with her husband, Guy, their daughter, Piper and family pets Maggie and Daisey. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with friends and family and unwinding with a good beach getaway.