Three community members join Quad Cities Community Foundation board
Esmeralda Jinez, Elizabeth Cervantes, and Lance Leslie
The Quad Cities Community Foundation announced the addition of three new members to its board of directors. The new members bring diverse perspectives and expertise to support the Community Foundation in its mission of transforming the region through the generosity of donors.
“As we undertake our national search for our next president and CEO, we’re continuing to foster strong leadership all across the Community Foundation,” said Randy Moore, board chairperson and interim president and CEO. “When members of our community step up to serve on the Community Foundation board, they allow us to step up when it comes to what we’re able to accomplish together.”
One new board member, Esmeralda Jinez, comes with close knowledge of the Community Foundation. A general engineer at the Rock Island Arsenal, Jinez participated for two years in Teens for Tomorrow, the Community Foundation’s youth philanthropy group, and evaluated grant applications as a volunteer on the Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants Committee. Jinez also brings connections with local small business and social services sectors to the board.
“It’s wonderful to see someone come into contact with our organization and want to extend and deepen that relationship,” said Moore. “Now Esmeralda, who happens to be the youngest board member to serve in our organization’s history, is in the perfect position to help us continue growing a robust philanthropic community in the Quad Cities region.”
For Elizabeth Cervantes, election to the Community Foundation board is a chance to complement her extensive history of membership on government boards and give back to her community. As assistant county attorney and supervisor of the juvenile division at the Scott County Attorney’s Office, Cervantes has built a wide range of relationships to serve at-risk youth and families in the area, including connections with schools, medical professionals, elected officials, and social services agencies. With 14 years of experience as an attorney, her expertise in law, social services, governmental agencies, and juvenile needs will help enhance the way the Community Foundation addresses the most pressing needs and opportunities in the community.
A final addition to the board, Lance Leslie is a managing director at Deloitte Tax with over three decades of public accounting and tax experience. He has served on the boards and committees of numerous organizations, including the Quad Cities Chamber, the Iowa Taxpayers Association, and the Niabi Zoological Society, whose assets he helped transition to the Community Foundation. Along with his expertise in finance, accounting, and tax, he brings to the board a passion for economic development and the future growth of the Quad Cities.