Indiana Philanthropy Alliance Names Alisa Winters Vice President of GIFT Technical Assistance

Indiana Philanthropy Alliance has appointed Alisa Winters as vice president of GIFT technical assistance, effective Feb. 2, 2026. In this senior leadership role, Winters will provide executive leadership and strategic oversight for the training, technical assistance, and professional development programs that support every Indiana community foundation serving all 92 counties through Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) initiative housed within IPA.

“I am honored to step into the role of vice president of GIFT technical assistance,” Winters said. “Having served as a community foundation executive and, more recently, as GIFT’s technical assistance advisor and interim vice president, I understand the day-to-day realities community foundations face and the critical role GIFT plays in supporting their success. GIFT is strongest when it is relationship-driven and responsive to the field, and I am excited to continue building practical, trusted support that helps Indiana’s community foundations lead with confidence and impact.”

Winters brings a strong record of leadership experience, notably serving as CEO of the Rush County Community Foundation (RCCF) for a decade. Under her leadership, RCCF doubled its assets and staff size and successfully secured and led large-scale Lilly Endowment GIFT leadership grant initiatives.

“Alisa’s background is unmatched. In her three years as a GIFT technical assistance advisor, she has navigated over 1,200 requests and conducted over 30 onsite visits annually to meet directly with foundation boards and staff,” said Brienne Hooker, IPA board chair and executive director of the Jasper Newton Foundation. “Furthermore, her work leading national community foundation trainings ensures that Indiana remains at the forefront of philanthropic best practices. She doesn't just provide answers; she builds relationships in the very offices where the work happens.”

In addition to her advisory work, Winters is the author of the annual GIFT Snapshot Reports of Indiana Community Foundations, a vital benchmarking resource for the state’s philanthropic sector.

To ensure Alisa and the rest of the IPA team remain fully focused on serving our members, the board has named Lissa Silotto as interim chief administrative officer to oversee internal operations. This structure provides stability as the IPA CEO search enters its final stages. 

The search is being led by IPA Vice Chair Tina Peterson (Community Foundation of Bloomington & Monroe County), Daniel Davis (Community Foundation of Jackson County), Thomas Leedy (Dekko Foundation), Jenna Wachtman (Ball Brothers Foundation), Jeff Small (Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust), and David Lasater (Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette). 

IPA is also deeply grateful for Pete McCown (Community Foundation of Elkhart County) and his steady leadership as interim CEO through the end of 2025.