Deanna James has served as the President and CEO of St. Croix Foundation (SCF) since 2015. As the first person of color in the USVI to lead a local foundation in over 25 years, SCF’s national recognition has expanded exponentially under her leadership. With a broad programmatic wingspan that includes program administration, fiduciary services and grantmaking, under her tenure SCF is today, the Territory’s pre-eminent Fiscal Sponsor and KIDS COUNT Grantee, and was recognized as a 2022 HUD Secretary’s Award Recipient. A native Virgin Islander, Deanna holds a BA in Literature from Lehigh University and a MA in Communications from American University. 

Kalila Quow is a collaborative and solutions-focused senior HR and Finance Manager including experience from multiple arenas, with proven record in power / energy, oil & gas, banking, private education, and healthcare fields. Highly driven and passionate about building collaborative, trustworthy and credible relationships she promotes community solutions for the development of young people driving the consistent message that our society is only has strong as the positive involvement of our youths. Aside from her professional career, this passion has afforded her the opportunity to serve as a champion for the development of Virgin Islands youths. Kalila brings more than 30 years’ experience and has held various professional position as: USVI Territory Human Resources Manager, Ocwen Mortgage Servicing; Director of Finance and HR, The Good Hope School; Project Controller for Alstom Power in Windsor Connecticut; Senior Accountant; Hovensa, LLC, St. Croix USVI; Comptroller, historical Forward Newspaper, New York, N.Y. and Financial Controller, Corporate Audit Risk Review, Citicorp Real Estate, Citibank, New York, N.Y. Kalila holds a Master of Management degree in Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, and professional certification in Human Resources Management.

Since 2005 Lilli has been an SCF team member and today serves as the Director of Communications and Community Investments. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Western Governor’s University and a Master of Science degree in Communications from the University of Illinois. She successfully builds awareness around SCF’s unique brand of philanthropy to secure and invest vital resources for the Virgin Islands community. Collaborating across diverse sectors locally and abroad, Lilli helps to drive programmatic and grantmaking strategy. She is a native Californian whose roots are now deeply planted in the island of St. Croix.

A native Crucian, Magali joined the St. Croix Foundation in 2009 as the Site Coordinator for the Foundation’s nationally recognized Model Schools Initiative, coordinating hundreds of young people, faculty and staff in school-wide literacy program. Her role quickly expanded to include that of Data Coordinator for HRSA’s Ryan White Program, for which the Foundation served as the third-party fiduciary. Today, Magali’s on-the-ground skills, expertise, and knowledge has her working intimately with our finance team and across all departments as Operations Coordinator.

Haley Cutler relocated to St. Croix in August 2017, just weeks before Hurricane Maria struck the island. She joined the St. Croix Foundation team as Disaster Recovery Coordinator, playing a vital role in early recovery and resilience efforts. Afterward, she served as the Executive Director of the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center, returning to the Foundation as Project Manager and Senior Program Officer. In her capacity at the Foundation, Haley oversees numerous federally funded community development projects including the Foundation’s transformational place-keeping work in historic Sunday Market Square which centers cultural preservation, community revitalization, the arts, and resiliency. With over 15 years of nonprofit sector experience, an M.A. in Social Justice Education, and a B.S. in Sociology and Women’s Studies, Haley is wholeheartedly dedicated to the Foundation’s equity-centered approach to community development.

Claver Lazare has been with St. Croix Foundation since 2000, tracking SCF’s many funds as well as the 30 fiscal sponsored projects for which the Foundation provides sound financial management. Claver’s role includes working closely with each of the Foundation’s project directors and clients for reporting and compliance purposes. During her time at SCF, Claver has been responsible for helping to ensure over $15 million in critical funding directly reached and impacted grassroots nonprofits through fiscal sponsorship alone. Today, Claver holds an Associate Degree in Accounting and is pursuing her Bachelor of Science Degree.

Kevin Moolenaar, a native Crucian, officially became a member of the St. Croix Foundation team as an AmeriCorps VISTA in 2021. In his role, Kevin is responsible for devising media and communications strategies. Leveraging his proficiency in cinematography, he has skillfully crafted content that effectively conveys the essence, narrative, and impact of the Foundation. His diligent efforts continue to enhance the visibility and influence of the Foundation’s Nonprofit Consortium, a coalition comprising ~ 30 St. Croix nonprofits. It is worth noting that Kevin Moolenaar is a distinguished award-winning director and scriptwriter.