Jessica serves as Vice President of Marketing and Senior Advisor on the GPA team. She works directly with clients to help them crystallize what is most important to them and create a philanthropic strategic plan that honors their "why". Her years of experience as a funder helps clients to understand the hallmarks of an effective nonprofit while also introducing clients to new funding opportunities.

Jessica moved to Charleston in 2010 and invested in the community from the start. Most recently, serving as the Director of Boeing Global Engagement, she led external relations across 11 states overseeing $100M of charitable investments over her ten-year career with Boeing in South Carolina.

Jessica’s passion for supporting the community began as a hospital volunteer at the Western Maryland Health System where she grew up in Cumberland. She experienced advocacy work as an intern at the State House in Annapolis and then graduated from the University of Maryland in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in Communications. Upon earning her master’s degree from Georgetown University in 2009, Jessica moved to Charleston to be closer to family.

Jessica currently serves on the boards of Empower Charleston and MUSC Children’s Hospital. She's also a 21/64 Certified Advisor. On the weekends, Jessica is typically at the beach with her husband Grier and their two boys Matthew and Bo.

email: jessica@grantphilanthropy.com

Johanna works with GPA clients to identify the change they want to see in the world and build strategies that leverage their charitable investments. Drawing from her two decades in the philanthropic sector, Johanna has deep expertise in place-based philanthropy, mission-aligned advocacy, network-building, and collective impact models. She brings experience in effective governance practices; facilitating discussions across family generations and strategic planning. Johanna approaches her client work with empathy and understanding of how families work towards their shared philanthropic goals.

In addition to her role at GPA, she serves as Chief Impact Officer at Broward Grove, where she leads philanthropy and human capital development for single family offices operated by the firm. For nearly 13 years, Johanna served as the first Executive Director of The Belk Foundation, a private, multi-generational family foundation. At The Belk Foundation, she led the development of strategic impact areas, incorporated the fourth generation into leadership roles, and facilitated collaborative work at the local, state, and national levels. The many hats she wore as an executive director of a lean-staffed foundation help her coach foundation professionals on navigating the unique dynamics of working in philanthropy. Johanna’s previous roles include managing nonprofit endowment and corporate giving funds at Foundation For The Carolinas and developing educational programs for foundation trustees and staff at the national organization Exponent Philanthropy. She is a former Board Chair of the North Carolina Network of Grantmakers, currently serves on the executive committee of Leadership North Carolina, and enjoys dedicating personal time as a board member and volunteer with several education-oriented nonprofits. Johanna has an undergraduate degree in Public Policy Studies from Duke University and an MBA from Wake Forest University. She and her husband have two young daughters and live in Charlotte, NC.

email: johanna@grantphilanthropy.com

Porter serves in an Of Counsel role with GPA, making strategic connections to potential clients and thought leaders in the philanthropic field. He also leverages his experience and that of the GPA team to best serve the needs of our diverse client portfolio.

Previously, Porter served as a Co-Founder, Managing Partner, and Counsel at Global Endowment Management. In addition, he served as Staff Counsel and Director of the Education Division of The Duke Endowment, as well as a Partner and Chairman of the Corporate and Securities Department at Baker Donelson law firm. He is currently chair of the board of the National Humanities Center and serves as a trustee of St. Andrews School, Delaware. He is the immediate past chair of the Duke Law School Board of Visitors and has served on the boards of the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, The Oxford American Literary Project, Trinity Episcopal School, and Johnson C. Smith University. He graduated cum laude from Duke University and the Duke University School of Law.

email: porter@grantphilanthropy.com

Samantha is the Data Analyst for Grant Philanthropic Advisors. She joined the team in 2023. Samantha handles all of the data analytics and data management for clients. She loves to help GPA clients make informed decisions by providing a clear way to visualize how their giving aligns with their values, goals, and philanthropic strategy.

Samantha earned a bachelor's degree in Applied Math & Statistics and Economics in 2019 from Stony Brook University. Born and raised in New York, Samantha currently lives in the Lower Hudson Valley. In her free time, you can find her hiking with her dog or creating elaborate origami sculptures.

email: samantha@grantphilanthropy.com

Bella joined Grant Philanthropic Advisors in 2024 as the Research and Operations Coordinator. She works primarily to enhance marketing efforts, operations and client relationships. Her experience in operations spans different fields, contributing to Bella’s soft skills and ability to work in harmony with others. Bella is passionate about spreading social good and is excited to see clients’ philanthropic goals come into fruition.

Originally from New Jersey, Bella’s time in the South began at the University of South Carolina, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in 2021. Since moving to Charleston in 2022, Bella has fostered an admiration for the history and sense of community found within the city. In her free time, you can find Bella at the beach or spending time with family and friends.

email: bella@grantphilanthropy.com

Helen is the Project Manager for Grant Philanthropic Advisors. She's been with the firm since 2020. Helen coordinates all client needs and team assignments to ensure client expectations are met. She keeps our GPA team in line and on their toes! Helen is motivated by our work as she is passionate about our community's needs and values the nonprofit sector's ability to think outside the box and create solutions that empower people.

Helen earned a bachelor's degree in 2007 from the College of Charleston. Her career has included a variety of roles and industries. She was a data analyst with Benefitfocus, a publicly traded company, for 2 years. Prior to her time at Benefitfocus, Helen honed her project coordination skills at Bishop Gadsden, a continuing care retirement community in Charleston, serving in the role of Resident Services Coordinator. She currently splits her time between GPA and Aging Life Care Charleston.

A native South Carolinian, Helen hails from Pawleys Island. In her free time, you can find Helen at the beach with a good book or enjoying time boating and sharks' teeth hunting with her husband and daughter.

email: helen@grantphilanthropy.com