Meet the Team

With a distinguished career spanning over two decades, William Buster is considered a leader in the field of philanthropy, known for his transformative influence on community development public health, and health equity across the United States. Through his work he has sought to help the field of philanthropy deepen its impact and improve its partnerships with the communities and organizations in which they invest and partner.
Buster has held several roles during his career. Buster was the founding CEO & president of the New Hanover Community Endowment. At its founding it was the largest place-based health conversation foundation per capita in the United States. Prior to NHCE he held two successful appointments as the senior vice president at the Dogwood Health Trust in Asheville, NC and the Executive Vice President at the St. David’s Foundation in Austin TX. For both appointments he led the impact teams and had oversight of all grantmaking and program-related investment strategies. Over his career, Buster has directed over $600 million in grants, program-related investments, and mission-related investments towards improving lives and communities across this country but especially across the American South. He has dedicated his life’s work to improving the social determinants of health and quality of life particularly for children, youth, families and seniors.

Leatrice Fullerton was born and raised in Kalamazoo, MI. She serves as a Resource & Relationship Partner at the Stryker Johnston Foundation. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Social Work from Western Michigan University.
Leatrice has spent over a decade serving the Kalamazoo community in the nonprofit sector as a volunteer and employee. She believes that everyone should be given the opportunity to thrive in accessible and inclusive communities where diversity is embraced, valued, and respected. Leatrice says, “I proudly reside at the intersection of several different marginalized groups; my race, my disability, and my gender.” She has made it her goal to positively represent and advocate for these communities in all that she does.

Yolonda Lavender is a native of Kalamazoo, MI. She serves as the Grant Program & Partnerships Director at the Stryker Johnston Foundation. As a change agent and thought leader, Yolonda embodies the principles of trust based grant making. This is a part of her daily work and is present in her community advocacy. Yolonda earned her undergraduate degree in Sociology with a focus in Nonprofit Leadership and a Masters in Public Administration from Western Michigan University. Reimagining philanthropy has been a focus for Yolonda educationally and professionally. She works to continuously improve the sector and beyond. Yolonda believes “to eliminate philanthropy’s inherent power dynamics, we have to name and claim the power in the room”.

Lindsey Hemmerlein is from Kalamazoo, MI. She serves as the Operations Director at the Stryker Johnston Foundation. She earned both of her graduate degrees in Organizational Change Leadership and Education from Western Michigan University. Lindsey has been working in the nonprofit sector for over 10 years. She has experience in grant writing, organizational design, and youth development. Lindsey believes in the power of collaboration that is centered on the people impacted. She believes in telling the whole truth. Lindsey reminds us of Ayanna Pressley’s words “those closest to the pain, should be closest to the power.”

Mary DeMoss is a purpose-driven Executive Assistant based in Kalamazoo, MI, with a background in program management, public health education, and executive-level support. She holds a Bachelor’s in Public Health from Western Michigan University and is certified as a Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Community Health Worker (CCHW).
Mary is deeply committed to equity and systems change, bringing a collaborative and detail-oriented approach to every role she takes on. Her work reflects a passion for supporting community-driven initiatives and advancing meaningful, long-term impact.

Laura Winther serves as the Information Systems and Grants Manager at the Stryker Johnston Foundation. She earned an undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University and a Masters from Sarah Lawrence College, both in Writing, and is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in Program Evaluation at Michigan State University. Laura spent the past 15 years teaching in higher education and working in the nonprofit sector, the last five as the director of a community scholarship program. She is passionate about working behind the scenes to remove barriers in processes and systems that have historically served to exclude communities from philanthropy. Laura believes "systems tied to wealth often come with an invisible set of rules and requirements that maintain the status quo. Explicitly stating or eliminating these can connect powerful work to necessary funding.

Hollywood Watkins serves as the Program Associate at the Stryker Johnston Foundation. A first-generation college student, Hollywood earned both her B.A. in Sociology and M.A. in Communication from Western Michigan University.
Her career began in public service, spending five years with the Van Buren County Specialty Courts supporting individuals facing mental health and substance use challenges. She later transitioned into scholarship administration, serving two years as the Scholarship Manager at the Kalamazoo Community Foundation and a year and a half as the Scholarship and Outreach Specialist for the College of Education and Human Development at WMU.
As the proud daughter of an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, Hollywood sees the concept of borders as deeply artificial tools of exclusion that uphold power and privilege. To her, borders are not just physical lines on a map; they also manifest as emotional, social, and institutional barriers that create division and perpetuate harm. This lived understanding fuels Hollywood’s work in dismantling systemic barriers and expanding access to resources.