Staff

Michelle Greanias, Executive Director

Michelle joined GMN as its first Executive Director in May, 2008. She is a longstanding member of GMN, serving as a board member from 1996-2001 and as Co-Chair from 1998-2001.

Michelle has spent most of her career in philanthropy, serving most recently as Managing Director of Grants, Loans, and Procurement at the Fannie Mae Foundation. While at the Fannie Mae Foundation, Michelle led a grants management team which supported $45 million in annual grants targeted primarily to housing and community development nonprofits, but that also included grantmaking to homelessness, youth, arts, research, and human services organizations. She oversaw servicing of the Foundation’s $20 million affordable housing loan fund and managed employee giving programs for more than 5,000 employees. 

Michelle speaks and writes regularly on effective grants management practices and has consulted with government and private sector grants programs to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of their grantmaking operations. She holds Bachelors Degrees in International Studies and French/West European Studies and a Masters in Business Administration from the American University.

Miriam Hankins, Manager of Member Engagement

Miriam recently joined GMN's staff as Manager of Member Engagement. She will be responsible for developing and implementing initiatives to increase member value and involvement in GMN's programs, resources, and services and enhancing efforts to support, train, and engage its regional chapter and volunteer leadership networks. 

She has over 20 years of association/non-profit experience in directing and managing key membership and marketing programs. She specializes in creating and delivering membership initiatives designed to increase member value, which ultimately builds a sustainable national, regional, and local community for members.

Miriam has served as Director of Membership for ASIS International, Director, Membership and Marketing with the American Land Title Association, and Director of Member Services at the National Propane Gas Association.

Miriam earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Maryland University College and received her Master in Business Administration (MBA) with high distinctive honors (summa cum laude) from Liberty University. She is a member of the American Society of Association Executives and the International Honor Society in Business, Management, and Administration (Sigma Beta Delta).

Catherine Downs

Catherine Downs is a senior consultant with The Crescent Group, a New Orleans-based firm that focuses on nonprofit governance and association management. Since 2000, Catherine was the lead consultant providing staffing for GMN and now supports the GMN conference, Project Streamline, and various other GMN projects and programs. Prior to her work as a consultant for nonprofits, Catherine was an associate at the law firm of Lord, Bissell & Brook in Chicago, IL where she practiced corporate law. Catherine is a graduate of Trinity College in Hartford, CT and received her J.D. cum laude from Tulane Law School. She is a member of the bar in Illinois and Louisiana.