By Sandy Weiskittel
“When I find a winner, I stick with it,” says Judy Rouse, Impact 100’s most tenured member from Northern Kentucky, who joined in 2005. “The ideals on which Impact 100 was founded appealed to me. Over the years, Impact 100 showed me an organization that listened, learned and improved.”
Judy, who learned about Impact 100 while playing around a bridge table, likes that nonprofits apply for a definitive project. “It’s not us telling them what to do.”
She emphasizes her trust in Impact 100 leadership, saying, “Time challenges did not allow for my frequent participation, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t be a part of it. I have always voted and for many years I was able to attend the Annual Awards Celebration.”
She and several Northern Kentucky residents, both Impact 100 members and guests, gathered together in October 2026 to get acquainted and reaffirm the mission of Impact 100.
“I’m Into the Idea of Women-Centered Collective Giving”
Director of Prevention & Public Education for the Ion Center (formerly Women’s Crisis Center) in Covington, Lori Droege has witnessed the transformational impact of a $100,000 grant.
She returned to Northern Kentucky after living nearly 10 years in Louisville, largely to be near her nieces and nephews.
The idea of a women’s collective giving circle caught her attention and, since joining Impact 100 in 2018, has enhanced her understanding of the nonprofit community in our area.
During the 2026 Impact 100 grant cycle, Lori led the first ever all-in-one day Grant Review Team (GRT), which reviewed about 30 letters of intent in person, in a day in January. Then, her group got together in March to review all of its full grant applications in a single day.
“I LOVED this way of facilitating,” Lori says. “We moved through all of the potential proposals thoughtfully and methodically. It was fun to see everyone in person and use the wall space in our meeting rooms to explore possibilities visually and tactilely.
“My group was an absolute delight and handled the discussions with intention, care and curiosity,” she notes with enthusiasm.
Lori will be leading a 2027 GRT using the same format.
Bringing Visibility and Attention to Northern Kentucky Nonprofits
Impact 100 member Laura Menge moved from Boston to Covington more than 10 years ago, taking a job with the Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF). Her current position is associate director of Donor Stewardship, focusing on Northern Kentucky grantmaking endowments at GCF. Her professional knowledge and involvement in Impact 100 mesh brilliantly to keep her informed about the nonprofit landscape in our area.
“Impact 100 is helping the Northern Kentucky community thrive by connecting women across the region to its nonprofits and by financially investing in it. NKY nonprofits provide many economic drivers and critical services to people in both Kentucky and Ohio.”
Laura joined Impact 100 as an inaugural member of Impact 100’s Young Philanthropist Scholarship Program and continues to be a champion for recruiting women under 40 to join Impact 100’s mission.
“As an Impact 100 member, I am in good company with other women who also care deeply about our region,” she adds.
