Foundation Staff

In his role as Executive Director for the American Nurses Foundation, Graig R. Eastin provides visionary and strategic leadership to boldly advance the foundation’s philanthropic goals while raising the visibility of the nursing profession.  

Eastin is an advancement executive with more than 35 years of extensive experience spearheading fundraising strategies that have generated over $1.5 billion in contributions for leading academic institutions and nationally recognized health care organizations, both domestically and internationally. Areas of expertise include foundation board development, capital campaign management, principal and major gifts, external and alumni relations, annual giving, corporate and foundation relations, planned giving, and marketing and communications.  

Eastin earned his bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and his master of science in education (counseling psychology) from the University of Southern California. Eastin, his wife (a retired nurse) and son reside in upstate New York where they enjoy traveling the world and providing service to their community. Graig believes in a life committed to community service and philanthropy for the region, nation, and globe. 

Dr. Adriane K. Griffen serves as the Vice-President of Programs for the Foundation. Dr. Griffen oversees the Foundation’s diverse programmatic portfolio, helps design, execute, and evaluate existing and new programs, as well as ensure the integration of those programs into the larger Enterprise. She is an organizational and educational public health strategist who strives to make efforts accessible and welcoming to all. She is dedicated to aligning organizations, building communities, and creating member-centric programs which reflect the needs of the community. She works to identify synergistic activities across the Foundation, the Enterprise, and collaborations with external partners.

Previously, Dr. Griffen was an independent consultant, the executive director at the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists, the executive director of the National Center on Disability in Public Health at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and held various health promotion and partnership development leadership roles. She established healthcare access as a priority area for this National Center and created the national pilot efforts with nurse-led interdisciplinary teams. She is currently a partner reviewer for the Council on Education in Public Health and an instructor at The George Washington University School of Public Health, Doctor of Public Health Program.

With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in capacity building, social marketing, health promotion and health education. She is a Doctor of Public Health with a focus in Leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a Certified Nonprofit Executive Director (CNED), and a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES). Dr. Griffen lives in Silver Spring with her husband and teenage son and enjoys volunteering with the Boy Scouts and the Downtown Silver Spring Rotary.

Inne Barber is the American Nurses Foundation’s Director of Development, a strategic position that plays a key leadership role in the organization’s growth and operations. She joins the Foundation with over 20 years in the non-profit industry specializing in development and corporate partnerships. Working with the Executive Director, the Board of Trustees, and the ANA leadership, she oversees the Foundation's philanthropic efforts, including fundraising strategies, individual and corporate giving, annual events, and the Corporate Advisory Board. She leads the development team and oversees the Foundation's marketing and communications materials.

Before joining the Foundation, she was the VP of Strategic Initiatives at the National Sleep Foundation, where she led revenue generation and held progressive leadership roles during her 15+ years. She holds a B.S. in Economics from Georgetown University and received her Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). She served on Miss Porter’s School's Board of Trustees and the Alumnae Board and remains a passionate advocate for girls' education and women's leadership.

Nyuma Harrison is the Director of Programs at the American Nurses Foundation. She brings over 20 years of experience as a practitioner and global leader in healthcare, education, business, and nonprofit management for organizations including AMN Healthcare, Amazon, Johns Hopkins University, and the Massachusetts General Hospital.

In her role, Nyuma is responsible for ensuring the implementation and integrity of all programs including the Foundation’s signature Reimagining Nursing, Well-Being, and Stress/Burnout Initiatives. Further, she is responsible for collaborating with stakeholders, identifying opportunities in new markets, and cultivating relationships with major donors. She is a curious and a critical thinker who is passionate about empowering individuals and teams to find solutions that are scalable, sustainable, and truly responsive to the needs of target populations.

Nyuma holds an Executive Master’s in Leadership from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Howard University. She holds additional executive certificates from Johns Hopkins and Harvard Business School.

Roberto Bacalski joined the Foundation team in February 2021 as the Program Coordinator for the RN Initiative. Prior to joining ANF he worked for six years as Program and Development Coordinator for the Catholic Diocese of Arlington Mission Office where he handled public outreach, fundraising, and coordination of missionary work in the Dominican Republic. Roberto began his career in the arts with a BA in Theatre from the University of California, San Diego and spent 10 years working with various nonprofit theatres in the Los Angeles area as an actor, producer, and board member. Roberto holds an MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus.

Andrew Bilbrey serves as the Data Systems and Donor Relations Specialist for the American Nurses Foundation, where he maintains the integrity of donor information and serves as a point of contact for donor inquiries. Andrew brings a strong background of data science, database management, and predictive analytics to ANF.

Prior to joining The Foundation, Andrew served as the Lead Data Specialist for Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center where he managed the pricing for over 1400 Vendors and created custom tailored visualizations analyzing pricing trends.

Andrew is a 2020 graduate of University of Maryland- Baltimore County, where he received a Master's in Data Science. He also holds a Bachelor's in Music Performance from Towson University (2016).

Maggie Brockway joined the Foundation team as the Grant Writer to expand its fundraising capacity.  She is responsible for preparing grant proposals and reports and managing donor portfolios, as well as supporting other development needs. Maggie brings a strong background in nonprofits and fundraising to the team. Prior to joining the Foundation, Maggie was the National Grant Writer at After-School All-Stars for five years, a nonprofit organization focused on providing after-school programs for youth of color from low-income backgrounds. Before that, she was the sole development staff member at Youth Conservation Corps/YouthBuild in the Chicago area, a nonprofit that provided 16-week programs focused on helping young adults get their GEDs while simultaneously obtaining job training certifications in construction and installation. Her earliest nonprofit positions were at Earth Force in Denver focused on conservation, and Iowa City Development Group focused on community improvement.

Maggie earned her BA from University of Iowa in Environmental Sustainability in Business, as well as an Entrepreneurial Management Certificate and a Sustainability Certificate at the same time. She jumped into the deep end with her first grant writing job, and shortly after beginning, she took the initiative to seek out a Fund Development Certificate at the nearby University of Wisconsin-Parkside in order to cultivate her skills. Her shift from her original academic focus of environmental studies to her professional interest in addressing urban poverty issues led her to pursue this additional certificate in order to better serve the community. Maggie intends to continue using her strengths to bring positive change to communities across the country.

Alicia Cocco is a seasoned fundraising strategist and leader from the social sector, with over a decade of experience in the healthcare safety-net. With a comprehensive skill set spanning development and communications, Alicia excels in fundraising strategy and operations, grant writing and reporting, orchestrating large-scale events, crafting compelling publications and appeals, and leveraging data to inform decision-making.

A Chicago native, Alicia earned her BA in History from Hope College in Holland, MI before a term of service with AmeriCorps at the English Empowerment Center brought her to the DMV. A desire to expand her nonprofit experience beyond direct service led her to join Arlington Free Clinic's (AFC) Development & Communications team where she progressed through various roles, culminating in her promotion to Director in 2014. Throughout her career, Alicia has consistently met and exceeded fundraising targets, driving remarkable revenue growth. For example, under her stewardship, revenue increased from $2.5 million to $4.7 million during her tenure with AFC. She is excited to apply her experience to the advance the fundraising efforts of the American Nurses Foundation.

Outside of her professional pursuits, Alicia finds joy in exploring Washington, DC, one playground at a time with her husband and their three- and one-year-old sons.

Erin Gilfenbaum is a Program Manager for the American Nurses Foundation Well-Being Initiative, which supports the mental health and resilience of all nurses. She manages the day-to-day operations of the Stress and Burnout Prevention Pilot Program. With over 15 years of non-profit project management and grants administration experience, Erin enjoys building strong relationships with a broad range of stakeholders to bring initiatives from conception to implementation.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Erin led partnership engagement for the Ceca Foundation’s innovative health caregiver recognition program. As an Account Manager at the National 4-H Council, she managed the daily implementation of a $6 million grant-funded program that delivered computer science education to youth nation-wide. She has a master’s degree in communication from Johns Hopkins University and lives in the Annapolis, MD area with her family.

With over 30 years of diverse experience, Tia Shepherd is a seasoned office management and executive support professional with a strong background in executive assistance, human resources recruitment coordination, and executive legal secretarial support. Her career spans mostly across law firms, but also includes corporate settings, non-profit organizations, and government agencies, where she has consistently demonstrated exceptional communication, discretion, and a proven ability to meet organizational goals.

Her experience at the American Nurses Association (ANA), encompasses her providing comprehensive support to the EVP General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, while simultaneously providing vital assistance to the Executive Director of the American Nurses Foundation (ANF). She manages confidential scheduling, departmental retreats and joint and team meetings, and daily operations to ensure seamless office functioning. Her prior experience in legal support and full-cycle recruitment has strengthened staffing operations in both legal and non-legal areas, across offices in DC and NY.

Tia is skilled in managing complex calendars, organizing meetings, preparing detailed reports, and overseeing office administrative functions. Notably, her role as an OPEIU Co-Shop Steward led to the recovery of over $12,000 in funds for union staff.

Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, ADP, UltiPro, and various expense management tools, Tia is also a certified Notary Public and a member of the Association of the Society of Notaries, in addition to the International Association of Administrative Professionals. Known for her commitment to excellence, attention to detail, and strategic problem-solving, Tia continues to deliver exceptional results in every role she undertakes.

Yolanda Walsh recently joined ANF in an administrative capacity supporting the Foundation’s programs and staff. She is responsible for document review and management, contract processing, communications, and meeting support. Yolanda has a diverse and varied background. Prior to taking time off to raise her four children, Yolanda spent 10 years as the Project/Program Manager for a Faith Based Community Development Corporation in the DC Metropolitan area, worked in the Independent School community, and served as a Legal Associate. Yolanda holds a J.D. from Northeastern University and a bachelor’s degree from Spelman College.