Christen H. Duhé, Ed.D.
President & Executive Director
Christen Duhé is the President and Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. Previously, she worked at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College as the Associate Vice President of Institutional Relations. She began her career at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce as the first Director of Coast Young Professionals (CYP). Christen is a Mississippi Gulf Coast native, growing up in Bay St. Louis and now living in Gulfport. She is a three-time graduate from The University of Southern Mississippi (To the Top!) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations, a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication, and most recently, a doctorate in Higher Education Administration. She is a graduate of the Coast Chamber’s Leadership Gulf Coast program, the Business Council’s Masters’ Class, MEC’s Leadership Mississippi and the Mississippi Community College Leadership Academy. She received her APR: Accreditation in Public Relations, in October, 2015.
Christen served as the Chair of the Biloxi Chamber of Commerce in 2019 as well as President of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi’s state board of directors. She was recognized by the Public Relations Association of Mississippi as the 2020 Professional Achievement Award recipient. She was also selected as a Top 10 Finalist for the Top 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi in 2020, after being recognized as one of the Top 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi in 2019.
She married her husband David in March, 2012, in Cancun, Mexico. They love to travel and have a cat named Chief.
Lisa Birmingham
Director of Grants and Scholarships
Lisa Birmingham joined the Foundation in September 2005 as the donor relations manager. Lisa is also responsible for grant administration, scholarship administration, accounts payable and various other office duties. She has always had a passion for volunteerism and has spent her career working with various non-profits and schools. Lisa has always called the Mississippi Gulf Coast home.
Dr. Shanta Rhodes
Director of Grants & Scholarships
With more than 20 years of experience in education and leadership, Dr. Shanta Rhodes’ professional journey has taken her from the classroom to executive leadership, where she has focused on strengthening organizations, developing leaders, and creating opportunities that make a lasting difference for the people and communities they serve.
She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Elementary Education from Jackson State University and a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Administration from The University of Southern Mississippi. Her certifications include Elementary Education K-8 – Mississippi Department of Education; Career Level Administrator; Career & Technical Administrator – Mississippi Department of Education; and National Board Certified Teacher – National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Throughout her career, she has served as an assistant superintendent, federal programs director, and instructional leader, with expertise in curriculum, instruction, professional development, educational leadership, and federal programs/grants management and program implementation.
Shanta is a native of Jackson, Mississippi, and has called the Mississippi Gulf Coast home for more than 20 years. She enjoys traveling, cooking, baking, attending live music events, spending time at the beach, and creative writing. Giving back is important to her, and she is active in the community through Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Tiffany D. Bell
Director of Donor Relations
Tiffany D. Bell serves as director of Donor Relations at Gulf Coast Community Foundation, where she works to strengthen relationships with donors, nonprofits, and community partners who are committed to improving the quality of life in South Mississippi.
Tiffany brings more than two decades of leadership experience in nonprofit management, donor relations, administration, and community service. Previously, she served as Executive Director of the Women’s Resource Center and is known for her ability to lead with purpose, build meaningful relationships, and help move important community initiatives forward.
She is a 2019 graduate of Leadership Gulf Coast and has been recognized four times as one of Gulf Coast Woman Magazine’s “Top 100 Women to Know.” Tiffany has also served as an Honorary Commander for the 81st Training Wing at Keesler Air Force Base. As a veteran, she understands the importance of helping military service members stay connected to the local community.
Tiffany has received two lifetime achievement honors, including the Tony Santucci Lifetime Achievement Award from The Coast Observer and the 2024 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for volunteer service, presented during the Biden Administration. She was also inducted into the Best of Mississippi Awards Hall of Fame in 2025.
While Tiffany is grateful for the many awards and honors she has received, her greatest accomplishments are her two sons, Brieyon and Brandon, and her grandchildren, Leonidas and Israel. She believes deeply in service, community, and creating a legacy that will continue for generations.
Kimberly Jones
Communications Manager
Kimberly B. Jones serves as the Communications Manager for the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. Previously, she was the Communications and Marketing Specialist at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, where she worked for 31 years.
Kimberly earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from The University of Southern Mississippi and an Associate of Arts degree from Hinds Community College. Her skills span a range of areas, including editing, writing, photography, graphic design, and project management. She has served as a member and board member of the College Public Relations Association of Mississippi and as a member of the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations. She received several accolades from both organizations.
Community involvement is a cornerstone of Kimberly’s life. For several years, she was the communications and social media strategist for Stone High School’s band, Stone High Pride. She is actively committed to animal welfare, volunteering, along with her younger son, with Wild at Heart Rescue in Vancleave and fostering cats and dogs for many years for the Stone County SPCA.
Kimberly is also a proud mother and says, “My three children are my greatest accomplishments.”
Rodger Wilder
H. Rodger Wilder is of council with Balch & Bingham, LLP, in the firm’s Gulfport, Mississippi, office, where he has practiced law for over 48 years.
Rodger earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Mississippi State University in 1970 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1977.
He is a past president of the Mississippi Bar Association, the Mississippi Bar Foundation, and the Harrison County Bar Association. He is also a member of the American Bar Association and is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation, and a Fellow of the National Conference of Bar Presidents. In 2010, he was recognized by the Mississippi Business Journal as one of Mississippi’s Leaders in Law in its inaugural class.
Rodger has also been active in numerous community and civic activities. He was a founding member of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation in 1989 and has continuously served in various leadership positions with the Foundation. He also was a founding member of the Gulf Coast Business Council and the Knight Nonprofit Center. In 2006 he was voted one of South Mississippi’s Outstanding Community Leaders by The Sun Herald and The Journal of South Mississippi Business. The Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce awarded him its 2024 Pat Santucci Sprit of the Gulf Coast Award, and in 2026, CASA of South Mississippi recognized him as their Outstanding Community Professional.
