Wilder-Davis
VHSF president Tiffany Wilder-Davis champions grants that strengthen STEM and fine arts.
Q: How did you first get involved with the Vestavia Hills City Schools Foundation?
A: I live in Liberty Park, and there are not a lot of Liberty Park participants or board members. A colleague of mine who’s a neighbor asked several of us to join. From there, we applied, I got accepted, and I just learned a lot about what the foundation does to support the schools. Once I really got into the initiatives and the mission behind it, it was something I was all about trying to figure out how to support.
Q: What does the foundation do for schools?
A: First and foremost, it’s not in competition with PTO efforts — it’s really in support. We provide funding to support the schools through grant opportunities that teachers or administrators may need that PTO cannot pay for. We do this through fundraisers like Pitch In and Dinner and Diamonds, where we raise the bulk of our money and create awareness around the mission.
Q: What are your priorities as president this year?
A: This week we have new member orientation. We’ll go through policies, processes, and figure out how to acclimate them and get them involved in subcommittees. We’ll hit the ground running with Pitch In, Dinner and Diamonds, and other activities we need to prepare for throughout the year.
Q: Where do you see the foundation making the biggest impact?
A: Two areas: STEM and fine arts. Being able to place money in science, technology, engineering and math programs helps to set us apart. And fine arts — whether band or arts in general. What we try to do is give grants that have a broad impact, across an entire grade or school, not just one classroom.
Q: What is something people may not know about you?
A: I’m passionate about people. Whether students, friends, or community, that’s what I do and what I’ve always done. I love meeting people, learning about them, and I’m passionate about our schools and making sure this continues to be a great school system for all kids.
