Ms. Chavis is the first executive director of NCGives, a statewide charitable organization based in Raleigh. During her more than 30 years of philanthropic service, she was the first non-family member to serve on the board of the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation. Later, she became the first American Indian woman to chair a national foundation when she became its chair. She’s also a co-founder of the 30-year-old Center for Community Action in Lumberton, was a member of the founding board of the NC Center for Nonprofits, and recently chaired the National Advisory Committee for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities initiative.