About Us - Board of Trustees

The Foundation is governed by its Board of Trustees. The two Founding Trustees are trusted friends who were selected by Terry Lee as original Board members to form and guide the Foundation.

The current Board Trustees are:

Dawn Wells, President and Chairman of the Board
Los Angeles, California

Dawn is a Founding Trustee of the Foundation. She is Terry Lee’s cousin, and they were extremely close all of their lives. Dawn and Terry Lee were able to make one last memorable trip around the world before Terry’s untimely death in 2002.

Dawn was born and raised in Reno and is a fourth generation Nevadan. She attended Reno High School and received degrees from both Stephens College and the University of Washington. She has served on the Board of Trustees and was President of the Alumnae Fund Board of Stephens College. She served on the University of Missouri Children’s Hospital Board and produced and hosted the Children’s Miracle Network Telethon for mid-Missouri for 15 years. She most recently served on the Idaho Film Task Force for the Idaho State Legislature and is the founder and Chairman of the Board of the Idaho Film & Television Institute.

Dawn has appeared in more than 150 TV shows, 65 theatrical productions, and five feature films, but is best known as Mary Ann marooned on Gilligan’s Island.

Dawn is an actress, producer, motivational speaker, business woman, journalist, educator, and volunteer. She has no children and, like Terry Lee, her focus is helping those in need, with a special interest in the arts.

Eloise Esser, Vice President
Arizona

Eloise is a Founding Trustee of the Foundation. She became a very close friend of Terry Lee’s through common volunteer and social activities in Reno, and they remained close for the rest of Terry’s life.

Charlotte McConnell, Treasurer and Executive Director
Reno, Nevada

Charlotte was elected to the Board after Terry Lee passed away. Charlotte and Terry Lee were friends in high school and kept in touch throughout the years.

Charlotte was born and raised in Reno. She attended Reno High School and received her bachelor’s degree in math and her master’s degree in education from Stanford University. She taught math in junior and senior high schools for four years, then changed direction and enjoyed an 18-year career with IBM, mostly in White Plains, New York. After retiring in 1995 and moving back to Reno, Charlotte became actively involved in the community. She serves on the UNR College of Engineering Advisory Board, Reno Philharmonic Association Board and Saint Mary’s Foundation Board. She is also active in the local Stanford Alumni Club.

Charlotte is a community activist, volunteer, and philanthropist. She believes in the future of northern Nevada and in actively working to improve the quality of life in her community, with a focus on education, arts and culture.

Sherrie Cartinella, Secretary
Reno, Nevada

Sherrie was elected to the Board in 2007. Sherrie’s relationship with Terry Lee is best described in this note written by Terry Lee:

Sherrie did Terry Lee’s nails for more than 20 years. After retiring, Sherrie joined her husband in their Real Estate business. She is very involved with Women’s Council of Realtors, a nationwide organization of 18,000. She chaired and served on several National committees including the National Strategic Planning Committee. She is a Trustee and President of the Northern Nevada Regional Multiple Listing Service and will serve on the Board of Directors of the Reno/Sparks Association of Realtors as well. Sherrie ran her 26th marathon in Athens Greece recently and also qualified and ran the Boston Marathon.

Lynn Atcheson
Reno, Nevada

Lynn was elected to the board in 2007. A native born in White Pine County, she spent most of her life in Reno and attended Reno High School with Terry Lee. Through her community leadership and professional achievements, Lynn has contributed to the health and vitality of the Truckee Meadows. Lynn served as Vice President of Marketing Communications for Washoe Health System (now Renown) for 13 years. She has been a trustee of the Reno Tahoe Airport Authority since 2003, was elected to the Board of Directors of the Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) in 2006, and has contributed her time and talents to a wide variety of community organizations. Lynn was instrumental in establishing the Nevada Women’s Fund, serving as the organization’s founding president, and led the creation of Truckee Meadows Tomorrow, also in the capacity of founding president. She has served as Chairman of the Board of EDAWN (Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada), WIN (Western Industrial Nevada), Reno Philharmonic, United Way of Northern Nevada, and KNPB Channel 5 Public Television. Lynn was instrumental in founding two major community events, Salute to Women of Achievement and Accentuate the Positive. She is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno.